Gov Pritzker: Bears new stadium is “non-starter” for state

[dennehy]

I've been telling people, all of this is merely Leverage. And they just got their Bluff called.

I'm not going to believe the Bears are going to have any sort of property in downtown Chicago until someone can confirm that the Bears will 100% own their own field, they're on parking, and their own concessions.

Be smart about it - anyone who has lived in or around Chicago for any length of time knows that the powers that currently control Soldier Field will never give up that level of control and will insist on having it so long as the Bears have any sort of property downtown.

The entire point of Arlington Heights is that even though they also have their own level of politics with smaller players wanting their cut, it's not at the level of Chicago and the Bears would be able to own their own property entirely there...

The Bears don't have property downtown. The redevelopment plan doesn't propose that they own any property downtown either. The Bears can never under any circumstances own any property east of Lake Shore Drive.

 

[bamainatlanta]

The Bears don't have property downtown. The redevelopment plan doesn't propose that they own any property downtown either. The Bears can never under any circumstances own any property east of Lake Shore Drive.

That’s because it’s been owned by the Packers the last 30 years

 

[Myk]

Isn’t Gary kind of a crappy area?

GF said to kiss her where it stinks so I took her to Gary, IN.

 

[modo]

I think the new stadium should be in Gary, Indiana

I live in North Carolina now. Bears could play in Boise and it wouldn’t bother me.

 

[PrideisBears]

Isn’t Gary kind of a crappy area?

The King of Pop was born there!

 

[bamainatlanta]

I live in North Carolina now. Bears could play in Boise and it wouldn’t bother me.

That ugly ass bright blue field would bother me.

 

[modo]

That ugly ass bright blue field would bother me.

The “duck killer”

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

I live in North Carolina now. Bears could play in Boise and it wouldn’t bother me.

I'm down. That would at least keep the scared inbred MAGAs out!

 

[botfly10]

If the Bears moved to AH, wouldn't the city then have to foot the entire bill of maintaining the Soldier Field campus and redeveloping it so it doesn't just become some decrepit stadium on a plot of unsustainable land? Having no NFL revenue going toward the upkeep doesn't seem like a good option for Chicagoans either.

Weird that this is overlooked all the time

Bears dealing with the mess that is the current soldier field would be a huge benefit to the city. If the Bears just up and leave, that place gon become a money pit eyesore

Not to mention the proposal by Warren is maybe the most fiscally responsible stadium proposal I've ever seen, outside maybe the Minnesota stadium.

I figure state and city politicians see this and will play ball, they just gotta get their face time in and have to make it look like they are playing hardball and create the appearance they are extracting all kinds of concessions from the bears.

When really, as far as I can tell, the current proposal is a pretty damn good deal for the city and the state

 

[Discus fish salesman]

The Bears next play to try and play hardball to extort the taxpayers will absolutely be a threat to move the team to Northwest Indiana. The NFL would never allow it but they’ll threaten it anyways.

Why wouldn't the nfl allow that? Both NYC teams play in New Jersey

 

[truthbedamned]

Nobody wants to address the elephant in the room. Where are you going to park? No parking lot on their presentation and nobody has even bothered to ask Warren that. At least as far as I know.

 

[Rustysurf83]

Why wouldn't the nfl allow that? Both NYC teams play in New Jersey

Colts would try to block it. Irsay is a weirdo, but he’s well connected enough he could find support from 25% of the owners.

Also Lucas Oil was partially funded by the state of Indiana so there’s no way they are providing a cent to build a stadium in Gary that can start to pull events from that given Gary’s proximity to Chicago.

So it’s a non-starter just like the lakefront proposal. That being said, the Bears will try it anyways because the entire strategy here is to pressure AH.

 

[Rustysurf83]

That’s another reason this proposal will never happen. You cant surround a lakefront stadium with acres and acres of parking. Especially when the primary tenant hosts a grand total of 8-9 games a year. People could easily take public transit and that’s why they are asking for so much in “infrastructure” funds but…if you are a billion dollar owner…do you want people taking CTA, Uber, Metra, etc or…do you want to own the lots in Arlington and charge every single vehicle of people driving to the suburbs $75 per game and event? It’s yet another reason why the lakefront proposal is almost certainly disingenuous.

Nobody wants to address the elephant in the room. Where are you going to park? No parking lot on their presentation and nobody has even bothered to ask Warren that. At least as far as I know.

 

[CTA_employee9]

Nobody wants to address the elephant in the room. Where are you going to park? No parking lot on their presentation and nobody has even bothered to ask Warren that. At least as far as I know.

Conversely, I think the elephant(s) in the room are the very obese people that make up over 40% of our population here in America. Trying to encourage weight loss by walking from public transit could be a huge win for the state of our society. Our founding fathers would be completely blown away at our need for a drive-thru stadium that many people are hoping for. 10k steps while watching a 4k yard passer is the goal!

BEAR DOWN

 

[remydat]

Hayes anticipates that the much-publicized tax dispute between the Bears and three local school districts would be “easily resolved” if the team decides to reengage with Arlington Heights, considering the difference in proposed short-term tax payments has shrunken over the course of negotiations.

“That’s really not the issue,” Hayes said. “The issue is Kevin Warren really wants to stay on the lakefront. So I don't think it’s a leverage play at all.”

‘A different philosophy’: Bears’ original goal to own stadium shifts with latest public-private plans

New Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren’s stated desire to build a publicly owned stadium on the Chicago lakefront marks an organizational shift in philosophy from what then-President Ted P...

www.dailyherald.com

AH mayor saying Warren really wants a lakefront stadium.

 

[remydat]

Nobody wants to address the elephant in the room. Where are you going to park? No parking lot on their presentation and nobody has even bothered to ask Warren that. At least as far as I know.

The plan also involves the easing of traffic circulation in the area via:

• Improved ramps and interchanges at 18th Street.
• A new parking deck built on an existing surface lot.
• Improved access to DuSable Lake Shore Drive via a new overpass, relocation of a Lake Shore Drive exit and new ramps to the campus.
• A new lower level for McFetridge Drive.

The changes are expected to result in a 50% increase in campus capacity for events, a 10- to 20-minute reduction in event exit times, and 1,200 vehicle hours of congestion removed on an average day at the intersection of DuSable Lake Shore Drive and McFetridge Drive.
The infrastructure plan for the project is split into three phases. Phase 1 consists of requirements to open the stadium including transportation, roadways and utilities, and would cost an estimated $325 million. Phase 2 would maximize the stadium and surrounding campus, cost $510 million and include a bus depot expansion, new parks and playfields. Phase 3 would further enhance the campus, cost $665 million and consist of additional transportation improvements, retail and public attractions.

Bears release plans for stadium project in Chicago

Warren also mentioned underground parking during one of his interviews. The bulk of the public money is to be spent on improving the traffic and parking situation in that area.

 

[dabears70]

Chicago Bears Lakefront Stadium Will Face Opposition From Friends of the Parks - Bleacher Nation

Friends of the Park, a non-profit Chicago advocacy group, is "prepared to fight for the lakefront" in response to the Bears stadium proposal.

www.bleachernation.com