CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bears plan to build an enclosed suburban stadium that could host Super Bowls, College Football Playoff games and Final Fours.
The Bears released conceptual illustrations Tuesday of the proposed stadium and entertainment complex that would be built on the site of a former horse racing track in Arlington Heights, Ill. The Bears said the project could include restaurants, office space, a hotel, fitness center, new parks and open areas as well as “other improvements for the community to enjoy.”
“We envision a multi-purpose entertainment district anchored by a new, best-in-class enclosed stadium, providing Chicagoland with a new home worthy of hosting global events such as the Super Bowl, College Football Playoffs, and Final Four,” the team said in a statement.
The Bears said they would seek no public funding for the stadium if the sale of the property is completed and if they decide to move there. But they would seek taxpayer assistance for the rest of the project.
The organization signed a purchase agreement last year for the 326-acre tract of land about 30 miles northwest of longtime home Soldier Field. Team President and CEO Ted Phillips, who announced last week he will retire after the season, has said a deal likely wouldn’t close until early 2023.
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