Kevin Warren Hints At Looming Stadium Location Decision
For decades, the Bears have long desired to have a state-of-the-art stadium grace the Chicagoland Skyline. The McCaskey’s have never been able to get a deal done with Chicago politicians. From Mayor Daley to Mayor Lightfoot and every other top official in the city, 53 years have come and gone without getting the job done. The Bears recently took the bull by the horns when they purchased land in suburban Arlington Heights, where the famous Arlington Park once stood.
When Kevin Warren was named President of Operations for the Bears, he said his top priority would be getting a stadium deal done. Everything looked rosy until the Cook County Tax Assessor’s office shot themselves in the foot by raiding the property’s assessed value from less than $50 Million to more than $190 Million, throwing a big roadblock in the way of progress.
Soon after, Kevin Warren announced the Arlington location was no longer their primary focus. Almost immediately, other area municipalities threw their hats in the ring. Waukegan, Aurora, Naperville, Country Club Hills, and others contacted Warren for his consideration. Warren also extended an olive branch to new Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. Most recently, the Bears even ordered a feasibility study of the area south of Soldier Field to see if a stadium could be located there.
Kevin Warren spoke today for the first time in quite a while. And by the tone of the conversation, he appears ready to move forward soon. When asked about the stadium plans, he had this to say:
“We’ll have answers on that, hoefully here in the next couple months.’
“when i started, i said hopefully within the first year, so i think we’re right on target.”
“i’m pleased with the progress we’ve made.”
Kevin Warren – Bears Presiden
This good news would put an approximate timeline of 100 days until the Bears announce the new stadium’s location. More to follow when updates become available.
News and Notes
Wishing a very happy 101st birthday to Virginia McCaskey.