Chicago Bears officials met with Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli Friday morning to discuss the possibility of abandoning their plans for a new stadium development in Arlington Heights in favor of building it in Napervile.
Plans to build “the largest single development project in Illinois history” are “at risk” in Arlington Heights, the Bears said in a statement they released Friday in conjunction with their meeting.
The Cook County Assessor’s property assessment of the former horsetrack, which is five times the 2021 tax value and three times higher than the recent assessment settlement for the Churchill Downs racetrack in Kentucky, fails to reflect that the property is not operational and not commercially viable in its current state, the statement said.
“We will continue the ongoing demolition activity and work toward a path forward in Arlington Heights, but it is no longer our singular focus,” team officials wrote. “It is our responsibility to listen to other municipalities in Chicagoland about potential locations that can deliver on this transformational opportunity for our fans, our club and the state of Illinois.”
Although the Bears have purchased the Arlington Heights site, the organization maintains plans to build an enclosed stadium with accompanying entertainment and residential development is not a done deal. There remains outstanding questions on the team getting certainty on property tax limits and public subsidies to help build infrastructure for the project.
Those uncertainties led Naperville mayor to send a May 24 letter to Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren in which he acknowledged the team’s commitment to developing and operating its own stadium, which “is essential for on-field success and pursuing championships.”
“I would like to formally introduce our community to your organization as you consider or reassess your planned relocation,” wrote the new Naperville mayor, who was elected this spring and took office a month ago.
Wehrli told Warren several available or to-be-available sites may fit the characteristics the organization is looking for in a future home.
Where those locations are have not been disclosed but one site large enough to contain such a development is the former BP campus property at Washington Street and Diehl Road.
Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes said he understands that the Bears are a for-profit business and have to pursue all opportunities.
“I would be doing the same thing, explore all my options and pick the best one,” he said. “I still think Arlington Heights is the best option.”
The team is unlikely to find such a prime property as the former Arlington Park, Hayes said, with 326 mostly open acres next to major roadways and with its own commuter train station. And the Bears already own the land.
The mayor encouraged the school districts and the team to continue negotiations over property taxes, with the requirement that any deal would be a long-term economic boost for the team and the region.
The Bears organization stated that its goal of building “the largest single development project in Illinois history” remains popular but is “at risk” in Arlington Heights.
The Cook County Assessor’s property assessment at five times the 2021 tax value, and the recent settlement with Churchill Downs for 2022 being three times higher, fails to reflect that the property is not operational and not commercially viable in its current state, the statement read.
“We will continue the ongoing demolition activity and work toward a path forward in Arlington Heights, but it is no longer our singular focus,” team officials wrote. “It is our responsibility to listen to other municipalities in Chicagoland about potential locations that can deliver on this transformational opportunity for our fans, our club and the state of Illinois.”
The Bears organization is in negotiations the value of the 326 acres of property that included the former grounds of Arlington International Racecourse.
The Bears had been pushing to have the property assessed at $37 million, according to Pioneer Press reports. But the leaders of three schools district say the site should be valued at $95 million.
To help in the process, Wehrli said the city’s economic development partner, Naperville Development Partnership, has a track record of working with businesses to make investment in Naperville.
Wehrli said as mayor pledged to pursue responsible economic development to support the city’s economy, and being the home of the Chicago Bears would unlock tremendous economic benefits for the community.
City spokeswoman Linda LaCloche reiterated that economic development is one of Wehrli’s primary focuses. “The mayor will continue to highlight Naperville’s benefits to businesses throughout Chicagoland and across the country,” LaCloche said.
Naperville, which has a population of around 150,000, is attractive for all types of businesses, LaCloche said, because it’s the second largest economy in Illinois, “with a highly educated workforce, top ranked public safety, a vibrant downtown, excellent public transit and close proximity to major interstates.”
Interstate 88 extends through the city’s northern limits, and Interstates 355 and 55 are less than 5 miles from the city to the east and south, respectively.
Two railroad lines run through Naperville, the Burlington-Northern-Santa Fe Railway and the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway. Metra operates commuter trains along the BNSF Railway and has two stations within the city, the main station on Fourth Avenue and the Route 59 station.
The city also has some experience as a home to a professional sports team, though on a much smaller scale.
For the 2002 and 2003 seasons, the Major League Soccer team Chicago Fire played at North Central College in Naperville while Soldier Field was being renovated.
Naperville also was among the more than 100 communities Fire officials delivered proposal requests to build a soccer-specific stadium for use in 2007.
Naperville opted not to submit, and at the time said a costly soccer stadium wasn’t a priority and there wasn’t suitable land available along the I-88 corridor.
Chicago Tribune’s Robert McCoppin contributed.
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