In late March, the Bears made their position clear regarding a new stadium — Arlington Heights or Hammond, Indiana.
Don’t take my word for it, as if you ever would. Bears CEO Kevin Warren appeared on PFT Live from the annual league meetings. We asked him, point blank, whether there’s a chance that, as the team explores Arlington Heights vs. Hammond, the clouds will part and Chicago will emerge as the solution.
“That’s a great question, but we strongly believe the only site in the state of Illinois, Cook County, is Arlington Heights,” Warren said.
That was March. Then came April. As reported by Justin Laurence of Crain’s Chicago Business, at least six calls and virtual meetings occurred between the team and Chicago attorneys from April 3 through April 22.
On April 22, the Illinois House of Representatives approved a bill that would have made Arlington Heights far more attractive, by virtue of significantly reducing the team’s property-tax obligation.
The timeline of the communications supports the notion that the team has been considering Chicago as a Plan B, in the event Arlington Heights doesn’t work out as the Plan A.
The team contends that the communications with the city focused on the lease at Soldier Field. Laurence, citing unnamed sources within Chicago City Hall, disputes that claim.
Overall, the report lends credence to the recent claim from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson that Chicago remains a viable contender to host the team’s new stadium.
The end result is that no one knows what’s going to happen with the Bears’ stadium effort. And no one seems to know what the Bears truly want.
It’s possible that the confusing cascade of conflicting developments and potential motivations is part of a 5D game of chess. It’s also possible that the Bears are playing checkers with Thurman Merman.
