Chicago Bears officers met with Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli on Friday to debate the potential for abandoning their plans for a brand new stadium improvement in Arlington Heights in favor of constructing it within the western suburb.
In a transfer that may very well be used as bargaining leverage, the group mentioned in an announcement Friday that plans to construct “the largest single development project in Illinois history” are “at risk” in Arlington Heights.
The Bears objected that current tax hikes on the previous Arlington Park racetrack, which the Bears purchased this 12 months, would end in taxes far increased than its price whereas it’s not operational.
“We will continue the ongoing demolition activity and work toward a path forward in Arlington Heights, but it is no longer our singular focus,” group officers wrote. “It is our responsibility to listen to other municipalities in Chicagoland about potential locations that can deliver on this transformational opportunity for our fans, our club and the state of Illinois.”
The group maintains plans to construct an enclosed stadium with accompanying leisure and residential improvement in Arlington Heights just isn’t a completed deal. There stays excellent questions on the group getting certainty on property tax limits and public subsidies to assist construct infrastructure for the undertaking.
Those uncertainties led Wehrli to ship a letter May 24 to Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren during which the mayor acknowledged the group’s dedication to creating and working its personal stadium, which “is essential for on-field success and pursuing championships.”
“I would like to formally introduce our community to your organization as you consider or reassess your planned relocation,” wrote the brand new Naperville mayor, who was elected this spring and took workplace a month in the past.
Wehrli advised Warren a number of accessible or to-be-available websites could match the traits the group is in search of in a future dwelling.
He referred to as the conversations “good” and mentioned “there’s more to come.”
Where these areas are has not been disclosed however one web site giant sufficient for such a improvement is the previous BP campus property alongside Warrenville Road between Washington and Mill streets. Located alongside the Interstate 88 hall, it could be accessible from I-88′s Naperville Road and Winfield Road exits.
The Bears have a lease at Soldier Field in Chicago by way of 2033, however might become profitable from new seat licenses, luxurious suites, naming rights, and different options in the event that they constructed their very own stadium. Such a undertaking would take years, however they might break the lease as early as 2026 for a price of $84 million. The group has performed at Soldier Field for greater than half a century.
Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes mentioned he understands that the Bears are a for-profit enterprise and need to pursue all alternatives.
“I would be doing the same thing, explore all my options and pick the best one,” he mentioned. “I still think Arlington Heights is the best option.”
The group is unlikely to search out such a chief property as the previous Arlington Park, Hayes mentioned, with 326 largely open acres subsequent to main roadways and with its personal commuter practice station. And the Bears already personal the land.
The mayor inspired the college districts and the group to proceed negotiations over property taxes, with the requirement that any deal can be a long-term financial increase for the group and the area.
To assist a possible Bears’ transfer to Naperville, Wehrli mentioned town’s financial improvement associate, Naperville Development Partnership, has a monitor file of working with companies to make funding in Naperville.
Wehrli mentioned as mayor pledged to pursue accountable financial improvement to assist town’s financial system, and being the house of the Chicago Bears would unlock large financial advantages for the group.
City spokeswoman Linda LaCloche reiterated that financial improvement is one in every of Wehrli’s major focuses. “The mayor will continue to highlight Naperville’s benefits to businesses throughout Chicagoland and across the country,” LaCloche mentioned.
Naperville, which has a inhabitants of round 150,000, is enticing for all sorts of companies, LaCloche mentioned, as a result of it has the second largest financial system in Illinois, “with a highly educated workforce, top ranked public safety, a vibrant downtown, excellent public transit and proximity to major interstates.”
Interstate 88 extends by way of town’s northern limits, and Interstates 355 and 55 are lower than 5 miles from town to the east and south, respectively.
Two railroad strains run by way of Naperville, the Burlington-Northern-Santa Fe Railway and the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway. Metra operates commuter trains alongside the BNSF Railway and has two stations throughout the metropolis, the primary station on Fourth Avenue and the Route 59 station.
The metropolis additionally has some expertise as a house to an expert sports activities group, although on a a lot smaller scale.
For the 2002 and 2003 seasons, the Major League Soccer group Chicago Fire performed at North Central College in Naperville whereas Soldier Field was being renovated.
Naperville additionally was among the many greater than 100 communities Fire officers delivered proposal requests to construct a soccer-specific stadium to be used in 2007.
Naperville opted to not submit, and on the time mentioned a expensive soccer stadium wasn’t a precedence and there wasn’t appropriate land accessible alongside the I-88 hall.
Interested events weighed in on the Naperville talks.
Democratic state Rep. Mark Walker of Arlington Heights mentioned Friday that he was “not really surprised” to study that the Bears have been in dialog with Naperville officers. “They may think it gives them a little leverage. … I’m not sure whether it does or not.”
What has stunned Walker is that the soccer membership has been so centered on the property tax cost for the previous racetrack “because it’s a multibillion-dollar project and there are all kinds of other things in play here.”
Still, the Bears being courted by one other suitor might assist pace alongside negotiations with Arlington Heights and college districts, Walker mentioned.
Democratic state Rep. Marty Moylan of Des Plaines sponsored a invoice to advertise the Arlington web site, however the spring legislative session ended May 27 with the invoice in limbo.
Moylan mentioned Bears “are trying to leverage their product … and get the best deal possible. And I agree with them.”
Village of Arlington Heights workers mentioned in an announcement that they’d anticipated the group to proceed evaluating different potential areas for a stadium improvement “as part of their due diligence process.” However, the assertion continued, the outdated racetrack has various components going for it which can be laborious to duplicate.
“It is evident that the Chicago Bears Football Club understands the distinctive potential of this web site, as evidenced by
their current buy of the property,” the assertion mentioned.
Village workers mentioned they’d proceed working with the membership and different concerned events on a doable stadium and mixed-use district on the racecourse and would “work through the inevitable challenges that come with any large development effort.”
Chicago Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner and Dan Petrella and Pioneer Press’ Caroline Kubzansky contributed.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com