The area immediately south of Soldier Field includes a parking garage (center) and surface lot (lower left). The Bears are looking at that land as the potential site of a new lakefront domed stadium.
Brian Ernst/Sun-Times
ORLANDO, Fla. — Building a stadium on the Lakefront will give the Bears “the best opportunity for success,” president/CEO Kevin Warren said Tuesday at the NFL’s annual meetings.
It was the latest declaration from the Bears that playing downtown — and not on the 326-acre property it bought in Arlington Heights — is their preferred course of action.
“Right now, we’re putting our energy to downtown Chicago, to the museum campus, just from an energy and resource standpoint,” Warren said.
As for Arlington Heights?
“We are the largest landowner in Arlington Heights right now …” he said. “We own a beautiful piece of land. … We’ll stay in communication with Arlington Heights, but the focus now has to be on Chicago to give us the best opportunity for success.”
The Bears took issue with the property tax appraisal on the former Arlington International Racecourse site.
Warren had an introductory meeting Thursday with Friends of the Parks, the group that successfully scuttled George Lucas’ planned museum south of Soldier Field eight years ago. Among the items discussed were a domed stadium, opening up green space by 20% and adding another amenities to the Lakefront.
The Bears have promised to give $2 billion of its own money to build a publicly owned stadium — but would likely require at least $1 billion in infrastructure. Asked about the public dollars needed for infrastructure, Warren said he didn’t know the exact details.
“One thing that I can guarantee you, I am fiscally conservative, and I am financially responsible,” he said. “So anything that we recommend, from a financial standpoint, will be very well thought out.”
Warren wouldn’t give a timeline about the Bears’ plans moving forward. It typically takes three years from the start of construction to completion, but the Bears have a long way to go to get a shovel in the ground.
“Our plan is here in the not too distant future to be able to get together and lay out a plan, not only with renderings but video, financial plan, so we can display it to the public …” Warren said. “We’re getting close to have a plan ready to take public.”