The Chicago Bears surprised a lot of people when the news broke that the team had placed a bid to purchase the vast property of Arlington Racecourse International. The first indication that team ownership might be considering something that hasn’t happened since the early 1970s. Moving into a new stadium. One that they would undoubtedly seek to own themselves and not be at the mercy of a lease held by another party. In this case the Chicago Park District.
Tensions have always been high between the Bears and the CPD, but they seem to have escalated more recently as other NFL teams continue moving into bigger and more luxurious stadiums. Meanwhile, they’re stuck in an outdated building with the smallest seating capacity in the league. Every time they try to push for possible improvements to the venue, they’re met with resistance. By the sound of it? Ownership has had enough.
So what was the final straw?
It appears the flashpoint occurred last year. According to Tony Arnold of WBEZ Chicago, the Bears approached the Park District about created a sportsbook location in Soldier Field. A place where fans could go place bets. No doubt an attempt to take advantage of the massive influx of legalized gambling revenue. The response they got back and ensuing lack of action no doubt played a big part in spurring the franchise to seek alternatives.
“At this time it would not be productive to pursue the opportunities outlined in your letter,” Kelly wrote to Phillips on Nov. 6, 2020. “Additionally, my team is working on a comprehensive design for the park and open space adjacent to the North end of Soldier Field. We will certainly consider your thoughts and opinions at the appropriate time as the project moves forward.”
On June 3, 2021, seven months after receiving that letter — and 14 months after making the original pitch — Phillips fired back.
“It is disappointing that it is over a year since we reached out to you and you have refused to engage in good faith discussions about an opportunity that generates revenue for the CPD while leveraging the Chicago Bears brand,” Phillips wrote.
Two weeks later, the Bears officially placed their bid on Arlington.
It gets better too. When the news first hit, Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot shrugged it off as nothing more than a negotiating tactic. The Bears weren’t leaving Soldier Field. They were under a lease agreement. Perhaps they should be more focused on beating the Packers and winning games. Fast forward to this week, Lightfoot seems to have drastically changed her tune according to Fran Spielman of the Chicago Sun-Times.
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“I am a Bears fan. I want the Bears to stay in the city of Chicago. And we are willing to work with them to try to address their concerns. But, I’ve got to do it in a way that is fiscally prudent and doesn’t preclude other uses in that stadium,” she said.
“We are evaluating ways in which we can enhance the fan experience at Soldier Field. …I know that it can be better. I’ve been to other stadiums across the country where the fan experience is far superior to what we have at Soldier Field.”
It is difficult not to read that and immediately understand the implications. Lightfoot realizes that her initial presumptions about the situation were way off. The Bears are serious about this. If they end up winning the bid for the Arlington property, and rumors are they will, then it feels like only a matter of time before they begin the process of building a new stadium and getting out of Chicago proper.
Chicago Bears fans seem split on this scenario
Many love the idea of coming into the city right on the lakefront with the immense beauty of the Chicago skyline. Not to mention Soldier Field is an institution at this point. A hallowed landmark of this city. Not seeing the Bears play there seems almost unnatural. At the same time, the fan experience in that stadium is laughable compared to more cutting-edge venues like those in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Atlanta.
One of the founding franchises of the NFL shouldn’t have to deal with something like this. If the Chicago Bears won’t get what they need from the park district? Then they will take matters into their own hands. These aren’t the days of George Halas when the team had to be careful with its spending. The Bears are a billion-dollar entity. One that tons of investors would love to get involved in. They don’t need Soldier Field anymore. Soldier Field needs them, and its owners may have just blown their last opportunity to fix it.