Da Bears look at Arlington Heights for a new stadium

Started by kevinb1994, May 06, 2021, 06:20:49 PM

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kevinb1994

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/mayor-of-city-in-illinois-says-bears-are-seriously-considering-a-move-out-of-soldier-field-and-to-his-town/

I'm not that surprised that Da Bears are looking to finally leave Chicago for a leafy suburb, I mean that Soldier Field is getting tougher to maintain, last being renovated in 2003.


Roadgeekteen

Soldier Field is tiny and is not even historic anymore after the renovations. Good move.
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kevinb1994

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on May 06, 2021, 06:22:52 PM
Soldier Field is tiny and is not even historic anymore after the renovations. Good move.
You're right about the lack of historicity due to the renovations. Tiny doesn't even describe it well, by today's standards, it is shrimp.

thspfc

If this by some miracle does happen, maybe Chicago would be back in contention to host the World Cup in 2026?

jmacswimmer

If & when da Bearsss get serious about this, I wouldn't be surprised if Lightfoot & the city cave and try to offer up Soldier Field improvements as concessions to get them to stay - I can't imagine that's a revenue stream they want disappearing.
Also, can we get George Wendt & Robert Smigel back together to debate this topic? :cheers:
"Now, what if da Bearss were to enter the Indianapolis 5-hunnert?"
"How would they compete?"
"Let's say they rode together in a big buss."
"Is Ditka driving?"
"Of course!"
"Then I like da Bear buss."
"DA BEARSSS BUSSSS"

SP Cook

Calling what was done to Soldier Field less than 20 years ago a "renovation" is misleading.  They tore 90% of it down and built a new modern stadium inside the façade that remained. 

But, throughout the country, we live in an era of stadium extortion.  Every 20 years or so, sports teams demand a new taxpayer funded facility, or they will decamp for the suburbs, or some other town. 

hotdogPi

Quote from: SP Cook on May 07, 2021, 12:03:04 PM
But, throughout the country, we live in an era of stadium extortion.  Every 20 years or so, sports teams demand a new taxpayer funded facility, or they will decamp for the suburbs, or some other town.

What about Fenway Park?
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NWI_Irish96

When Soldier Field got remodeled, the requirement was that the historic outer shell be preserved. This shell was too narrow to build a traditional 75,000+ stadium inside it.

What should have been done was to ignore the entire shell, preserving just the rows of columns (which is all that anybody really cared about), pushing the eastern set of columns out as far as needed to get a bigger stadium inside.

Maybe moving the Bears somewhere else is the best plan, with Soldier Field being repurposed into something that can get used more often (concerts, etc) and bring more people to that area.

I will really miss being able to take the South Shore to games, but then I only go to a game every 2-3 years.
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Flint1979

Quote from: 1 on May 07, 2021, 12:05:07 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on May 07, 2021, 12:03:04 PM
But, throughout the country, we live in an era of stadium extortion.  Every 20 years or so, sports teams demand a new taxpayer funded facility, or they will decamp for the suburbs, or some other town.

What about Fenway Park?
Fenway Park is owned by the Red Sox, serves it's purpose and has been renovated vastly over the course of the last 20 years.

SP Cook

Quote from: 1 on May 07, 2021, 12:05:07 PM

What about Fenway Park?

https://www.espn.com/blog/sportsbusiness/post/_/id/651/fenway-renovations-paying-off-immensely

QuoteLest anyone think that's merely a feel-good honor, the designation means millions of dollars -- about $40 million -- to the Red Sox organization. The designation makes the Red Sox eligible for federal tax credits equal to 20 percent of certain funds spent on the stadium preservation and renovations -- even though they occurred over the past 10 years. The team was already eligible for a 20 percent state tax credit, worth another $40 million, $11 million of which it received during the course of renovations. Future renovations also could receive tax credits. 

That Fenway Park?

OCGuy81

I can't say I blame them.  Chicago should look at what happened when Oakland decided to let the Oakland Coliseum get more and more dilapidated.  Bye bye Raiders.

At least a move to the burbs keeps them as a "local" team.

jmacswimmer

Quote from: OCGuy81 on May 07, 2021, 01:15:26 PM
I can't say I blame them.  Chicago should look at what happened when Oakland decided to let the Oakland Coliseum get more and more dilapidated.  Bye bye Raiders.

At least a move to the burbs keeps them as a "local" team.

Compared to Soldier Field, Arlington Heights would also be a shorter (and much less congested) drive from Halas Hall in Lake Forest, which would make things easier for the kicker  :-D
"Now, what if da Bearss were to enter the Indianapolis 5-hunnert?"
"How would they compete?"
"Let's say they rode together in a big buss."
"Is Ditka driving?"
"Of course!"
"Then I like da Bear buss."
"DA BEARSSS BUSSSS"

Alps

Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 12:15:16 PM
Quote from: 1 on May 07, 2021, 12:05:07 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on May 07, 2021, 12:03:04 PM
But, throughout the country, we live in an era of stadium extortion.  Every 20 years or so, sports teams demand a new taxpayer funded facility, or they will decamp for the suburbs, or some other town.

What about Fenway Park?
Fenway Park is owned by the Red Sox, serves it's purpose and has been renovated vastly over the course of the last 20 years.
It does not serve its purpose. It is far too constrained for the amount of demand of tickets. They would easily pay off a new stadium if they added 8000 seats to the current capacity, but just like Wrigley, no one will ever allow the Sox to leave Fenway. They've tried!

Flint1979

Quote from: Alps on May 07, 2021, 05:36:52 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 12:15:16 PM
Quote from: 1 on May 07, 2021, 12:05:07 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on May 07, 2021, 12:03:04 PM
But, throughout the country, we live in an era of stadium extortion.  Every 20 years or so, sports teams demand a new taxpayer funded facility, or they will decamp for the suburbs, or some other town.

What about Fenway Park?
Fenway Park is owned by the Red Sox, serves it's purpose and has been renovated vastly over the course of the last 20 years.
It does not serve its purpose. It is far too constrained for the amount of demand of tickets. They would easily pay off a new stadium if they added 8000 seats to the current capacity, but just like Wrigley, no one will ever allow the Sox to leave Fenway. They've tried!
There are other stadiums that are similar size to Fenway Park. It's a baseball stadium that seats around 37,000 people. Most teams don't average 37,000 every year. The Red Sox sellout streak is over

They were going to build a new Fenway Park about 20 years ago making it bigger and looking the same exact way as the current Fenway Park but they couldn't get that done and renovated the current stadium instead.

Flint1979

Also I think it's the ownership group that stopped that new stadium plan in Boston when John Henry bought the Red Sox is when they renovated the stadium.

OCGuy81

Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 06:44:26 PM
Quote from: Alps on May 07, 2021, 05:36:52 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 12:15:16 PM
Quote from: 1 on May 07, 2021, 12:05:07 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on May 07, 2021, 12:03:04 PM
But, throughout the country, we live in an era of stadium extortion.  Every 20 years or so, sports teams demand a new taxpayer funded facility, or they will decamp for the suburbs, or some other town.

What about Fenway Park?
Fenway Park is owned by the Red Sox, serves it's purpose and has been renovated vastly over the course of the last 20 years.
It does not serve its purpose. It is far too constrained for the amount of demand of tickets. They would easily pay off a new stadium if they added 8000 seats to the current capacity, but just like Wrigley, no one will ever allow the Sox to leave Fenway. They've tried!
There are other stadiums that are similar size to Fenway Park. It's a baseball stadium that seats around 37,000 people. Most teams don't average 37,000 every year. The Red Sox sellout streak is over

They were going to build a new Fenway Park about 20 years ago making it bigger and looking the same exact way as the current Fenway Park but they couldn't get that done and renovated the current stadium instead.

I'd think the history of Fenway alone is enough to keep the Sox from ever leaving.  Ditto Wrigley for the Cubs.  To this day I'm still shocked the old Yankee Stadium is gone.

Flint1979

Quote from: OCGuy81 on May 07, 2021, 06:45:48 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 06:44:26 PM
Quote from: Alps on May 07, 2021, 05:36:52 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 12:15:16 PM
Quote from: 1 on May 07, 2021, 12:05:07 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on May 07, 2021, 12:03:04 PM
But, throughout the country, we live in an era of stadium extortion.  Every 20 years or so, sports teams demand a new taxpayer funded facility, or they will decamp for the suburbs, or some other town.

What about Fenway Park?
Fenway Park is owned by the Red Sox, serves it's purpose and has been renovated vastly over the course of the last 20 years.
It does not serve its purpose. It is far too constrained for the amount of demand of tickets. They would easily pay off a new stadium if they added 8000 seats to the current capacity, but just like Wrigley, no one will ever allow the Sox to leave Fenway. They've tried!
There are other stadiums that are similar size to Fenway Park. It's a baseball stadium that seats around 37,000 people. Most teams don't average 37,000 every year. The Red Sox sellout streak is over

They were going to build a new Fenway Park about 20 years ago making it bigger and looking the same exact way as the current Fenway Park but they couldn't get that done and renovated the current stadium instead.

I'd think the history of Fenway alone is enough to keep the Sox from ever leaving.  Ditto Wrigley for the Cubs.  To this day I'm still shocked the old Yankee Stadium is gone.
I don't know if it's because I'm a White Sox fan that hates the Cubs but I really hate Wrigley Field. I've been to several ball games there as a kid to an adult and the place just doesn't impress me. I've been to Fenway Park as well I've only been to one game at Fenway it was in 2004 so the renovations were well underway they had the monster seats and the seats above the retired numbers up on the right field roof.

I took the tour of Fenway and I thought Fenway was a pretty nice ballpark I like the way that sits in the neighborhood that it's in. You can tell it's an old ballpark but it really had a unique feel to it even more so than Wrigley than me.

Henry

Quote from: OCGuy81 on May 07, 2021, 06:45:48 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 06:44:26 PM
Quote from: Alps on May 07, 2021, 05:36:52 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 12:15:16 PM
Quote from: 1 on May 07, 2021, 12:05:07 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on May 07, 2021, 12:03:04 PM
But, throughout the country, we live in an era of stadium extortion.  Every 20 years or so, sports teams demand a new taxpayer funded facility, or they will decamp for the suburbs, or some other town.

What about Fenway Park?
Fenway Park is owned by the Red Sox, serves it's purpose and has been renovated vastly over the course of the last 20 years.
It does not serve its purpose. It is far too constrained for the amount of demand of tickets. They would easily pay off a new stadium if they added 8000 seats to the current capacity, but just like Wrigley, no one will ever allow the Sox to leave Fenway. They've tried!
There are other stadiums that are similar size to Fenway Park. It's a baseball stadium that seats around 37,000 people. Most teams don't average 37,000 every year. The Red Sox sellout streak is over

They were going to build a new Fenway Park about 20 years ago making it bigger and looking the same exact way as the current Fenway Park but they couldn't get that done and renovated the current stadium instead.

I'd think the history of Fenway alone is enough to keep the Sox from ever leaving.  Ditto Wrigley for the Cubs.  To this day I'm still shocked the old Yankee Stadium is gone.
Add Lambeau Field and Dodger Stadium to that list of historic places. Then again, the Dodgers left Ebbets Field in order to get to L.A. And the Packers are owned by the city of Green Bay, so good luck trying to lure them away with a new stadium.

I've heard the Bears threatening to leave Chicago for the suburbs before, but nothing has ever come of those past efforts, and seeing that they've called Soldier Field home for half a century now, I'd be surprised if Arlington Heights (or any other suburb, for that matter) actually succeeds. Yes, I too find it shocking that the original Yankee Stadium was torn down, but that was the doing of their owners (remember how George Steinbrenner once threatened to move to NJ several years back?).
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

Flint1979

Here's one site that I remember.

https://ballparks.com/baseball/american/bosbpk.htm

Everything was suppose to be the same as the current ballpark but modernized and bigger. It was suppose to seat around 44,000.

Alps

Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 06:53:45 PM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on May 07, 2021, 06:45:48 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 06:44:26 PM
Quote from: Alps on May 07, 2021, 05:36:52 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 12:15:16 PM
Quote from: 1 on May 07, 2021, 12:05:07 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on May 07, 2021, 12:03:04 PM
But, throughout the country, we live in an era of stadium extortion.  Every 20 years or so, sports teams demand a new taxpayer funded facility, or they will decamp for the suburbs, or some other town.

What about Fenway Park?
Fenway Park is owned by the Red Sox, serves it's purpose and has been renovated vastly over the course of the last 20 years.
It does not serve its purpose. It is far too constrained for the amount of demand of tickets. They would easily pay off a new stadium if they added 8000 seats to the current capacity, but just like Wrigley, no one will ever allow the Sox to leave Fenway. They've tried!
There are other stadiums that are similar size to Fenway Park. It's a baseball stadium that seats around 37,000 people. Most teams don't average 37,000 every year. The Red Sox sellout streak is over

They were going to build a new Fenway Park about 20 years ago making it bigger and looking the same exact way as the current Fenway Park but they couldn't get that done and renovated the current stadium instead.

I'd think the history of Fenway alone is enough to keep the Sox from ever leaving.  Ditto Wrigley for the Cubs.  To this day I'm still shocked the old Yankee Stadium is gone.
I don't know if it's because I'm a White Sox fan that hates the Cubs but I really hate Wrigley Field. I've been to several ball games there as a kid to an adult and the place just doesn't impress me. I've been to Fenway Park as well I've only been to one game at Fenway it was in 2004 so the renovations were well underway they had the monster seats and the seats above the retired numbers up on the right field roof.

I took the tour of Fenway and I thought Fenway was a pretty nice ballpark I like the way that sits in the neighborhood that it's in. You can tell it's an old ballpark but it really had a unique feel to it even more so than Wrigley than me.
Yes, it's your hate. Wrigley is an amazing ballpark, a throwback to the old days of stadiums they don't build anymore, and I would gladly go back anytime.

Flint1979

Quote from: Alps on May 08, 2021, 01:00:19 AM
Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 06:53:45 PM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on May 07, 2021, 06:45:48 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 06:44:26 PM
Quote from: Alps on May 07, 2021, 05:36:52 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on May 07, 2021, 12:15:16 PM
Quote from: 1 on May 07, 2021, 12:05:07 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on May 07, 2021, 12:03:04 PM
But, throughout the country, we live in an era of stadium extortion.  Every 20 years or so, sports teams demand a new taxpayer funded facility, or they will decamp for the suburbs, or some other town.

What about Fenway Park?
Fenway Park is owned by the Red Sox, serves it's purpose and has been renovated vastly over the course of the last 20 years.
It does not serve its purpose. It is far too constrained for the amount of demand of tickets. They would easily pay off a new stadium if they added 8000 seats to the current capacity, but just like Wrigley, no one will ever allow the Sox to leave Fenway. They've tried!
There are other stadiums that are similar size to Fenway Park. It's a baseball stadium that seats around 37,000 people. Most teams don't average 37,000 every year. The Red Sox sellout streak is over

They were going to build a new Fenway Park about 20 years ago making it bigger and looking the same exact way as the current Fenway Park but they couldn't get that done and renovated the current stadium instead.

I'd think the history of Fenway alone is enough to keep the Sox from ever leaving.  Ditto Wrigley for the Cubs.  To this day I'm still shocked the old Yankee Stadium is gone.
I don't know if it's because I'm a White Sox fan that hates the Cubs but I really hate Wrigley Field. I've been to several ball games there as a kid to an adult and the place just doesn't impress me. I've been to Fenway Park as well I've only been to one game at Fenway it was in 2004 so the renovations were well underway they had the monster seats and the seats above the retired numbers up on the right field roof.

I took the tour of Fenway and I thought Fenway was a pretty nice ballpark I like the way that sits in the neighborhood that it's in. You can tell it's an old ballpark but it really had a unique feel to it even more so than Wrigley than me.
Yes, it's your hate. Wrigley is an amazing ballpark, a throwback to the old days of stadiums they don't build anymore, and I would gladly go back anytime.
Actually I don't think it is my hate because the first time I went there I didn't hate the Cubs at that point and didn't care for the ballpark. I think Wrigley is vastly overrated. The only thing it has going for it is it's history otherwise it's a dump. The times I've been there it's smelled like urine by the dugouts, posts are in your way, seats are angled improperly, the restrooms are outdated and crowded. Wrigley should have been replaced 30 years ago. The ivy looks nice for the first time seeing it but it's nothing special it's just significant with that ballpark is all. I've never enjoyed myself in the neighborhood surrounding the ballpark either. Being a White Sox fan in the early 1990's you didn't even care about the Cubs. It didn't become the yuppie thing to do until the late 90's/early 2000's. I remember going there in 1988 and the place was empty.

Now go to the Southside of town that's a much nicer ballpark to watch a game in and you have updated amenities and a better crowd of people than at Wrigley. Plus watching Frank Thomas crush 448 home runs for the Pale Hose was fun to watch.

triplemultiplex

I'd describe the current Soldier Field as a flying saucer that crashed into a museum.

I'm getting really sick of these sports teams demanding new stadiums every 20 years.  It's such horseshit.
"That's just like... your opinion, man."

thspfc

Quote from: triplemultiplex on May 09, 2021, 11:34:57 AM
I'd describe the current Soldier Field as a flying saucer that crashed into a museum.

I'm getting really sick of these sports teams demanding new stadiums every 20 years.  It's such horseshit.
It's a proven way for teams to increase their value. But taxpayer money is much better spent.

ET21

Wouldn't put much into it. The Bears still have a lease with Soldier field for another 9 years and this idea was also proposed 30 years ago. Only reason its been dusted off is because the site (Arlington RaceTrack) is being looked at for renovations/redevelopment by the suburb.
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NWI_Irish96

https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1405596779291230210?s=20

This takes things to another level.

This is a part of the metro that I rarely drive in. Any potential highway improvements that could come as a result of the Bears moving?
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