Bears’ ownership is getting nowhere fast with its stadium plans.
It seems that the right people in Chicago just don’t root for the National Football League’s Chicago Bears ownership in its quest for a new stadium on the lakefront near Soldier Field. There may be a number of reasons for that. Bears’ ownership wants public money to pay for some of the cost of a new venue. That notion has not impressed Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker. Bears’ ownership would like to build the facility on public park land near the stadium and that has riled up a few people. Friends of the Parks, which claims it “inspires, equips, and mobilizes a diverse Chicago to ensure an equitable park system for a healthy Chicago, has decided to fight the Bears’ ownership effort and will team up with other advocacy groups to stop the Bears’ ownership’s pursuit of developing the land.
Friends of the Parks interim executive director Gin Kilgore is calling on city officials to oppose the deal. They want to “ensure Chicago’s Lakefront remains forever open, clear and free for future generations.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is in favor of the Bears ownership plan to build a stadium-village on the lakefront. Friends of the Parks may be a powerful enemy. In 2016, Star Wars’ creator George Lucas gave up on his plan to build the Lucas Museum on property just south of Soldier Field. Lucas wanted to house his collection of digital and traditional art in Chicago. Friends of the Parks filed a lawsuit to stop Lucas and Lucas decided not to fight the battle. Lucas decided to build the museum in Los Angeles. Bears’ ownership owns property in Arlington Heights that would be big enough for a stadium-village but the ownership group has not proceeded with construction because it feels the property tax rate is too high. The stadium game continues in Chicago and in Illinois.
Proposed Bears’ stadium.
