The Bears have shifted stadium plans again, now saying that they want to stay in the city of Chicago, rather than move to the suburbs.
The new plan is for a stadium that would get taxpayer funding and public ownership, but that the Bears would contribute $2 billion toward.
“The Chicago Bears are proud to contribute over $2 billion to build a stadium and improve open spaces for all families, fans and the general public to enjoy in the City of Chicago,” the team said in a statement. “The future stadium of the Chicago Bears will bring a transformative opportunity to our region—boosting the economy, creating jobs, facilitating mega events and generating millions in tax revenue. We look forward to sharing more information when our plans are finalized.”
The Bears had previously agreed to buy a racetrack in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois, and develop a stadium on it. But when the projected property tax bill for that stadium proved to be much higher than the Bears were expecting, the team balked.
The Bears have played in the city of Chicago for almost all of their franchise history. After their founding in Decatur, Illinois, in 1919, they moved to Wrigley Field in 1921 and stayed there until 1971, when they moved to Soldier Field. They’ve been at Soldier Field every season since then except 2002, when they played at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois while Soldier Field was being renovated.
