Mayor Lori Lightfoot sounded so confident when she first spoke about the idea of the Chicago Bears purchasing Arlington Park last year. There was no way that team was leaving Soldier Field. They were under a lease agreement. They’ve always been in Chicago and always will be in Chicago. Perhaps they should focus more on beating the Packers and less on the ridiculous idea of a new stadium. Fast forward a calendar year, and her tune has completely changed.
While Lightfoot continues to express optimism about an agreement of some kind getting worked out, her actions behind the scenes tell a different story. Her recent Soldier Field renovation plan was met with a shrug from the organization. Yes, it made the property much nicer and better for fans. The problem was it did little for the Bears from a revenue standpoint. It offered nothing close to what they could make off the property in Arlington Heights once overhauled.
Now the mayor seems to be grasping at straws. She is so desperate, in fact, that according to CHGO she reached out to have a personal meeting with Jarrett Payton. Everybody knows he is the son of Bears royalty in Walter Payton. That family is revered in Chicago. What would “Sweetness” think if the Bears decided to move? She probably didn’t like the answer she got.
Mayor Lightfoot called @paytonsun to get his opinion on the Bears moving to Arlington Heights.
What would Walter Payton think of the Bears leaving Soldier Field?
Jarrett explains: pic.twitter.com/GObGXEJSDh
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) September 8, 2022
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Another reminder Lori Lightfoot didn’t do her homework.
If she’d bothered to conduct any research, she’d have known the Payton family had deep ties to Arlington Heights. That is where Walter lived during his playing days. The town has deep Bears roots. It makes the idea of moving there that much easier. If it was good enough for the greatest Bear of all time, it’s good enough for the franchise he elevated. That was echoed in his son’s response.
Lori Lightfoot was caught off guard when the Bears began their pursuit of Arlington Park. It’s more apparent than ever that she never truly recovered from that surprise. She underestimated the seriousness of the situation, and by the time she realized how bad it was, it was too late. The McCaskeys were committed to making a move happen. Now she is trying anything and everything to stop the dam from bursting even as it crumbles around her.
Sadly, her political legacy may come down to being the one that let this happen. Not a tag most people would want attached to their name.
