The Bears are close to unveiling plans for the NFL team’s potential new home in Arlington Heights.
The team will release details next week of what’s being called one of the state’s largest development projects, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. It will lay out plans at a Sept. 8 meeting to build a “transit-oriented mixed-use entertainment district.”
Mayor Tom Hayes said he won’t be in attendance, and nor will members of the village board. Residents will have opportunities to express concerns and ask questions at the meeting, which is being held ahead of plans for the team and village officials to discuss the deal later this month.
The Bears signed a $197.2 million purchase agreement last year for the former Arlington Racetrack property at 2200 Euclid Avenue.
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The team’s home, Soldier Field, was built in 1924 and renovated in 1984 and is among the NFL’s smallest stadiums with a seating capacity of 62,000. The stadium’s open top means players and spectators aren’t protected from Chicago’s fierce winters.
The Bears have also had issues with the fact that the property is owned by the Chicago Park District, rather than the team, limiting what it can do with the facility.
If the Bears build a new stadium in Arlington Heights, it would almost immediately qualify to host a Super Bowl. While the sites for the next three games are already scheduled, the league often rewards teams with new stadiums by letting them host the national event.
The meeting will be held on Sept. 8 at John Hersey High School.
— Victoria Pruitt