Report: Lakefront in city is Bears' focus to build a new stadium

(670 The Score ) Though the Bears own a 326-acre property in suburban Arlington Heights, their focus in building a new stadium appears to have shifted back to the city.

The Bears are making the lakefront in Chicago their focus as a location to build a new stadium, Greg Hinz of Crain's Chicago Business reported Friday. The team declined comment on whether staying in the city is now its preference.

In the city, the Bears would look to build a state-of-the-art domed stadium on the site of the Soldier Field south lot while maintaining the goal of hosting Super Bowls, Final Fours and other marquee events, a vision that was outlined when they purchased Arlington Park.

In January, Bears president/CEO Kevin Warren offered his support for the possibility of building a new stadium on the Soldier Field south lot property.

“What intrigues me about downtown is I strongly believe Chicago is the finest city in all of the world,” Warren said. “Very rarely do you get the opportunity to have such a beautiful downtown with a vibrant business community, with an absolutely beautiful lake and the energy that goes along. I always focus on, what's a way that we could bring together the beauty of the lake, the beauty of downtown, the business community, all the art exhibits, to bring that together for an environment — because it's always about the fans. How can we create an environment that they really enjoy?

“I live downtown. I love the city. And I just think we're blessed to be able to live in a city like Chicago. It has many pluses. I'm a big proponent of the Chicagoland area. I'm a big proponent of Arlington Heights, but there's something that's really special about downtown Chicago.”

The Bears signed a $197.2-million purchase agreement for the Arlington Park property in September 2021 and officially closed on their purchase in February 2023. However, the team and three local school districts in Arlington Heights have had disagreements over tax assessments on the property. The two sides are about $100 million apart in their valuations of the property, Crain’s reported last week.

The Bears have found Chicago to be a viable option in part due to their strong relationship with mayor Brandon Johnson after they had tension with former mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Hired by the Bears in January 2023, Warren has taken the lead on this stadium project from former team president/CEO Ted Phillips, who led the process of purchasing the Arlington Park property. Warren also was tasked with leading the Vikings’ effort to build U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis. That state-of-the-art venue opened in 2016 and has since hosted a Super Bowl and Final Four.

The Bears could run into trouble with their Chicago plan both in seeking taxpayer funding and approval from the Friends of the Park advocacy group, according to the report. An attorney for the group told Crain’s that “any attempt to create a private development on the lakefront is not acceptable.”

The Bears are currently occupying Soldier Field on a lease with the Chicago Park District that runs through 2033. That lease can be broken at any point through a fee that would cost $90 million in 2026 and which decreases with each passing year. The Bears began playing at Soldier Field in 1971.

After signing an agreement to purchase Arlington Park, the Bears were legally prohibited from exploring other property options. But since closing on that purchase about a year ago, the team is permitted to seek alternatives. Suburban towns such as Naperville and Waukegan have expressed interest in becoming the home of the Bears, but the option to remain in Chicago is now becoming more viable.

Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 .