Arlington Heights Village Board votes for pre-development agreement with Chicago Bears
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (CBS) – Leaders in Arlington Heights voted Monday in front of a pre-development agreement with the Chicago Bears as the team plans a possible new stadium there.
The agreement will essentially serve as a roadmap, defining how future plans and processes will be reviewed as the project develops.
It is not a final proposal.
Last year, the Bears signed a $197 million purchase agreement with Churchill Downs for the 326-acre site of the former Arlington Park racecourse, and remain in negotiations on a contract for the site.
In addition to a new stadium, the $5 billion plan for the racetrack site would include parks, fitness centers, hotels, housing, and a sports book for starters.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the city have fought to keep the Bears in Chicago. The city announced plans to renovate Soldier Field this past summer. But the odds that the Bears will go with the Arlington Heights option have kept growing more and more likely.