Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Bears President Kevin Warren met Wednesday, a clear sign that relations between the city and team have thawed, which may set the stage for talks to keep the team in Chicago.
News of the meeting came hours after Johnson told reporters that he was open to having conversations with team officials, who announced Friday that they were no longer singularly focused on building a stadium on the former Arlington Heights racetrack, which the Bears purchased for $197.2 million in February.
Warren has also met with Naperville Mayor Scott Werhli about building a new stadium for the Bears, and Rockford officials have said they are also interested. “I want to make sure the ownership of the Chicago Bears, the Park District and the residents of the city of Chicago have a real seat at the table to discuss a pathway forward,” Johnson said, nodding to the fact that the Chicago Park District owns Soldier Field.
The Bears have long wanted to own their own home turf that will allow them to maxmize revenue — and play under a dome. Those school districts, which includes Palatine’s Community Consolidated School District 15, are set to see their coffers swell along with the value of the former racetrack, since that will determine how much the Bears pay in property taxes.
Efforts by the team to convince state officials to subsidize the proposed Arlington Heights development, which includes shops, restaurants and event venues, have so far been unsuccessful.
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