Bear Digest

Kevin Warren pushes for Illinois legislative help with Bears stadium

Calling it a "jobs bill" and sounding a bit like a politician, Bears president Kevin Warren called for the legislature to supply what the team needs to start the Arlington Heights stadium.
Gene Chamberlain|
Bears president Kevin Warren urges legislators in Illinois to pass the mega project and aid construction of a new Bears stadium.
Bears president Kevin Warren urges legislators in Illinois to pass the mega project and aid construction of a new Bears stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Bears president Kevin Warren wanted to give an update on the Arlington Heights stadium project.

Instead, it came across more as an appeal to the legislature in Springfield to pass the mega project bill at its fall session to help get the structure moving.

"The biggest item that remains, that has remained, is the fact that this mega project bill that was on the docket in the spring but was not put forth for a vote, but it is very, very important that it passes because without that legislation, we are not able to proceed forward," Warren said. "We stand ready. The stadium is designed.

"Like I said, we have been meeting weekly with the village and it's been good to work with (Arlington Heights) mayor  (Jim) Tinaglia and the biggest issue that we have to realize is that there's been some conversation that people have said this is a Chicago Bears bill. Would the Bears benefit from this mega project, property tax bill, from a property tax standpoint? Absolutely. But this is a job's bill."

The bill would freeze property taxes for large-scale construction projects like the stadium and make it possible to proceed.

Warren maintains the bill could create 56,000 jobs during construction and 9,000 permanent jobs, although this doesn't mention the jobs they will cause to be eliminated by leaving Soldier Field. The lease for Soldier Field runs through 2033.

"So, if that bill passes in October there are items we have to work on and obviously there is a process you have to follow with the village of Arlington Heights from an approval process," Warren said. "But obviously they are committed.

"So the goal would still be to be in a position to move dirt this year. There’s still work, some initial work that needs to be done to get the site ready but to hopefully break ground next year formally but to actually move dirt this year."

Warren has said it would take three years for the stadium to be built once ground is broken.

The Bears are devoting about $2.7 billion to the project on their own property at the old Arlington International Racecourse.

The project seems to have taken forever as it fluctuated from Arlington Heights in 2021, to Chicago lakefront and then back to Arlington Heights now. Warren repeated earlier comments saying Arlington Heights is the sole focus for the stadium now.

It is an indoor stadium, designed for year-round use with concerts, basketball and even the Super Bowl

"These things take time," Bears owner George McCaskey said. "It's on us to convince the governor and the state legislators that this is a good idea for the people of Illinois and we need to do a better job at that.

"This project can be, as Kevin said, transformative. And the concern is that delays mean a greater expense and it also means that we're missing out on another round of assignments of major events. We need to get in the mix."

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.