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Getty The Chicago Bears have played their home games at Soldier Field since 1971.
The Chicago Bears are pushing ahead with plans to build a new stadium in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
Of course it will take some time.
The Daily Herald’s Christopher Placek reported in February 2022 that the team’s purchase of the 326-acre property “is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023,” and new details have now emerged about what the Bears are doing at the massive property could build next to a new stadium.
According to a June 30 report by Chicago Tribune’s Robert McCoppin, “the highest levels of team administration, including chairman George McCaskey, were involved in meetings to facilitate the purchase and subsequent construction of a new football stadium,” it is clear The team plans to leave Soldier Field, where it has played its home games since 1971.
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Former Baseball Executive Pitching Minor League Stadium on lot
According to documents obtained by the Tribune from the village of Arlington Heights, the bears have given “$125,000 to the village for studies of the stadium proposal.” The documents also included “a former baseball executive’s proposal to add a minor league baseball complex to the site.”
The proposal for a new minor league complex came courtesy of William Larsen, who served as general manager of the Kane County Cougars, a minor league team, in the 1990s.
“The baseball fields would accommodate four to six teams of non-conscript college players,” reported the Tribune, noting that Larsen’s proposal for a new minor league baseball complex on the property has not yet been approved by the Bears organization . The proposal was emailed to Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes, who then forwarded it to the Bears.
Hayes told the Tribune that “Village officials would encourage the team to consider the idea … but it’s up to the team officials to decide what to do with the site within the village’s parameters.”
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“Accelerate” progress on the new stadium
“Things are moving faster than before because of the timeline the bears are operating under,” Hayes also told the Tribune. “We’ve worked with the team to meet their needs and ours and it’s moving forward. We are doing everything to make this happen.”
Hayes also noted that the process is moving faster than in the past.
“Hayes declined to go into details of the discussions but said progress is accelerating as the Bears have a deadline of mid-2023 to finalize the deal,” the Tribune reported.
The Bears have not publicly admitted or confirmed that they plan to build a new home stadium on the property, but they have hired Manica Architecture — the same architecture team responsible for building Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders — at the Helping plan and design a new stadium in March, it’s only a matter of time before public recognition finally comes.
READ MORE: Top insider doubts future of young bears WR
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