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* The Bears appear to be trying to play DuPage against Cook. NBC 5…
With tax woes at the center of the Chicago Bears’ decision to explore new options for a stadium outside of Arlington Heights, Cook County’s tax assessor said “the facts speak for themselves.”
“Our office’s mission is to assess property based on market value,” a spokesperson for the Cook County Assessor’s office said Friday. “The 2022 assessment of the former Arlington Racecourse site is consistent with both the 2023 purchase price of the property and the price per square foot of other similarly sized land in the area. The facts speak for themselves.” […]
“The stadium-based project remains broadly popular in Arlington Heights, Chicagoland and the state. However, the property’s original assessment at five times the 2021 tax value, and the recent settlement with Churchill Downs for 2022 being three times higher, fails to reflect the property is not operational and not commercially viable in its current state,” the Bears said in a statement to NBC Chicago. “We will continue the ongoing demolition activity and work toward a path forward in Arlington Heights, but it is no longer our singular focus. It is our responsibility to listen to other municipalities in Chicagoland about potential locations that can deliver on this transformational opportunity for our fans, our club and the State of Illinois.”
* Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines), who is sponsoring a bill to help the Bears move, said this to WTTW…
“Remember that Cook County won’t get any sales tax if it (the team) moves to Naperville. (Cook County Board) President (Toni) Preckwinkle’s going to be saying ‘where’s mine?’ if all of a sudden it’s going to Naperville,” Moylan said. “Rockford threw their hat in the ring, and other cities are going to be throwing their hat in the ring. Because this is a multi-billion dollar proposal. A domed stadium. We can have Super Bowls here.”
Moylan said he knows Rockford is making a pitch, though he has not seen the offer.
Rockford?
…Adding… A Rockford-area legislator said there was “no pitch” from the city. “I told Marty we would love to have the Bears if they can’t make a deal with anyone else. That’s it.”
Marty gonna Marty.
Most were quick to say this was nothing more than a negotiating tactic by the franchise. However, not everybody thinks it is a total bluff. Marc Ganis is widely regarded as one of the best stadium experts in the business. He’s consulted on several projects during his career and knows the politics involved. He explained the situation on Mully & Haugh for 670 The Score. It comes down to the Bears being trapped in the bureaucratic mess that is Cook County.
“This is unfortunately what happens in Cook County and Illinois with our political system, our wonderful politicians, far too frequently. What you have is a bunch of parties that are trying to make their bones on the backs of the Bears politically. They’re saying, ‘Well, if the Bears wants this we’re going to charge them through the nose for that and we’re going to take the property taxes and this thing that Churchill Downs was paying a couple million dollars a year for and they’re going to have to pay double-digit millions.’ And that’s just to start. That is before they put a $2-3 billion stadium in the ground and before they put any of the ancillary development in the ground, which they will never be able to move.” […]
“They’re really…I won’t say destroying it but they are reducing it dramatically to the point where all those great advantages that Arlington Heights has had, they’ve reduced to the point where the Bears are going to talk to other communities like Naperville, which is in a different county jurisdiction.”
* The superintendents of three area public schools didn’t seem bluffable last month in a letter to the Bears…
On May 1, our attorneys extended an offer in which the school districts might agree to support an assessment based on a market value of $95 million. This offer, as all our prior offers have been, is subject to and conditioned on final approval or consent of our individual boards of education. It is our firm belief that this offer provides the clarity and fairness CBFC Development needs, while maintaining the integrity of the property tax system on which school districts depend and protecting the other taxpayers within our communities who do not receive such large reductions in their assessments. Given the substantial gulf between our positions, we do not see the need to make a counteroffer at this time. Instead, we intend to proceed to resolution of the 2022 tax year on its own. A resolution of the 2022 assessment will help to inform both us and CBFC Development on an appropriate assessment for tax years 2023 and 2024, the tax years when CBFC Development will take responsibility for the property taxes.
* Meanwhile, I read this Crain’s piece a couple of times and it looked to me at first like Rep. Buckner was just spit-balling…
With a Bears move to Arlington Heights facing new uncertainty, a state legislator whose district includes Soldier Field is urging the city to make a new pitch to keep the team somewhere in Chicago. And there is some indication the team might at least talk about it.
In a phone interview, state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, said he believes a path to get Chicago back in the game may have opened in the wake of the team’s announcement that it no longer is focusing strictly on Arlington Heights and has talked to Naperville about building a new stadium complex there.
“I think so. It’s possible,” Buckner said in a phone interview. “I’ve said from the beginning that Arlington Heights was not a foregone conclusion. Mayor (Brandon) Johnson deserves a chance to broker a deal that I think makes sense for the team and the city.”
Buckner, who serves on Johnson’s transition team, said he doesn’t know if the administration is refining an offer former Mayor Lori Lightfoot put on the table last year to potentially dome Soldier Field. But the city should be “proactive” now, given the Bears’ statement, he said. And it perhaps ought to consider other Chicago locations beyond Soldier Field, such as the former USX property on the Southeast Side, Buckner said.
Fox 32 followed up with Rep. Buckner…
Q: I know you know the mayor pretty well. I have a two-part question. Number one: Do you think there has been a conversation about this topic at city hall in the last three or four days? And number two: What’s your instinct about Mayor Johnson and his willingness to make a serious proposal?
Buckner: I’m not sure if that talk has happened yet. But my assumption is that if it has not, it is coming very quickly.
So, Buckner claimed to have no specific inside information. More Buckner…
I also know that the mayor’s been very clear about the fact that he wanted a chance to reset the conversation, to have conversations with the McCaskey family about the future of the franchise. And I truly think that he deserves that. So hopefully, this is a push of the reset button so the proper folks can come to the table and talk about what this looks like.
* But here’s WTTW…
Johnson’s office didn’t return a call on Monday seeking comment, nor did the Bears.
But a source with knowledge of the situation says a talk between the two sides is likely to take place in the next several days.
We’ll see.
* And let’s go back to Marc Ganis‘ comments on 670 The Score…
“I just heard from somebody at the league that they’re going to have a sit-down meeting with the mayor as well, the new mayor, Mayor (Brandon) Johnson, about if there’s possibly another site in the city of Chicago that he may want to propose. Not Soldier Field. That’s gone. That’s been gone for a long time.”
Could just be gossip “from somebody at the league.” Could be more. Ganis predicted almost a year ago that the Bears would move to Arlington Heights.
Anyway, your thoughts?
…Adding… Forgot to post this one…
The Bears’ flirtation with Naperville last Friday made all the headlines and captured the city’s attention. That was surely the intended effect new president and CEO Kevin Warren had in mind when he agreed to meet with the municipality and released the statement that Arlington Heights was no longer the “singular focus” for the Bears’ new stadium pursuit.
The Bears will hope to get the same effect, if not multiplied, should they meet with new Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson about finding a way to stay in the city.
That’s all well and good. The Bears’ search for leverage has many paths, but a sole goal: To bend Arlington Heights and the surrounding municipalities to their will.
That last bit ties this all together. Leverage everywhere you look. But their sunken costs at AH are pretty darned high to move again.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 12:53 pm
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My thoughts are this is transparently an attempt from the Bears to get taxpayer dollars and concessions from Arlington Heights and surrounding areas.
It will likely work to a small extent.
But they will inevitably end up in Arlington Heights, I just don’t see any other viable solution and they’ve already started demo at the track.
It’s all a leverage play but every American city (except Oakland) is willing to give out whatever it takes to land stadium deals.
Comment by Leave Bears Leave Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 12:55 pm
And as for Brandon: It’s basically the same thing in reverse.
He knows there’s probably a microscopic chance he keeps the team in Chicago, but he needs to make it look like he did something to keep them here.
Kabuki theatre all around.
Comment by Leave Bears Leave Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 12:56 pm
The Rockford Bears would be a perfect ending to all of this. Scratch that, how about the Beloit Bears?
Comment by ArchPundit Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 12:56 pm
The demo crews are at the track while we read this.. If they don’t end up in AH, another Bears Bungle is in the works..
Comment by Rahm's Parking Meter Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 12:59 pm
Decatur remains a better fit than Rockford.
Comment by Keyrock Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:01 pm
“Kabuki theatre all around.”
This. 100% this.
Comment by New Day Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:03 pm
Sports Mockery is not a source for anything, ever. They’re Barstoolers who can’t meet the lofty standard that august organization has in place. I know at least one other commenter caught the segment with Ganis yesterday, and it was rah-rah Bears from the start, to the point where he loudly proclaimed the Arlington Heights stadium village proposal was “this gift they were going to give to the northern suburbs.” Come on.
==“I just heard from somebody at the league that they’re going to have a sit-down meeting with the mayor as well, the new mayor, Mayor (Brandon) Johnson, about if there’s possibly another site in the city of Chicago that he may want to propose. Not Soldier Field. That’s gone. That’s been gone for a long time.”==
The hosts were 100% onboard with Ganis for the part of his interview I heard, but when one of them asked him if, in fact, this meeting was about potential new in-city sites for the Bears, Ganis suddenly lost a step and said “Well, that’s my interpretation of what I was told.”
Instant backtrack on weapons-grade BS.
Comment by Roadrager Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:04 pm
==The Rockford Bears would be a perfect ending to all of this. Scratch that, how about the Beloit Bears?==
But they’ll actually play in South Beloit to keep the team in Illinois.
Comment by Roadrager Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:05 pm
At this rate, you might as well go for Freeport. They already have Little Cubs Field, maybe the city could provide the Bears with Little Soldier Field.
Or better yet, what about the Savanna Bears? They are still hurting economically from the loss of the Army Depot 25 years ago. Maybe the Bears could put a new stadium at the old Army Depot site?
Comment by Stuck in Celliniland Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:07 pm
Hey, Springfield District 186 is about to complete the renovations of Memorial Stadium. Think about that. A place close to the Statehouse, close to the State Fairgrounds and most importantly, close to Saputos.
Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:09 pm
Every for profit company should pay their property taxes based on the value of the property…. that is based on what that paid for it.
That is not crazy old Cook County with their old bureaucracy.
That is just a level playing field between the McSmith family buying commercial property for their plumbing store and the McCaskey family buying property for their family football business.
Reducing the value for the rich family — while fully expected by rich families and their boosters in the press — is just a government subsidy. Corporate welfare if you will.
If you want lower property taxes, either cut school and municipal budgets or raise the income and sales taxes.
Handouts to rich families just because they are used to it is not a good path to generate prosperity.
Comment by Dan Johnson Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:10 pm
If the Bears go it alone, Godspeed.
Until I see 60/30 and the governor stops calling the plan a “bailout”, this all is nothing.
Arlington Heights now should not offer anything more.
Not one nickel.
Get your 60/30
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:10 pm
Ok, the Bears are right. They bought a piece of land in Arlington Heights to build a new house and are tearing the old one down. So I guess taxes should be lower.
The Bears can pay for the new one with their own money or they can leave. The NFL will put another store here and hopefully new owners that pay for things themselves.
As the new Bears president and to quote the church lady “Well, isn’t that special?”
Comment by Jerry Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:12 pm
Metra has plans to extend to Oswego. Plenty of open space there with a public transportation option the others don’t bring.
Comment by Slugger O'Toole Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:14 pm
The bluffing party is the Bears. Don’t fall for it.
These are the moves a competent team would have been threatening before buying a $200 million patch of land, not only to lower that cost, but to have any special tax breaks locked in place. And a competent team would have known that their retiring team president, considered a member of the family by ownership, needed to be replaced before you buy land for a stadium district and before you start this whole saga.
Consider what the team is going to do with the Arlington Heights land if it moves to Naperville (which doesn’t have the land for stadium, let alone the stadium and entertainment district the Bears claim to need) or anywhere else? It’s not going to move Halas Hall to Arlington, as it just sunk $100 million into a renovation and expansion in Lake Forest while Ryan Pace was general manager. Is it going to sell the Arlington land at a loss? Actually, that’d be right up the McCaskey’s incompetent alley!
Comment by Google Is Your Friend Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:15 pm
“This is unfortunately what happens in Cook County and Illinois with our political system, our wonderful politicians, far too frequently. What you have is a bunch of parties that are trying to make their bones on the backs of the Bears politically.”
Get the heck out of here with this nonsense. It’s the politicians fault the Bears backed themselves into a corner? Ganis gets no points for accurately predicting the Bears move to AH. That’s been an urban not-so-legend since the 70s.
Comment by Asking for a Friend Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:17 pm
I think they should move to Cairo. That way they can keep the C on their uniforms. And I bet property taxes are very lpw.
Comment by very old soil Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:20 pm
How about no one gives the $6b corporation anything, and we stop playing a game of race to the bottom to see who is going to give handouts to private corporations.
Especially when all economic literature shows there is no net benefit to it,
Comment by Homebody Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:21 pm
I feel like the Bears leadership just read a book on negotiations and realized they need multiple possibilities to get the best deal.
Still, I wonder how Reinsdorf made out with his real estate deals for the White Sox stadiums in the suburbs that never happened. I doubt he really lost a lot of money in the end.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:21 pm
– Get the heck out of here with this nonsense –
Chicago Democrats have obviously been publicly, transparently trying to make this as difficult for the Bears as possible, as punishment for desiring to leave Chicago.
Are the Bears political buffoons? For sure. They run their lobbying operations like they run their personnel department, it seems.
But to say that there hasn’t been an obvious, loud, angry reaction from those in power in Cook County and their very powerful allies in Springfield? Now, that’s nonsense.
Comment by JB13 Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:25 pm
You are absolutely right Asking for a friend. Its no secret the Bears have wanted to do this for years.
Mayor Daley gave them a free stadium built to their specifications. And had it been built to accommodate a Super Bowl their might have been even less of a fuss at that time. Who knows.
Comment by Jerry Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:25 pm
Soil:
Great idea. And instead of building a stadium, they can play their games on the river, on a bunch of barges hooked together. As they drift downstream, they can ask for concessions from every city they pass. s/
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:26 pm
how much money are the bears looking for from taxpayers?
Comment by bored now Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:27 pm
It’s all public politicking and spectacle. For me, Bears moving to Arlington Heights is a when not if question. And not a will they get tax subsidize/incentives question but how much question.
I would be very interested to see a breakdown of season tickets holder that live in the city v. outside the city. The only season ticket holders I know don’t live in Chicago.
Comment by twowaystreet Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:31 pm
Have we heard from Decatur yet?
I suspect they’d love to have the Staleys back.
Comment by jackmac Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:32 pm
Streator Curmudgeon for the win.
Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:38 pm
“What you have is a bunch of parties that are trying to make their bones on the backs of the Bears politically.”
Good for them? I have zero sympathy for the Bears ownership and their economic interests are in direct conflict with mine. However rich they are at the end of this it will still be infinitely more wealth than any of them have actually earned in their lives.
Comment by Larry Bowa Jr. Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:43 pm
Former Governor Jesse Ventura had the best line ever when Pro sports teams in Minnesota tried to shake him down.
“I will not consider a cent for a new stadium until every school building in this state is new”.
Bravo Governor. Let them leave - a distant priority, in a league that makes billions.
Comment by Um, No Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:44 pm
If you are a “multiple billion dollar” that needs to feel they are a victim in messaging, tough to see 60/30 that’ll agree that the *BEARS* are being victimized and need support.
All AH needs to do is stay quiet as a church mouse, tell Marty and others to “be quiet”… and the rest will be the Bears, knowing they can’t leave the largest single NFL media market, with owned land set for a building. The rest of their ridiculous “strip mall silly” can find investors.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:44 pm
The Bears are nothing more to me than a TV show. I don’t care where they play.
Comment by a drop in Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:44 pm
The only way this situation will provide something useful, is when some town throws together the most obscenely inappropriate TIF district to use every possible ‘loophole’ in the state TIF laws that have not been fixed for decades - and touches a public nerve that ignites a new and larger discussion and eventually actual reform of TIF laws in Illinois.
If anyone will be able to accomplish that feat, it will be the McCaskey family.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:46 pm
I know one plot of land in the city looking for development and it will be perfect for that part of the city and for what the Bears are looking for.
Comment by Levois Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:52 pm
The Naperville School districts will never take a haircut on the taxes. Parents are way too engaged and type A to not see this as an opportunity to improve their schools with additional revenues.
The two scariest things an adult can hear in Naperville are
‘This will impact your property value.’
and
‘Your child is not above average.’
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 1:53 pm
===But to say that there hasn’t been an obvious, loud, angry reaction from those in power in Cook County and their very powerful allies in Springfield? Now, that’s nonsense.===
Getting 60/30 is not easy.
It’s only the Bears fault, no one should kowtow to a nearly $6 billion entity to appease them.
If the Bears pay $300 million over 10 years to Chicago when they move, that’d help.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:03 pm
Remind me how 8 home games (at a cost of $341 per ticket, on average) is worth one penny of taxpayer money.
Along the same lines, what have the McCaskeys done to earn one cent of goodwill from Chicago?
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:04 pm
Ganis and his fellow jock-sniffers in the sports media have gone into full “politics as usual” mode. Well if “politics” are stopping or slowing down a multi-million dollar giveaway to a company worth $5 billion, give me more politics as usual.
Comment by Roman Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:07 pm
===company worth $5 billion===
With the sale of the Commanders were sold, the Bears worth eclipsed $6 billion, how far over $6 billion will be seen here shortly.
That’s the “thing”
The Bears will gain $200-400 million of worth by another team’s sale. Doing zero, more worth.
And we’re talking about property taxes?
Love of Pete…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:10 pm
==. Chicago Democrats have obviously been publicly, transparently trying to make this as difficult for the Bears as possible, as punishment for desiring to leave Chicago. ==
Um, yeah. Trying to keep a business from leaving town, particularly after you spent millions of tax dollars renovating the company’s “headquarters” is exactly what Chicago Democrats should be doing.
Look, the Bears can break ground in Arlington Heights tomorrow if the want to pay for it themselves. They’ve chosen to enter the political realm by asking for a gigantic tax break. They can’t complain about politics when they’ve chosen politics.
Comment by Roman Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:24 pm
==I know one plot of land in the city looking for development and it will be perfect for that part of the city and for what the Bears are looking for.==
I agree, take out the golf complex and put the new stadium down among the landfill hills east of the Bishop Ford Freeway. It’s the perfect atmosphere.
Comment by Roadrager Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:24 pm
Bears made a huge mistake not accepting the school districts’ settlement offer that the previous owner accepted for the 2022 tax year only. By law, the cook county assessor (and the subsequent appeal boards) are not supposed to consider that sale for the 2022 tax year as the sale took place in 2023. For future tax years, that sale becomes much more relevant and hard to fight in any appeal.
Comment by DuPage County AV Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:28 pm
After reading about how Bears’ Kevin Warren seemingly made a complete hash out the Big 10 TV contract on his way out that door, I wouldn’t worry about being out-negotiated by the team.
Comment by JT11505 Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:39 pm
= how much money are the bears looking for from taxpayers? =
As much as they can get.
Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:41 pm
Not to scoop Rich, but I have it on very good authority that Dongola has made a very attractive offer to the Bears organization.
Comment by Flyin'Elvis'-Utah Chapter Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:43 pm
===Mayor Daley gave them a free stadium built to their specifications.===
And then rented it to them at the highest rental figure in the NFL. Without getting a cut of parking revenues. Watching while the Chicago Park District is unable to maintain a playing field for the last 5 decades or so. There are legitimate reasons why the Bears and the NFL wants out of there. Letting bond repayment costs run up isn’t really the fault of the Bears, now is it? Who was also managing this train wreck besides the Bears?
What will the politicians say in the near future when Arlington construction comes to a complete halt after all the political piling on? When games have to be scheduled at Northwestern or U of IL.
The attitudes that if you are going to build this in my backyard, you gotta pay various forms of tribute, for another driveway, for property tax relief. Couple of federal trials are gearing up soon involving politicians who just wanted to allegedly wet their beaks.
Where have we heard these stories before? Can’t wait for demands for red light cameras on the site.
In the meantime, Lake Shore Drive is being repaved for NASCAR? And no one complains?
Only in Illinois.
Comment by Louis G Atsaves Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:43 pm
As a former StL Rams fan, there’s some dejavu going on here.
Comment by Steve Rogers Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:47 pm
===And no one complains?===
You cannot possibly be that daft.
Stop arguing like a child.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 2:57 pm
===Letting bond repayment costs run up isn’t really the fault of the Bears, now is it?===
If the Bears want a deal, they are going to need to pay towards this debt.
The Bears can choose not to make a deal, build all on their own. Free market and all.
===Couple of federal trials===
There’s not even a passable bill and yitre leaping to corruption?
You’re such a phony
You cheered holding a state hostage to crush or end labor, which you were fine with, but a deal where the Bears get relief by helping pay bonds is corrupt?
You are not a serious person.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 3:01 pm
The Wile E. Coyote of NFL teams strikes again.
Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 3:03 pm
===…for the last 5 decades or so. There are legitimate reasons why the Bears and the NFL wants out of there.===
It took them FIVE decades to realize they have a “bad deal”?
Maybe it’s the Bears worth $6+ billion with 2% debt liked the idea of how they ran their franchise at Soldier Field.
You can’t say it’s “so bad” by pointing to a five decade residency
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 3:04 pm
===You cheered holding a state hostage to crush or end labor, which you were fine with, but a deal where the Bears get relief by helping pay bonds is corrupt?===
The Bears get relief in the bond deal? Are the Bears obligated to stay until the bonds are paid off?
Comment by Louis G Atsaves Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 3:23 pm
===The Bears get relief in the bond deal? Are the Bears obligated to stay until the bonds are paid off?===
The Bears want tax relief and other sweeteners.
Are you purposely daft today?
A good deal isn’t perfect for all, counselor.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 3:25 pm
===Are the Bears obligated to stay until the bonds are paid off?===
(Sigh)
I have an example of $300 million over 10 years.
If you think the Bears are gonna leave a building they own and built after 10 years, why even build that building, stay at Soldier Field.
I hope you don’t argue this silly in court, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 3:30 pm
Yes, the Bears have to pay off the current lease or they continue to pay the rent. Just like everyone else does.
Comment by Jerry Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 3:38 pm
@Louis:
If the Bears didnt like the lease terms they didnt have to sign. Move. Build your own house. Rent another place. No one put a gun to their head and told them to do it.
Comment by Jerry Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 3:40 pm
“The stadium-based project remains broadly popular in Arlington Heights, Chicagoland and the state.” Citation please.
Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 4:03 pm
Bears should build a floating stadium in the lake.
I can’t bring myself to care much about them trying to play one burb against the other. I don’t think they have all that much leverage.
Comment by ChicagoVinny Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 4:08 pm
RE: the $95 million assessment of 300 acres in a prime suburb:
There’s a small city block here in my (kind of fancy) suburb that they’re asking $4 million for. $95 million seems reasonable.
Comment by Lefty Lefty Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 4:39 pm
= Have we heard from Decatur yet?
I suspect they’d love to have the Staleys back. =
The Bears could buy half the land in Decatur for what they spent on Arlington - and that’s only half snark, Decatur is a shell of what it was in its heyday.
Comment by cover Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 5:52 pm
I wish a out of state sports team would announce their interest in exploring a move to Arlington. The team is worth a billion. Fork over your own dough
Comment by Anonymouse Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 5:56 pm
Let the Bears move to Las Vegas or Columbus or LA. Who cares? Watch em on TV from anywhere. Why do so many people care about meaningless athletic exhibitions? Thousands of horse racing jobs have already been lost to the Arlington Park fiasco. Why did no Illinois politicians object to the destruction of the horse racing industry in Illinois?
Comment by Itsthelaw Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 6:07 pm
I think someone said a few days ago that the Bears have veto power on anyone trying to move within 75 miles (I could be off).
Rockford is 86 miles away. Go.
Comment by Proud Papa Bear Tuesday, Jun 6, 23 @ 8:02 pm