With the Chicago Bears trying to the suburbs as a possible website for a stadium, Cook County Commissioner Monica Gordon is encouraging the soccer staff to think about Country Club Hills, throwing what her workplace described as a “Hail Mary pass” to encourage the staff to think about the south suburb.
Gordon mentioned in a information launch Tuesday she and Country Club Hills Mayor James Ford “are imploring the team to look at the south suburbs as an opportunity to have a positive economic impact on a part of the Chicagoland area that is ignored all too often.”
Gordon, representing the county’s Fifth District and not too long ago elected to switch Deborah Sims, mentioned she despatched a letter in September to Bears’ matriarch Virginia McCaskey and chief government Kevin Warren inviting them to think about a website in Country Club Hills.
“Country Club Hills’ strategic location near three major highways, the Metra Electric line and the Indiana border gives the Bears the opportunity to develop a world class stadium and experience that management purports to want for the team’s future growth,” Gordon mentioned.
Ford mentioned Tuesday he was conscious of the letter despatched by Gordon, and though his signature was not on it he would hope the Bears would contemplate his metropolis.
“We have great opportunities out here in the Southland,” he mentioned.
Country Club Hills has land out there close to the interchange of Interstates 80 and 57 that was as soon as eyed as the location of a giant outlet mall. Warehouses have been constructed on a part of the property after the mall plans fell via.
Ford mentioned that “we could still squeeze about 200 acres” for a possible stadium use, and there’s about 40 acres to the west, close to Cicero Avenue, that may very well be used for issues reminiscent of parking.
The mayor mentioned he isn’t sure if the staff will contemplate his metropolis because it evaluates potential stadium websites.
“We’re taking our shot in the dark here,” Ford mentioned.
Country Club Hills isn’t the one south suburb all for wooing the staff.
This summer season, Richton Park Mayor Rick Reinbold prolonged an invite to Warren to come back check out this neighborhood, touting giant expanses of obtainable land and the south suburb’s proximity to highways and the Metra Electric Line.
At the time Reinbold despatched the July 21 letter, the Bears had been at work clearing the location of Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights. Other suburbs reminiscent of Aurora and Naperville, have expressed in bringing the staff to their communities.
In response to Reinbold’s letter, the staff didn’t particularly remark about Richton Park’s pitch and reiterated what the staff had beforehand mentioned a couple of doable website.
“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 mentioned.
Richton Park’s provide of a website go to got here not lengthy after Warren mentioned Arlington Heights is “not a singular focus” for the staff because it considers options to remaining at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com