Bears begin external demolition at Arlington Park racetrack
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (CBS) – The Chicago Bears announced that external demolition at the Arlington Park racetrack began on Friday.
It was the latest step toward possibly turning the 326-acre site in Arlington Heights into the new home for a future stadium to house the Bears. The team had already started interior demolition at the site last month.
The team said this demolition does not mean the property will be the site of its new stadium.
Chopper 2 spotted the demolition crew doing work on Friday. The team will flatten the grandstands on the property.
But the continuation of work at the former racetrack comes as the team has openly explored other options to build a future stadium. The Bears said earlier this month the plan for a move to Arlington Heights was in jeopardy, citing concerns about high property taxes.
Suburban communities like Naperville and Waukegan have most recently made their pitches to be considered for hosting a new Bears stadium.
It wasn't long after the team began taking meetings with other municipalities when team President Kevin Warren and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also met, although not much appeared to come out of the discussion.
Many Arlington Heights residents have expressed their own concern about the Bears moving to town, as some worry how a new stadium could change their quiet neighborhoods. Others have proposed barring the use of any taxpayer money to fund the construction of a new stadium, a method used to build other multi-million dollar professional sports facilities across the country.