Live Updates: Chicago Bears Bear Down On Arlington Park Bid

The Chicago Bears announced in June that they have placed a bid to purchase the Arlington International Racecourse, which was put up for sale by Churchill Downs in February.

The Bears are most likely planning to move from Soldier Field to Arlington Heights. This would allow them to build a sports mega stadium and entertainment district on the 326-acre property.

The potential move, as anticipated, is causing division among the fan base. It even provoked Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to take a swipe at the team.

Churchill Downs may eventually sell the land, with several potential buyers showing serious interest. Will they agree to the proposal from the Bears?

As the history unfolds, Play Illinois will provide the latest information and comments.

most recent information regarding the potential Arlington Bears

The latest update was on September 29.

According to a report from The Athletic on Tuesday night, the Chicago Bears may potentially relocate to Arlington Heights. This comes after the sports team signed a purchasing agreement for Arlington International Racecourse.

Soldier Field and Chicago Park District fight over activities gambling

The Chicago Bears desired to introduce sports betting at Soldier Field, however, the Chicago Park District did not conform to the NFL team’s request.

Churchill Downs submits an application for & rsquo’s 22 racing dates.

Churchill Downs has surprisingly applied for 2022 racing dates at Arlington Park, despite the fact that the track is currently on the market.

Tribes won’t actually be held in Arlington in 2022, but there’s still a possibility that things will gradually change for the new customer.

Important new details about non-Bears buyer

We are now more familiar with the buyer who is interested in buying Arlington Park today.

An update is provided below about Glenstar Properties, which has made a bid to purchase the land. According to The Daily Herald, Glenstar has had a connection with Neil Bluhm, a significant partner of Churchill Downs, since 2005.

In the 1980s, Bluhm was also prohibited from buying approximately a 20% stake in the Bears. We will investigate to see if this has any consequences for this situation.

For Arlington, the Bears face rivals.

Crain’s Chicago Business reveals that Glenstar Properties and UrbanStreet Group, two well-known local development groups, have also put forward offers to purchase the track.

Considering their history of development, it seems possible that they might plan to organize a race at the site, although their exact plans are unknown.

According to recent reports, it would be simple for Bears to terminate their rent on Soldier Field.

The Chicago Tribune conducted a review of the Bears’ lease for Soldier Field, revealing that it would cost approximately $84 million. Despite the substantial sum of $84 million, it pales in comparison to the cost of constructing the latest stadiums, which stands at $2.2 billion.

Illinois Governor According to JB Pritzker, the express won’t pay for a new Bears facility.

During a press conference on June 28, Gov. JB Pritzker was asked if the state of Illinois would fund a new stadium for the Bears, whether in Chicago or another location.

“We are currently not examining that. In my view, there are certainly personal business decisions being made.”

Pritzker expressed his wish for the Bears to remain in Chicago, though his statements were not nearly as bold as those made by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

The property sellers are privately worried about its future. I’ve loved watching the Bears at Soldier Field for many years. Personally, attending Soldier Field to watch the Bears has been a joy throughout my adult life, and I hope to continue doing so in the future.

The community committee of Arlington Heights votes to approve the Bears stadium’s appropriate zoning.

The Bears’ decision to relocate to the cities is anticipated to receive support from the Arlington Heights Village.

The board gave their approval on June 21 to a zoning draft for overlay, which was the final regulatory obstacle in building a stadium at Arlington Heights. However, the property owner, Churchill Downs, would still need to select the Bears’ proposal.

Bears appoint BetRivers as their standard sportsbook.

On June 22, the Chicago Bears declared an exclusive agreement with Rivers Casino and the BetRivers sports betting app. Initially, this seemed to have no connection to the situation in Arlington Heights. However, upon closer inspection, a link may exist.

Churchill Downs is considering selling the racetrack partly due to its majority ownership in Rivers Casino in Des Plaines. The Rivers Casino and Arlington International are conveniently located just a 20-minute drive from each other.

Therefore, Churchill and Rivers are currently in business together with Rivers acting as the designated game and sportsbook partner for the Bears.

This transaction certainly fans the flames.

 

Read the latest Chicago betting news and Bears odds at Play Illinois.

 

History of the Bears’ relocation to Arlington International

The Bears are currently playing at Soldier Field, located on Chicago’s lake. Despite speculation that they might end the agreement prematurely, their contract is set to expire in 2033.

If the Bears relocated to Arlington Heights, they would likely become eligible to participate in major league games such as the Super Bowl, Final Four, World Cup, etc.

Should the Bears move to Arlington Heights, it is likely they could also possess a retractable roof, something they currently do not have.

A Metra coach halts directly at Arlington Heights, roughly a 50-minute journey from the city. Some individuals think that relocating to the suburbs won’t be significantly inconvenient considering the usual traffic issues at Soldier Field.

Since 1971, Chicago has held its games at Soldier Field. If the Bears were to relocate to Arlington Heights, it would represent a significant change for football in the Chicagoland area.