New Report Shows How Detailed Kevin Warren’s Plan Is For Bears New Stadium
Kevin Warren was hired to shepherd the Chicago Bears into the new age. The McCaskey family has entrusted him with transforming a traditionalist franchise stuck in its ways into something modernized and cutting-edge. He made it clear from the moment he took over that he intended to make the Bears the envy of the NFL. That isn’t just on the field. He wants them to be a model organization on the business side as well. A great way to start that endeavor is by laying the groundwork for a brand-new stadium.
The Bears have called Soldier Field home since 1971. It’s seen a lot of good and bad during that time. However, it’s now considered one of the most outdated buildings in the NFL. Ownership had tried for years to get it update, but the Chicago Park District kept dragging its feet. So the decision was made to purchase the Arlington Park property in Arlington Heights. That was the first indication the Bears intended to leave for a new home. Warren was hired for many reasons, but among the biggest was his experience helping to build a stadium as he did in Minnesota for the Vikings. He has a plan, and the details that go into it are insane.
Dan Pompei of The Athletic found that out during an interview with the new team president.
Behind the desk are blue cabinets filled with binders, most about as thick as a soda can is high. Those most likely to be referenced these days are marked “MINNESOTA VIKINGS FOOTBALL, LLC.” They contain documents from the building of U.S. Bank Stadium, the $1.3 billion entertainment temple that has hosted a Super Bowl, a Final Four and Taylor Swift.
Lined up together, the binders represent invaluable information.
They are labeled.
• Stadium Legislation
• Term Sheets for a New Stadium
• Preliminary Development Documents
• Ancillary Developments
• Stadium Use Agreements
• New Stadium Budgets
• Naming Rights
• Design Services Agreements
• Certificate of Insurance
• Stadium Signage
• Ground Lease Agreements
• Food, Beverage, Catering and Concessionaire Agreements
Kevin Warren will not approach this venture unprepared.
He is hitting this task from every conceivable angle. People think it’s a simple task to find a site, purchase the land, and build the stadium. That is far from the truth. So many things go into making a stadium happen. Paying for it is a big one. The Bears can’t expect much in the way of public funding, so Warren must find other ways to create the necessary budget. One way to make up some of that cash is through something highlighted on that list: stadium naming rights. This would mark the first time in history the Bears have ever done something like that.
That will come later. First, Kevin Warren has to actually find a place for the Bears to settle. While Arlington Heights remains the prohibitive favorite, Cook County politics have forced them to talk with other potential locations like Naperville, Aurora, and Waukegan. If the right offer comes along, Warren doesn’t seem afraid to pivot from the original plan. If he could handle the Big Ten in the midst of a pandemic, this is child’s play. If nothing else, it’s great to see the man at the top so well prepared.