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Arlington Park property approved for future Bears stadium
A Chicago Bears helmet on the field during warmups prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.  Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Arlington Park property approved for future Bears stadium

There continue to be signs the Chicago Bears are at least eyeing a potential move to Arlington Heights and approximately 30 miles away from Soldier Field. 

According to the Chicago Tribune (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk), local officials have approved the Arlington Park property to eventually house a new football stadium. Bears president Ted Phillips announced last week that the franchise had submitted a bid to purchase the Arlington International Racecourse facility, and Churchill Downs, which owns the property, recently reached a gambling sponsorship agreement with the club. 

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot hit out at a potential move last Thursday. 

"The Bears are locked into a lease at Soldier Field until 2033," Lightfoot said at that time. "In addition, this announcement from the Bears comes in the midst of negotiations for improvements at Soldier Field. This is clearly a negotiating tactic that the Bears have used before. As a season ticketholder and longtime Bears fan, I am committed to keeping the 'Chicago' name in our football team."

According to Alex Shapiro of NBC Sports Chicago, attempting to move the Bears in the next few years could cost the franchise "at least $94.5 million" owed to the Chicago Park District per the terms of the previously mentioned lease. 

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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