Buh bye Soldier Field???

[Lake Shore Drive]

Assuming this article is correct, it appears the days may be numbered for the stadium by the lake hosting our beloved team.

Bears submit bid to buy Arlington Park, move Soldier Field

The NFL stadium rumors are true. The Bears have officially offered to buy the racetrack to move out of Chicago.

www.nbcsports.com

Either that or the Bears are going into the horse racing business.

 

[beardown07]

Dumb.

 

[Jiddy]

The mayor's response was quite assholish...Then again after Reinsdorf bent the city over for Comiskey, I'm pretty certain it will be a large mountain to climb for the Bears to get any leverage outside of just abandoning the downtown area.

 

[RaZon]

The Chicago Bears nobody has the history they have, been there since day one. The hell with change.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I would have simply given this the usual 'meh' if it was just a typical rumor. But if the Bears are seriously interested in buying the land, then this probably needs to be taken seriously. There would be zero reasons to purchase the old racetrack and its surroundings if they aren't planning to relocate.

 

[richig07]

At first, like many, my instinct was to recoil at the idea of leaving the lakefront and Soldier Field. But then I was reminded of what a freaking disaster that place is to get in and out of. How little parking there is. How crammed the area around the stadium is. How crammed the stadium is on the inside - despite holding the lowest capacity amount of fans in the league. The stadium is repeatedly voted as one of the worst gamely experiences in the league. I once saw it voted dead last for tailgating in the NFL due to it's lack of parking space. It's just one lot small enough to do a dead sprint across that you can tailgate at. Otherwise, you have to park at private lots a mile or so away before trekking it there before kickoff.

I mean, it would be bittersweet to me due to all of the memories I have there. However, I would welcome a state of the art, spacious stadium with a shit ton of parking. Easier access to get in and out. The game day experience doesn't have to be so freaking difficult like it is at Soldier Field.

Anyone ever been to a game at Lambeau? You are in and out of that lot in no time. Massive tailgating space right next to the stadium. When you make the walk from the lot into the stadium, it doesn't feel crammed and the line doesn't take long. I would love to have that.

I'm not really against this.

 

[richig07]

The mayor's response was quite assholish...Then again after Reinsdorf bent the city over for Comiskey, I'm pretty certain it will be a large mountain to climb for the Bears to get any leverage outside of just abandoning the downtown area.

I highly, highly doubt this is about leverage to get another renovation done or a new stadium at the current location.

History aside, the Arlington Heights location is just 10x more practical. That goes for the fans and the owners. A lot more space for paid parking spaces. A lot more space to increase capacity from one of the smallest in the NFL to one of the largest. Bears games will sell out regardless. Hell, with another 30K+ seats, we might not have to pay such an absurd amount of money to attend a game.

 

[Jiddy]

I highly, highly doubt this is about leverage to get another renovation done or a new stadium at the current location.

History aside, the Arlington Heights location is just 10x more practical. That goes for the fans and the owners. A lot more space for paid parking spaces. A lot more space to increase capacity from one of the smallest in the NFL to one of the largest. Bears games will sell out regardless. Hell, with another 30K+ seats, we might not have to pay such an absurd amount of money to attend a game.

Oh, I don't doubt they are serious...but if the city came forward with a good plan to keep the Bears in the city limits that worked for the team, I would bet they'd take it. It's just not going to happen. City's busted.

 

[LambeauLegs]

Assuming this article is correct, it appears the days may be numbered for the stadium by the lake hosting our beloved team.

Bears submit bid to buy Arlington Park, move Soldier Field

The NFL stadium rumors are true. The Bears have officially offered to buy the racetrack to move out of Chicago.

www.nbcsports.com

Either that or the Bears are going into the horse racing business.

The Chicago Mayor feels they are using it as bargaining power for upgrades to Soldier Field

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

The Chicago Mayor feels they are using it as bargaining power for upgrades to Soldier Field

Beetlejuice may have a point, altho aside from additional tax or other financial breaks, I'm not sure what else the Bears could wring from the city. Any further redo's of the stadium is out of the question and you can't create more space around it. Nor can you realistically mitigate any traffic & congestion concerns in the area. I'm guessing if the Bears truly want to move, it's gonna happen, the existing lease won't stop them. Might take the better part of this decade, but it's there to be had.

 

[Center Ice]

Assuming this article is correct, it appears the days may be numbered for the stadium by the lake hosting our beloved team.

Bears submit bid to buy Arlington Park, move Soldier Field

The NFL stadium rumors are true. The Bears have officially offered to buy the racetrack to move out of Chicago.

www.nbcsports.com

Either that or the Bears are going into the horse racing business.

Grats to the Arlington Bears.

 

[Tainthappening]

I highly, highly doubt this is about leverage to get another renovation done or a new stadium at the current location.

History aside, the Arlington Heights location is just 10x more practical. That goes for the fans and the owners. A lot more space for paid parking spaces. A lot more space to increase capacity from one of the smallest in the NFL to one of the largest. Bears games will sell out regardless. Hell, with another 30K+ seats, we might not have to pay such an absurd amount of money to attend a game.

NFL is big business, my understanding Bears are limited on expanding seating at Soldier Field.

Looking long term, it may make more sense to find location that allows 85k+ seating which I assume Bears would have no issue filling... that is a lot of money of local revenue 60% of which goes to the home team. This would also result in more concessions and parking revenue and if Bears follow Patriots (Patriot Place) and Packers (TitleTown) and have other attractions close to generate revenue, this is more money in the Bears pockets.

Not a Bears fan... but love reading about Bears history and Bears/Packers rivalry. George (Papa Bear) Halas did so much for the NFL and even Packers... NFL would not be the NFL without the Bears, so much respect to the organization and hope they do what is best for the organization.

Only thing I ask... if Bears get a new stadium, make sure it is not a dome. Much respect to the Bears and Bears fans for dealing with the elements as it should be

 

[Tainthappening]

The Chicago Bears nobody has the history they have, been there since day one. The hell with change.

Bears started playing at Soldier Field in 1971, played at Wrigley Field from 1920 to 1970. Bears moved to Chicago and were the Decatur Staleys prior.

Bears have great history and big impact on NFL, but they are not adverse to change when needed.

 

[RaZon]

Bears started playing at Soldier Field in 1971, played at Wrigley Field from 1920 to 1970. Bears moved to Chicago and were the Decatur Staleys prior.

Bears have great history and big impact on NFL, but they are not adverse to change when needed.

Yeah I know, so we can expect another change around 2071.

 

[BsGenius]

NFL is big business, my understanding Bears are limited on expanding seating at Soldier Field.

Looking long term, it may make more sense to find location that allows 85k+ seating which I assume Bears would have no issue filling... that is a lot of money of local revenue 60% of which goes to the home team. This would also result in more concessions and parking revenue and if Bears follow Patriots (Patriot Place) and Packers (TitleTown) and have other attractions close to generate revenue, this is more money in the Bears pockets.

Not a Bears fan... but love reading about Bears history and Bears/Packers rivalry. George (Papa Bear) Halas did so much for the NFL and even Packers... NFL would not be the NFL without the Bears, so much respect to the organization and hope they do what is best for the organization.

Only thing I ask... if Bears get a new stadium, make sure it is not a dome. Much respect to the Bears and Bears fans for dealing with the elements as it should be

totally agree.

I have no idea what the big deal is moving to a different stadium. But I don't live in Chicago either.

 

[Jiddy]

totally agree.

I have no idea what the big deal is moving to a different stadium. But I don't live in Chicago either.

It's not a deal imo. I lived there for 20 years and yeah it's cool the stadium is on the lakefront...but also a PITA. Plenty of NFL teams have their stadiums on the outskirts of the city for convenience/cost/area reasoning. FFS pretty much everyone in the Cook County burbs will tell outsiders they're from "Chicago" anyway...even without an actual city address. They'd still be the Chicago Bears.


However, it does bring me back to the hilarious reactions when they threatened to move to Gary Indiana back about 30 years ago or so. Now THAT would have been an absolute disaster. The Bears in a different state is easily where a line should be drawn.

 

[richig07]

NFL is big business, my understanding Bears are limited on expanding seating at Soldier Field.

Looking long term, it may make more sense to find location that allows 85k+ seating which I assume Bears would have no issue filling... that is a lot of money of local revenue 60% of which goes to the home team. This would also result in more concessions and parking revenue and if Bears follow Patriots (Patriot Place) and Packers (TitleTown) and have other attractions close to generate revenue, this is more money in the Bears pockets.

Not a Bears fan... but love reading about Bears history and Bears/Packers rivalry. George (Papa Bear) Halas did so much for the NFL and even Packers... NFL would not be the NFL without the Bears, so much respect to the organization and hope they do what is best for the organization.

Only thing I ask... if Bears get a new stadium, make sure it is not a dome. Much respect to the Bears and Bears fans for dealing with the elements as it should be

If teams like the Bears, Packers, Browns, Steelers, or Bills ever got a dome? I would probably shed tears.

 

[BigKen]

Tear down Soldier Field and the property value is worth it's weight in gold. That would generate a few billion dollars and the team could construct new high rise living or business venues and make a constant stream of income. The Chicago mayor is a hack and is trying to turn popular opinion against the team and will probably do everything she can to screw up the purchase of the racetrack.

biggest problem for her is that moving the team doesn't put any pennies in her purse. Or any other Chicago city councilor's. Of course the team could tear down Soldier Field and fence in a gigantic dirt park. You people want hig rise views of the lake? get rid of the assholes you keep electing to City Hall and congress and we build the most beautiful building in Chicago. If not, you can all come get a cup of dirt .

 

[HuskerPower52]

should we address the ever-rising gun violence crime in Chicago or build a new football stadium

 

[Tainthappening]

Tear down Soldier Field and the property value is worth it's weight in gold. That would generate a few billion dollars and the team could construct new high rise living or business venues and make a constant stream of income. The Chicago mayor is a hack and is trying to turn popular opinion against the team and will probably do everything she can to screw up the purchase of the racetrack.

biggest problem for her is that moving the team doesn't put any pennies in her purse. Or any other Chicago city councilor's. Of course the team could tear down Soldier Field and fence in a gigantic dirt park. You people want hig rise views of the lake? get rid of the assholes you keep electing to City Hall and congress and we build the most beautiful building in Chicago. If not, you can all come get a cup of dirt .

The Bears do not own Soldier Field, they have a lease. Chicago Park District owns Soldier Field and they are an agency of the city of Chicago.