Your suburb could possibly be dwelling to knowledgeable soccer workforce, making it the envy of all of your neighbors.
Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren is accepting functions.
Act now earlier than this provide expires.
The Bears’ pursuit of a brand new state-of-the-art stadium to switch Soldier Field has gone off the rails since Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi referred to as an audible, considerably elevating the valuation of the Arlington Park property the McCaskey household bought for $197 million.
Naperville officers rapidly pounced on the fumble, holding two conferences with the Bears about the opportunity of shifting to their leafy suburb 40 minutes west of downtown Chicago. Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor then wrote Warren proposing a lakefront stadium there, and a Rockford politician chimed in to foyer for his city.
Everyone needs to be related to the Bears.
To nobody’s shock, the Bears, estimated by Forbes to be price $5.8 billion, seem like utilizing the cities’ curiosity to assist leverage a greater deal for his or her stadium, a lot because the Chicago White Sox did within the Eighties once they threatened to maneuver to St. Petersburg, Fla., earlier than shifting right into a taxpayer-funded park that wanted reworking a bit of greater than a decade later.
If Naperville and Waukegan can get the Bears’ consideration, why not everybody else?
It would solely price the value of a stamp to ship a letter to Warren expressing curiosity in housing the Bears and their genteel followers, or two stamps in the event you embrace a self-addressed envelope for Warren’s reply.
The publicity can be price it, and if each Chicago suburb had been to get into the act. we might have the best intrastate competitors for a brand new stadium in sports activities historical past.
Some cities make extra sense than others. Here are 20 we’d prefer to see put of their bids.
Niles
The Bears would rapidly cross the Leaning Tower of Niles because the city’s hottest vacationer attraction. Proximity to Superdawg can be a plus.
Joliet
A blue-collar workforce deserves a blue-collar city, and the outdated jail from “The Blue Brothers” film is just not getting used.
Winnetka
Cheap Uber rides to the stadium for the McCaskeys from their North Shore abodes. Every greenback saved counts.
Berwyn
Nothing sounds fairly as lyrical because the Berwyn Bears. Svengoolie’s longtime endorsement of “Berrrrr-wyn?” makes a brand new stadium deal sound even sweeter.
Rosemont
We know a man there who is aware of a man there who might get it executed. That’s all we’re saying. Let’s simply maintain it at that.
Blue Island
An area referendum altering the city’s title to “Black and Blue Island” might seal the deal. Fans would journey from distant parking tons to the stadium through a scenic barge trip on the Little Calumet River.
Chicago Heights
Over by that place on Joe Orr Road. You know the one.
Kenosha
Why ought to the competitors be restricted to Illinois if a city in southern Wisconsin can provide a greater deal? Plenty of Bears followers stay in and round Kenosha, and you must like the thought of a Bears-Packers sport in Mars Cheese Castle Stadium.
Brookfield
Already has a cool zoo. Might as effectively have a circus too.
Oak Park
The McCaskeys might have a area day tearing down Frank Lloyd Wright homes to suit a brand new stadium into the village. Also accessible by “L.”
Lombard
Known because the Lilac Village and residential to the Lilac Time competition, this west suburban city would little question welcome a workforce that smells as candy because the Bears.
Sugar Grove
Negotiating with the Saudis’ LIV Tour for a event cease was good observe for deal-making with Bears homeowners.
Batavia
In conjunction with close by Fermilab, America’s particle physics and accelerator laboratory, the Bears might discover the solutions to 2 of life’s everlasting questions: How did the universe start? and Why can’t the Bears win one other Super Bowl?
Evanston
Already constructing a brand new stadium for the 1-11 Northwestern Wildcats? Congrats, Evanston. Add a number of thousand extra seats and one other stage of suites for the Bears and nobody will know the distinction. A skybridge to Mustard’s Last Stand may win over Evanstonians.
Thornton
A stadium set within the Thornton Quarry, recognized within the south suburbs as “home of the Flintstones,” would make for a very distinctive fan expertise. Plenty of house for parking as effectively. Bears followers would journey down treacherous, zigzagging gravel roads to get to the underground, open-air stadium. The drive again up after a Bears loss could possibly be extra attention-grabbing than the video games.
Wilmette
Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts might clarify to Bears Chairman George McCaskey the right way to get the perfect property-tax reductions.
Bourbonnais
Bears beat writers are clamoring for a return to the location of the workforce’s former coaching camp and its plethora of fast-food choices.
Downers Grove
The Bears have already got been a downer for a few years. Just make it official by constructing a retractable DownersDome.
Bridgeview
This village has loads of stadium-building expertise with SeatGeek Stadium, former dwelling of the Chicago Fire. That appeared to work out effectively for everybody.
Manteno
Like my late grandfather at all times mentioned: “The McCaskeys belong in Manteno.” This transfer would make his dream come true.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com