Buh bye Soldier Field???

[BigKen]

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.

Then Chicago will be even worse off financially. no wonder the Mayor is bitchin'. They can move anytime. "Screw the lease, we're moving to San Antonio for a few years and if they don't build a stadium, it's on to Portland, then Tulsa."

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Then Chicago will be even worse off financially. no wonder the Mayor is bitchin'. They can move anytime. "Screw the lease, we're moving to San Antonio for a few years and if they don't build a stadium, it's on to Portland, then Tulsa."

Sounds like a line from the song Route 66.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Man, money just doesn't seem to be what it use to, in terms of value. Like the title of this article explaining why the cost to breaking the lease wouldn't be much of a hindrance:

https://www.audacy.com/670thescore/sports/chicago-bears/financial-penalty-break-soldier-field-lease-wont-hinder-bears-potential-move-arlington-park

The Bears' financial penalty for leaving Soldier Field, which they're leasing through 2033, would start at $84 million in 2026, according to the Chicago Tribune. 2026 is considered the first year a stadium in Arlington Heights could be ready for the Bears, the Tribune reported, citing the process of acquiring the site and then designing and constructing a stadium.

The financial penalty for the Bears leaving Soldier Field would decrease each year from 2026 -- to $74 million in 2027, $63.8 million in 2028, $53.3 million in 2029, $42.7 million in 2030, $32.1 million in 2031, $21.6 million in 2032 and $11 million in 2033, according to the Tribune.

So in other words, $84 MILLION to break the lease and it's like, 'sure, no problem, whatever'. Wish I could yawn over even 1/100th of that amount.