Yet Another City Joins The Chicago Bears Stadium Chase

If people thought Arlington Heights had a monopoly on the Chicago Bears stadium negotiations, they were sorely mistaken. Things hit a wall this past month when three local school districts and Cook County officials set the value of the Arlington Park property at $197 million. That would force the Bears to pay $7.9 million annually in property taxes. Team president Kevin Warren believes that was an exorbitant price tag after what Churchill Downs had been paying as recently as 2021. So rather than let the politicians dictate anything, the Bears chose to open the floor to other interested parties.

Warren recently met with representatives from Naperville and Waukegan, hearing their pitches for potential stadium sites. He even met with new Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson, discussing a possible new location in the city that isn't Soldier Field. Warren hasn't minced word, stating the Arlington Heights plan is dead for the time being. Amid this chaos, another contender has appeared. Richard Irvin, the mayor of Aurora, Illinois, sent a letter to the Bears that opened with this statement.

“Aurora, the City of Lights, the second largest city in Illinois, is built on the unshakable foundation of its storied past. The opportunity to partner with the historic Chicago Bears as you search for the perfect new home is one we are eager to take on . . . . . . turning a vision into reality is not always easy. It requires the right resources to make dreams come true. Aurora offers unparalleled key resources to take a vision and make dreams come true. Our professional team of government and development professionals has a proven track record of getting big things done."

Aurora feels it has plenty of perks for the Chicago Bears.

They listed several recent big real estate deals they've accomplished, from relocating Hollywood Casino to redeveloping Fox Valley Mall and establishing a large retirement community. They went on to state they also have the advantage of being a sweet spot for transportation. They're close to both primary Chicago-area airports (O'Hare and Midway) and also have one of their own. In addition, they're easily accessible via Interstate 88 and the BSNF Metra line. It is a strong pitch, all things considered.

Reports are the letter was well-received by the Chicago Bears organization. One can assume Warren will meet personally with Irvin at some point in the near future. Aurora has a population of just over 180,000. It is a rather diverse location with large contingents of Caucasian, African-American, Asian, and Latino communities. People living in Chicago would drive about an hour and 20 minutes to reach it during high traffic periods. All things considered, it isn't a terrible location.