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* I’m told the talks with Chicago have been going very well and the talks with and about Arlington Heights have not gone well…
Statement from Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren:
“Our process to find the best stadium solution for our franchise, our fans and the region continues to be methodical and intentional. Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Brandon Johnson and his team, we have recently engaged in positive and productive discussions with the City of Chicago. We also continue to have dialogue with officials in Arlington Heights and other Chicagoland locations about a Chicago Bears stadium project. At this time, we want to appropriately explore all opportunities for the development of a world-class stadium and therefore will not be pursuing legislative support for mega projective incentive legislation in the Illinois General Assembly’s Fall Veto Session.”
Good news for the city. But it’s not like they had much of a chance in the veto session. Still, at least they’re learning.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 2:57 pm
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Not much of an offense off the field either. I imagine what they really want is to raze Soldier Field, what’s left of the historic part of it under the UFO, and build new and bigger on the same site… or take over the land where the old McCormick Place halls are.
Comment by Give Us Barabbas Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:04 pm
===at least they’re learning===
Bet there’s been some real teaching going on by some brought on to, well, teach.
Keeping in mind mere weeks ago the McCaskey franchise had a “worth boon” between $240-400 million with the sale of the Washington Commanders, it’d be safe to say “crying poor” or “we need help” would have been farcical during veto.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:09 pm
Great. So now let’s pass the PILOT program and just exclude the Bears. It’s a great idea as long as it doesn’t go to the McCaskeys.
Comment by New Day Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:17 pm
They “fumbled” the ball in Springfield from day 1. First trying to claim that their PILOT program really wasn’t their idea.. They could not get any Leader of the Gov to buy in.. Thus was a class of how to Not Lobby 101!!!
Comment by NotRich Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:17 pm
What is cheaper? A new dome over existing Soldier Field or a completely new domed stadium on the McCormick Place Hall site?
Make a decision and get it done. Connect new dome to the rest of the Convention Center, give the go ahead to the ambitious One Central development nearby, and create a fantastic new “South Side” entertainment, dining and living district. It will rejuvenate Chicago’s convention business and create lots of construction jobs and lots of new revenue for city. The Progressives will faint.
Comment by Suburbanon Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:22 pm
This issue was such a softball for Lori. Just being open to them and having conversations that don’t involve yelling can work wonders. Instead she wasted time and money on a counter-proposal stadium design that pushed them further away from the table.
Comment by NIU Grad Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:23 pm
===The Progressives will faint.===
Why is that?
To get votes you connect revenues to new programs as a promise for passage.
No one would faint, they’d vote Aye and look forward to new revenues, if all you are touting is a reality.
Governing is like that, progressives or not.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:25 pm
- Give Us Barabbas - Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:04 pm:
Not much historic left at Soldier Field anyway. The renovation got it delisted by the federal government as a historic landmark.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2006-04-22-0604220145-story.html
To the post, it’s just sad how poorly the McCaskey family has managed the Bears, both on and off the field. No one but them was clamoring for Arlington Park at the $200 million price and if the stadium ends up anywhere but there, they have a huge piece of dung sitting on their hands. Utter incompetence. It’s not like they have any true real estate development experience or even experience running an outside business, so we know there’s no plan B for them owning that land.
They also bought Arlington and engaged in this enterprise knowing the team president was going to retire. It’s unbelievable to have started this at all without having Kevin Warren (or whoever) in place first!
Comment by Google Is Your Friend Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:25 pm
= Good news for the city. =
That’s a matter of opinion. Some of us want the Bears to get their hands out of our wallets.
Comment by JoanP Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:37 pm
Do the Bears play professional football? Only asking because I watched the whole Packers game and I wasn’t sure. I would not have been surprised to see the players and staff watching Netflix on their phones during the game and especially in the second half. So frustrating and they just quit.
Comment by Stoemsw7706 Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:49 pm
==and therefore will not be pursuing legislative support for mega projective incentive legislation==
Read the room, dudes, especially after that embarrassing performance.
Honestly, after the mess they’ve made of Soldier Field, I’m no longer against a complete rebuild. Just no state dollars, please.
Comment by Jibba Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:58 pm
Anyone know where the land is located in downtown Chicago where the new stadium will be built?
Comment by Regular democrat Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 4:05 pm
I’m all in with a Chicago site for a new stadium, to be built and owned by the Bears. If the city provides that site, that is a very nice concession. Enough fooling around with trying to use the current Soldier Field… dropping a stadium inside the colonnades was a terrible idea that shouldn’t be revisited. And Arlington Heights can look at the open prairie that was Arlington Park while the Bears look for a buyer that will cut them in as a partner on the development of whatever when it ultimately happens.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 5:01 pm
Can we get a veto session on their last 3 or 4 NFL draft decisions?
Comment by Candy Dogood Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 5:49 pm
- Google Is Your Friend - Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 3:25 pm:
“They also bought Arlington and engaged in this enterprise knowing the team president was going to retire. It’s unbelievable to have started this at all without having Kevin Warren (or whoever) in place first!”
I have said it numerous times and I’ll say it again - the only net worth the McCaskey’s have is the franchise itself. Like others have said in this thread, they have no experience running an outside business. They truly won the lottery, owning a franchise that their father developed - which happens to be in one of the most lucrative sports leagues in the world. They don’t know how to run a business. They never have. Ted Phillips was the President for decades, but had no football background. The whole Arlington site was a way to have him still involved in the operations without having to fire him. Why? Because the McCaskey’s value loyalty above pretty much anything else. It’s why they pay their gameday staff and even most of their FTEs pittance salaries when you compare it to the regular labor market or even against the League itself. The fact that you “work for the Bears,” in their mind, is a big-enough-deal that they don’t actually have to spend the money. And why, might you ask? Because they need to keep it in their pockets.
The NFL is a billionaire’s league now. As in owners who have billions from the companies and businesses they own. The Bears/McCaskeys are not that ownership. So they do what most companies in that situation do - they keep the status quo in place as long as they can, and have those they know hopefully step up and do more. Phillips was never going to be that guy with the development of AP. Unfortunately, the horse was out of the barn by the time they bought it, and the leadership realized the person they had to do it was way over his head.
It’s sad really. The best scenario here is for the family to gather and sell to a local businessperson (or group) that has the dollars already to fund and run the organization. I don’t know who that is, but it isn’t Virginia and George.
I wish them luck - whatever they do, they are going to need it.
Comment by Just a guy Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 6:02 pm
- Just a guy -
Again, the McCaskeys are NOT victims of the genetic lottery.
Excuse after excuse for these guys, it doesn’t matter one bit or iota that they are not “wealthy billionaire business folks” and merely “poorly invitees family business owners”
It’s terribly tiring, the excuses.
Here’s what I know. One morning they woke up and without doing a thing, their lil thingy gained $240-400 million in worth due only in part to another sale of another team. That’s 1/3 of a billion (with a B) dollars of value… for doing nothing.
===I wish them luck - whatever they do===
I mean, seriously, lol
Luck would be another franchise sale to get them over $7 billion in value.
The ineptitude is the feature, they want to maximize profits and value for the lowest cost, which is NO different than any of the 31 other franchises… be it the Raiders of Las Vegas, the Cowboys who leveraged just about everything, or the Los Angeles building… built in an area that will never likely be like Arlington Heights, ever.
Kevin Warren is truly a failed “visionary”, a poor choice the Bears made not looking at any big picture to B1G and what that television deal will really mean to that conference.
The McCaskeys are ridiculously wealthy, unwilling to leverage, looking for handouts, but now see “Chicago” has the best option(s) without the outlay that will hurt… no different than any other franchise… the difference being they seek the image and persona of themselves of these folks that “can’t think outside the family”, while trying to fleece the taxing entities, hoping no one notices.
With all respect, I hear ya too. It’s frustrating watching anything poorly done, but they can’t help getting lucky. That’s their schtick.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 6:27 pm
With Rodgers freed up time due to injury and his full ownership of the Bears, is the mayor talking to the right people? /s
Comment by Lurker Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 6:28 pm
I still believe, as I did when the Bears closed on Arlington Park, that’s where they’ll be. Like their offense there are no surprises here. Any leverage the Bears might have had went out the window when they wrote that $200M check. Everything else is just bad theater. And as far as the property tax bill goes? Heck they’ve eaten more than that in bad contracts.
Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 6:53 pm
I know many of the NFL teams don’t play in their namesake cities, but one of the things I like about being a Bears fan is that they play in Chicago. The Bears, and moreover, the city of Chicago deserves to have a stadium with a dome, not just for Bears fans, but also to host events that Chicago could greatly benefit from.
The Bears belong in Chicago (not just Chicagoland). I hope they stay.
Comment by Fivegreenleaves Wednesday, Sep 13, 23 @ 8:01 pm