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The team has been stymied in getting taxpayer
funds for a new stadium, but now the CEO says he is open to
sharing a facility with other teams in town.
The new stadium proposal is projected to cost $3.2 billion. Of
that, around $2 billion would come from the Bears. The team
would also seek public funding through 40-year bonds issued by
the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority.
Bears CEO Kevin Warren told members of the Economic Club of
Chicago that he’s now ready to partner with the White Sox or
other teams that are also looking for public funding for new
stadiums to get a deal done.
“We have a great working relationship with them,” Warren said.
“We have great respect for the Reinsdorf family, and we’re
definitely going to work together to see what we can work out.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in July that it was highly unlikely
state lawmakers and the team will reach a deal on a
taxpayer-funded stadium this year.
“Taxpayer dollars are precious and so the question really is
what benefit financially are they bringing fiscally to the
state, the city and the county,” said Pritzker.
In July, Pritzker met privately with Warren to discuss their
stadium plan. The governor called the meeting “cordial.”
Warren said Arlington Heights is still being considered as a
site for a new stadium, but that the property tax situation
needs to be addressed. The team bought the old Arlington Race
course and owns 326 acres of land.
As of last year, the Bears were offering $4.3 million and
Arlington Heights officials were seeking nearly $8 million a
year.
“What I think we need to do is stop looking at what we don’t
have in Chicago,” said Warren. “Let’s put our assets on the
table and figure out what we do have, how we can come together
and make this city even stronger than it already is, make it a
better place and create an incredible revenue stream for Chicago
and allow us to be the greatest city on the planet.”  |
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