Windy City Gridiron
Chicago Bears President Kevin Warren met with the media on Friday afternoon to provide an update on progress toward the Bears building a new domed stadium in Arlington Heights.
Of note, Warren stated that the team’s 326-acre property in Arlington Heights is the only site in Cook County that the team is focused on for constructing a new stadium. He cited the fact that finances didn’t make sense to move forward with a new stadium on the lakefront.
Warren also said that the team continues to meet weekly with leaders from Arlington Heights.
“The plan is to proceed forward this year,” Warren said.
The fall session from the Illinois state government in Springfield is of critical importance for the team’s goal of constructing a new domed stadium, and Warren made that clear in his comments. He noted that if the stadium bill (Mega Projects bill) that has been proposed passed in an October vote, the Bears would be ready to “move dirt” before the end of 2025.
He reiterated that the team is ready to get started “now,” further emphasizing the need for the state government to deliver on a bill in October in order for the ball to get rolling.
Warren then spoke about his time in Minnesota and the construction of US Bank Stadium. He noted that construction began there in December, so he doesn’t see winter weather delaying construction. He also noted that US Bank Stadium was built in 30 months. If the new Bears stadium was built at a similar speed, that would seem to indicate the new venue could be ready as early as the 2028 season.
Warren also mentioned the amount of jobs, both permanent and temporary for construction, that the new stadium project would create.
Bears Chairman George McCaskey also addressed the media. He stated many of the same items as Warren, noting the importance of the stadium bill in Springfield. Both he and Warren also discussed some of the major events that the city of Chicago is missing out on currently by not having a domed stadium (hosting Super Bowls, Finals Fours, etc.).
McCaskey also again confirmed that the Halas-McCaskey family will continue to be the majority owners of the team.
What are your thoughts on this latest development?
