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* Yeah, sure, why not…
With the Chicago Bears exploring suburban options beyond Arlington Heights as a site for a new stadium, Richton Park is making its pitch to the team.
In a recent letter to Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren, Richton Park Mayor Rick Reinbold touts large expanses of available land and the south suburb’s proximity to highways and the Metra Electric Line.
“I understand how the complexity of completing a stadium deal at the former Arlington Park site can be frustrating,” Reinbold told Warren in the July 21 letter. “Allow me to interest you in greenfield opportunities awaiting the Bears in Richton Park!” […]
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
* The Question: What other cities should the Bears consider? Explain your answer and snark is heavily encouraged.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 10:55 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Mapes’ motion denied by federal judge
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I’ll never stop advocating for a return to Decatur.
Comment by drifter182 Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 10:58 am
at this point, a floating barge in Lake Michigan sounds appealing
Comment by The Truth Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 10:58 am
Springfield’s Legacy Pointe Sports Complex is still available.
Comment by Truthiness Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:01 am
I hear the State owns some land in Peotone…
Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:01 am
Old NASCAR site in Joliet
Comment by WillCo Dude Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:03 am
Winnetka. Ishbia is already halfway there with his secret plot to grab all the land. Winnetka has already swapped him forest land for a plot. the Bears can still be on the lake.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:03 am
I think Foxconn has some unused land in Wisconsin.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:04 am
Shelbyville?
Rauner’s favorite, Madeupville?
Lots of room here in Kendall County. I’d even help with any fees or deeds…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:07 am
Some of you have really set the bar on this thread very high. Well done.
How about Xenia? There is a farmer down there that loves to make money selling land. And he has the hands of a farmer to prove it.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:07 am
My old home town Peoria could use a boost. We have an impressive skyline for our size, and I’m sure plenty of riverfront land could be found for a picturesque setting. Peoria is always interested in using tax dollars to subsidize private corporations. In fact I’m surprised the Bears haven’t hit them up. Please don’t.
Comment by Independent Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:07 am
Nome, AL.
Comment by H-W Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:08 am
AK, not AL.
Comment by H-W Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:09 am
Joliet/Crest Hill. replace aging prison soon-to-close with mega development to give all the soon-to-be-paid-out officers and such a new job market.
Comment by CentralILCentrist Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:09 am
Memorial Stadium in Champaign, because it worked out so well last time…
Comment by WK Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:11 am
Thinking way outside the box here but stay with me - why not a series of stadiums? Each town has its own amenities to offer and built-in Bear fans! Plenty of space in and around all these places too.
Waukegan, Vernon Hills, Arlington Heights, Addison, Naperville, Lockport, Richton Park, and Calumet City. Another ring interstate to connect them all - that will get IDOT and the Tollway on board. Each site will get 2 home games, and then Beyonce, Jason Aldean, and Taylor Swift can fill in the rest of the calendar.
It will kind of make the “C” logo if you squint at a map.
Comment by Lefty Lefty Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:12 am
Second Springfield–land is cheap and you can pick off some St. Louis fans that are still mad about losing the Rams…
Comment by Henry Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:13 am
Clearly the Bears should be bought by Howard Buffett and move to Decatur. Northeast side of town. Great locale and the smell can remind us of Staleys greatness
Comment by Stormsw7706 Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:13 am
Decatur. Back to the basics.
Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:16 am
The Berwyn Bears has a ring to it…
Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:16 am
Put it in the forest preserves, so when the Bears turn to (deleted), they will be in the right location.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:18 am
Chicago as in “Chicago Bears”.
The city has a nice stadium by a lake, plenty of parking, great restaurants, parks, hotel accommodations, a trained local civilian and public safety workforce already to handle large crowds and public transportation to games.
Comment by Back to the Future Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:19 am
==The Berwyn Bears has a ring to it… ==
“BERWYN?”
Comment by Dysfunction Junction Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:21 am
Ashdown Forest, East Sussex, England
Comment by Boom Shaka Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:21 am
Hear me out…
Create a premium experience and use a rotating set of HS stadiums. Develop a mobile skybox system that can move from school to school. That way, you can play in every city you are talking to to get leverage.
You could get a big tent and make it like the Circus, they just get checks to go from town to town. Each week the venue has a different name every week. This week the Bears are coming to you from Andy’s Frozen Custard Stadium at Lincoln-Way East High School!
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:22 am
Schaumburg. The Bears appear lost in the Middle Agea and they need some very simple, step-by-step instructions how to rebuild.
Comment by ZC Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:23 am
Peoria? Bears can’t play in Chicago. What make anyone think the bears could play in Peoria?
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:25 am
Hear me out…Chicago!
It has everything. Built in fanbase, access to transit, ability to put on big events, etc.
It’ll probably never work…
Comment by Sox Fan Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:28 am
Joliet. NASCAR track can be converted into an NFL Stadium
Comment by Andersonville Right Winger Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:30 am
Brookfield. They’ve already got bears there in the Great Bear Wilderness,which is where the Bears often seem to be.
Comment by West Side the Best Side Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:30 am
I also would have put Cicero. They love having $$ disappear down various (some only slightly shady) rabbitholes.
Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:32 am
Wrigley Field
Comment by DS Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:33 am
They should create their own small town and call it McCaskeyville. The Bears want any municipality to grant them financial perks. Well in McCaskeyville they would control everything. They wouldn’t have to worry about property tax “Certanty” with those dastardly schools.
Comment by Nagidam Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:37 am
How about “Bearrington”?
Comment by 10th Ward Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:37 am
Put them on an aircraft carrier. NFL loves military and Bears could become America’s team. And this has been done before. the Carrier Classic on the Vinson.
Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:40 am
Plenty of public transportation infrastructure in Springfield, Ogdenville, North Haverbrook, and Shelbyville.
Comment by SAP Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:42 am
This is the development that could finally close the prison at Pontiac.
Comment by Agora Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:43 am
Another vote for Springfield. The Bears can play in one of our high school football stadiums until their new stadium is built.
Comment by Nick Name Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:50 am
East St Louis, the City of Champions
Comment by Pyrman Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:54 am
In the middle of Shawnee National Forest.
Then we will know what bears do in the woods
Comment by SOIL M Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:56 am
Vandalia. They’re owed one.
Comment by TradedUpForMitch Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 11:59 am
Springfield because the shoreline of Hunter Lake needs development.
Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 12:02 pm
Just let them keep using the one on the PlayStation. Hey, they win there.
Comment by Appears Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 12:05 pm
Green Bay. If you can’t beat ‘em….
Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 12:08 pm
Cairo. They can probably get the land for free and I’m sure taxes won’t be an issue there.
Comment by Boone's is Back Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 12:15 pm
Decatur! Though the exercise is all a little glib, I did make the argument for the original home of the Bears a few weeks ago: https://herald-review.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/decatur-bears-not-likely-but-why-not/article_62fa80a1-087c-5f09-8035-b590be864dc0.html
Comment by Brenden Moore Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 12:22 pm
I’m trying to think of a place that has a centralized transportation hub (accessible to both cars and public transportation), plenty of hotel space, a stadium with plenty of parking (why build a new one?), a beautiful background for aerial shots during the game, plenty of options for dining, no need for expensive infrastructure improvements…hmmmm…if only such a place existed…
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 12:23 pm
Move the Bears back to Wrigley Field, maybe they will have a better chance of winning if there’s only one end zone. (Need we remember 2010 Illinois-Northwestern).
Comment by Stuck in Celliniland Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 12:26 pm
with apologies for the lack of snark, I think Waukegan has a lot to offer, namely that they can justify calling the land in question “blighted” and worthy of tax breaks more than Arlington Heights or Naperville could. Only trouble is that you can be near 94 or near the lake/Metra, but not both.
Comment by Jane Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 12:27 pm
East St Louis has plenty of land for anything they want to build and Chicago bears fans from Chicago land could take the high speed train to and from
Comment by 13th Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 12:28 pm
If the Springfield Mayor doesn’t land the Bears, it’s all gonna be Jim Langfelder’s fault.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 12:45 pm
Since the Bears are looking for a stadium with a roof, how about a subterranean stadium in Grant Park adjacent to the proposed Children’s Museum?
Comment by Chicago 20 Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 12:55 pm
Given that the Bears have the highest average road attendance in the NFL (and the second lowest home attendance), they should become the true America’s team and rotate games throughout the country.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/attendance
Comment by Res Melius Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 1:15 pm
Since the NFL is trying to become an international game. I propose the Bears relocate to London.
Comment by G'Kar Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 1:47 pm
Evanston. Pat Ryan is trying to build a football stadium there but may have challenges fielding a team to play there.
Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 1:59 pm
London (and not London Illinois, just in case there is one)
Comment by Lurker Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 2:11 pm
I second Schaumburg and it should be called
“Al Bundy Stadium”
Comment by Frida’s boss Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 2:13 pm
Berwyn - simply as a gift to Rich Koz.
Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 2:16 pm
Look, when all else fails, go back to your roots. The answer then, of course, is Fox Lake. Capone went there to get away from Chicago. The Bears can do the same thing.
Comment by Torco Sign Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 2:23 pm
===East St Louis, the City of Champions===
A few more bleachers, and East St Louis Senior HS could have NFL-like capacity. I couldn’t believe what a nice stadium it was when I first saw it.
https://vi.hudl.com/al9/reu/c60f3fb7-1176-47cb-9de4-87161e289673/ye2sm00qul90hpxk-3000_Thumbnail.jpg?v=6C896B6BC09DD608
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 2:37 pm
===London (and not London Illinois, just in case there is one)===
There is a London Mills, for what it’s worth.
Comment by drifter182 Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 3:09 pm
Midway
Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 3:24 pm
They could go to Northerly Island?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 3:26 pm
Halifax, Nova Scotia.
…Because the Bears might actually be competitive as a CFL franchise.
Comment by sulla Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 3:39 pm
Chicago - They will get back in the running, because Brandon a.) needs the money; and b.) will need some currency by the time the next election comes around. And plenty of places that didn’t get the casino could work. Michael Reese Hospital acreage, or the old South Side US Steel site. I still think in the end they find themselves in Arlington, but BJ will find a way to get the city back in the mix.
Comment by Just a guy Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 4:14 pm
I hear Murphysboro is in the running.
Comment by Moly Holy Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 4:17 pm
The legislature struggled this year with megaproject legislation and with wind farm legislation and it’s clear that the only way to get these done is to put them together. The Bears should play on a floating platform surrounded by and powered by wind turbines. Fans can get to the games by taxis before the water freezes and ATVs afterwards. The power generated can go towards paying down the McPier debt. That’s a win for everybody.
No charge for this one.
Comment by Socially DIstant Watcher Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 4:41 pm
I’d suggest Bourbonnais, but they’ve already opposed an airport, a tollway, and a speedway among other places. And would it have to be a dry stadium to appease ONU?
Comment by Dirt Lawyer Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 4:49 pm
Bears have enough money tied up in Arlington Heights to rule out another location. They didn’t buy the track because they were bored and looking to spend some money that day. And if they think no other location will fight them on property taxes and gifts to rich investors, they should have learned their lesson already.
Comment by thisjustinagain Tuesday, Jul 25, 23 @ 5:48 pm
A retractable domed stadium on the Waukegan Lakeshore could revitalize that city.
Comment by Ruth Dakin Wednesday, Jul 26, 23 @ 10:14 am