Stadium Uncertainty Still the Only Certainty
Pinning down the Bears about anything regarding their stadium plans at the 326-acre Arlington Park race track site is a difficult endeavor.
Even new president Kevin Warren seems on board with the process of hiding time lines.
Warren was instrumental in getting the Minnesota Vikings' U.S. Bank Stadium built and brings this expertise to his new role in Chicago. However, he's not talking about the stadium project any more specifically than retiring president and CEO Ted Phillips.
Asked about a timetable for getting the project done or even more advanced, Warren punted during Tuesday's press conference at Halas Hall.
"I'll be able to answer that question to you in about six months when I'm able to sit down and really review things," Warren said. "It wouldn't be proper for me to say it. I've got to really sit down and get the information downloaded. I'll be able to answer that (in six months). I'd be guessing right now."
The Bears would only say the closing for their purchase of the property is still targeted before the end of March. This much has been known since midway through last year, but this step in the process seems to be taking a long time.
There is no guarantee the stadium will be built even if be the first real step toward getting the project done.
"Where we're sitting now–and it's been this way for a number of months–our intent is to close this quarter," Phillips said. "We're in that first quarter of 2023 and that's our intent.
"And if we do, it doesn't mean we'll develop. There is a lot of work to be done and we need to get property tax certainty and we need to get infrastructure funding taken care of. Those are the heavy lifts."
Even if they won't reveal much about the stadium—haven't even submitted a plan for the structure itself—Phillips sees how bringing in Warren will be a huge benefit for the possibility of a new stadium and its funding.
The plan is not to fund it publicly.
"Absolutely. And the fact that he has been in the Chicago area for the last almost four years, he has made a lot of connections," Phillips said. "And you can feel his energy and passion just listening to him.
"I'm excited about him infusing that energy and passion into the club and into everything we do."
The Big Ten offices are located in Rosemont, IL, so Warren had the chance to familiarize himself with the property in question while he has been Big Ten commissioner.
"Because I'm a stadium nerd, even when I heard about the Arlington Park opportunity, I drove out there one day on my own just to look around," Warren said. "Again, I always look at what are the assets on the chessboard. And the unique thing about Arlington is it has some different unique factors.
"One is the space. You don't get many times to have over 300 acres close to the city. So it's some unique aspects. I know our focus will be to making sure that we close on the land. And again, like I said early on, be very methodical to make sure that we get that process done first and see what happens next. But it is a very attractive, unique stadium site."
The perceived problem is the lack of public funds for the project. Village officials need to get infrastructure projects paid for outside of the cost of the stadium.
"In regard as why I can get it done, one thing I found out especially with stadium development projects, you have to create what's the why?" Warren said. "And what's the why for everyone. It can’t just be, what's the why for the Chicago Bears or what's the why for this group or that group.
"No matter what consitutent group you put in front of me, what's the why? The more common the why that you have, the more people will understand. It's like winning a championship."
Warren needs to sell people on the benefits of the stadium, and not just for taxpayers in Arlington Heights but the entire northwest suburban area.
"With stadium development projects, and one of the many things I learned in Minnesota, is you have to create a compelling story of why it makes sense," Warren said. "I just believe at this point in time, where we are in our lifespan in the NFL of the Chicago Bears, that the time is right.
"I'll need to study the project and understand and lean on other people, talk with Ted and other folks in the organization to come up with what that why is. But those are things that I love. To be able to walk the project and talk with constituents and groups and come up with why this makes sense. I'm confident with the intellectual talent in this state and in this city and all the people who love the Chicago Bears will be able to come together. But once I dig into a little bit more, I'll be able to answer that specifically."
Warren at least has retained many of his records on producing a new stadium.
"I remember when we finished the stadium, I had all these boxes of binders and many people said you can get rid of those, you'll never use those again," he said. "I'm glad I saved them."
More specifically, Warren revealed why they are taking so long to get these preliminary plans initiated.
"The biggest thing I learned was the fact that you need to plan before you start digging," Warren said. "I think what makes U.S. Bank Stadium so special. We spent almost a year planning and planning is critical.
"That's what I appreciate about the McCaskeys. They support the planning process. I think that will be really critical from that standpoint and I know we're focused on Arlington Park and that stadium development project, I looked forward to leaning in to the stadium development project. But I think the biggest thing we can do is to make sure we’re methodical and detailed and we take the time to plan it properly."
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