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The Bears have changed stadium plans again and now say 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 to which the Bears would contribute $2 billion.
“The Chicago Bears are proud to contribute more than $2 billion to build a stadium and improve open spaces for all families, fans and the public to enjoy in the city of Chicago,” the team said in a statement. . “The future Chicago Bears stadium 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 there. But when the projected property tax bill for that stadium turned out to be much higher than the Bears expected, the team balked.
The Bears have played in the city of Chicago for almost their entire franchise history. After their founding in Decatur, Illinois, in 1919, they moved to Wrigley Field in 1921 and remained there until 1971, when they moved to Soldier Field. They have been at Soldier Field every season since then, except for 2002, when they played at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois, while Soldier Field was being renovated.