ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (WGN) — In the latest development around the Chicago Bears’ search for a new stadium, Arlington Heights is taking another step toward bringing the franchise to the northwest suburbs.
According to the Daily Herald, the Village of Arlington Heights hired a consulting firm to review an economic impact study for what could be the Bears’ new stadium and business ventures in the surrounding area.
The village board approved the contract between the village and the firm, Hunden Strategic Partners, during their last meeting. The Daily Herald noted HSP is a Chicago-based firm who’s niche is advising on destination real estate developments like mixed-use districts anchored by professional sports stadiums.
The village paid a $200,000 lump sum to bring in HSP, but the Daily Herald reported the village will be reimbursed by the Bears through an escrow account that already has $150,000 in it from the team’s initial deposit.
While the Village of Arlington Heights and the Bears work out details on the economic impact study, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson feels the team will still want to build on the property along the lakefront in the city.
“Ultimately, you know it’s going to come down to their own decision, right?” Johnson said. “But if you look at all of the assets, I mean, we’re talking about prime real estate.”
Johnson’s comments come nearly one year to the date the Bears unveiled plans for a domed stadium along the lakefront during a much-publicized presentation ceremony at Soldier Field.
The unveiling came alongside speeches from Johnson and Bears President & CEO Kevin Warren, who presented visual concept images of what a new stadium along the lakefront would look like, if all parties involved came together to meet the financial demands of such a large project.
At the time, it felt like the City of Chicago had more momentum toward retaining the Bears than Arlington Heights had of poaching them, but as of Tuesday, the northwest suburban village appears to be making up ground.
“We are reviewing some financial and traffic studies, and other information that they provided,” Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes said. “The next move is for the consultants that we’ve retained to review those studies and to do a real deep dive into it, in terms of whether or not it would be good for the Village of Arlington Heights, but also for the northwest suburban region.”
According to the Daily Herald, the Bears are also paying for the village’s traffic consultant, who will review the franchise’s traffic impact study for a potential new stadium. Trustees inked a new deal with T.Y. Lin Great Lakes–the village’s traffic consultant–last month.
“Certainly it’s not a done deal,” Hayes said. “And the Bears have said they’re still looking at the lakefront as well.”
The Bears have called Chicago’s lakefront home since 1971. Those with knowledge of the Bears stadium negotiations hypothesize the team could be using their potential move to Arlington Heights to leverage a better deal out of Chicago, but Hayes feels differently.
“They are very seriously interested in the village of Arlington Heights, as they have been for the past 50 years,” Hayes said. “I mean, they were first exploring the possibility of moving the team to Arlington Heights in the mid-1970s. And so when the property became available, this was really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them.”
Hayes said the village has been working in good faith with the Bears for the better part of four years and feels confident things are heading in the right direction.
Meanwhile, Johnson reiterated Chicago will continue their talks with the team to try and keep the Bears in the city.