Chicago Bears officials met with Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli on Friday to discuss the possibility of abandoning plans for a new stadium development in Arlington Heights and building it instead in Naperville, reported the Chicago Tribune.
The team released a statement indicating that plans to build “the largest single development project in Illinois history” are “at risk” due to Cook County Assessor’s assessment of the former horsetrack being five times higher than its 2021 tax value and three times higher than recent assessment settlement for Churchill Downs racetrack located in Kentucky. The property is not operational nor commercially viable as-is.
Team officials wrote, “We will continue the ongoing demolition activity and work toward a path forward in Arlington Heights, but it is no longer our singular focus.” This suggests that they have shifted their focus towards constructing their new stadium elsewhere – namely Naperville – while still considering options available at Arlington Heights.
