Bears tell Mayor Johnson they intend to build in Arlington Heights

CHICAGO — It seems the Chicago Bears have their hearts set on taking the franchise to the northwest suburbs.

In the latest development in the ongoing stadium search, a spokesperson for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office said Friday that discussions with the team’s executive leadership revealed that the Bears intend to prioritize the development of a site located in Arlington Heights.

The team purchased a 326-acre site in Arlington Heights two years ago and cleared the area, making it a possible home to a new stadium and business ventures in the surrounding area.

While it appears an Arlington Heights move is on the horizon, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office indicated that Johnson is still open to talks about keeping the team in Chicago.

“The Mayor spoke with executive leadership from the Chicago Bears, who indicated they intend to prioritize the development site located in the Village of Arlington Heights. As the Mayor has said several times, the door remains open in the city of Chicago,” a spokesperson for Mayor Johnson’s office said.

The team released the following statement.

“Over the last few months, we have made significant progress with the leaders in Arlington Heights, and look forward to continuing to work with state and local leaders on making a transformative economic development project for the region a reality.”

The Chicago Tribune reported Friday morning that the team’s plan to move to Arlington Heights would depend on state legislation that would allow for negotiated financing of large-scale development projects.

According to the Tribune, the team said it would not seek public funding for the new development and would instead depend on “reaching an agreement with local taxing bodies over property taxes, infrastructure funding and other financial aspects.”

Discussion about a potential move to Arlington Heights has been underway for years and officials in the northwest suburb have already begun taking steps to secure the team.

Arlington Heights’ new mayor Jim Tinaglia issued the following statement.

“We have a great working relationship with the team, and I have always believed that the former Arlington Park site is the best location for a new NFL stadium centered development for the entire Chicagoland region,” stated Mayor Jim Tinaglia. “While much work remains to ensure that the community’s and the team’s goals can be met, we all agree that the discussions are headed in the right direction and we are optimistic for the future of this partnership.”

Last month, the Daily Herald reported that the Village of Arlington Heights had hired a consulting firm to review an economic impact study for what could be the Bears’ new stadium and business ventures in the surrounding area.

Chicago’s lakefront has been home to the Bears since 1971. They moved to the stadium after playing at Wrigley Field for their first 51 seasons.