The Chicago Bears proceed to take a look at quite a lot of websites in and round Chicago — together with the location of Soldier Field — as potential houses for a brand new stadium, officers mentioned Wednesday.
The Bears are doing due diligence on the viability of the south car parking zone at Soldier Field as the situation for his or her subsequent stadium, in response to unnamed sources cited by The Parkins & Spiegel Show on WSCR-AM 670 The Score.
The Bears have proposed constructing a $5 billion enclosed stadium and leisure and housing complicated on the location of the closed Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights. The mission has stalled whereas the crew tries to barter favorable property taxes for the location.
The Bears reportedly are utilizing the identical surveying agency, Compass Surveying Ltd. in Aurora, that they used for Arlington Heights and different potential areas.
In response, the Bears wouldn’t affirm the report, however issued the next transient assertion:
“As we stated in September earlier this year, we want to appropriately explore all opportunities across Chicagoland for the development of a world-class stadium.”
In September, Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren acknowledged that the crew was persevering with a “methodical” course of to search out one of the best stadium answer.
“Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Brandon Johnson and his team, we have recently engaged in positive and productive discussions with the city of Chicago,” Warren mentioned. “We also continue to have dialogue with officials in Arlington Heights and other Chicagoland locations about a Chicago Bears stadium project.”
While persevering with such discussions this fall, the crew didn’t pursue earlier state legislative proposals for tax breaks to construct a stadium — however a brand new legislative session begins within the new 12 months.
The Bears have met with officers in Naperville. Aurora, Waukegan and Richton Park additionally expressed curiosity in internet hosting the crew.
The parking space south of Soldier Field features a storage and a ground-level lot. The space is social gathering central for tailgating followers.
The space as soon as was beneficial by a mayoral activity power as the location of the proposed Lucas Museum.
But “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, who deliberate to deal with his vital artwork and film memorabilia assortment there, dropped his plan in 2016 after the nonprofit group Friends of the Parks filed a lawsuit in search of to dam the proposal. Any plans for a brand new stadium there may face comparable objections.
The Bears have additionally resumed communications with college officers concerning the Arlington Heights website, Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes informed the Tribune. That comes after the 2 sides had reached an deadlock over property taxes and damaged off negotiations for months.
Palatine Community Consolidated School District 15, Arlington Heights-based Township High School District 214 and Palatine-based Township High School District 211 have sought hundreds of thousands of {dollars} extra in property taxes from the location.
To decrease these taxes, the crew this summer season demolished the previous Arlington Park and associated buildings.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com