Lake Forest, IL (AP) – Chicago Bears president Kevin Warren said Friday the team requires a big push from the state legislature to reach its goal of digging for a new stadium in Arlington Heights sometime this year.
The Bears have the plans drawn up for the indoor stadium but need a mega bill to pass in Springfield in October to supply momentum for the construction.
“The biggest item that remains, that has remained, is the fact that this mega project build that was on the docket in the spring but was not put forth for a vote, but it is very, very important that it passes,” Warren said. “Because without that legislation, we are not able to proceed forward.
“We stand ready. The stadium is designed.”
Warren said team officials have been meeting with Arlington Heights village Mayor Jim Tinaglia on the project, which is their only target site. Over three years they fluctuated from Arlington Heights to Chicago and now back to Arlington Heights.
The bill the Bears want to see passed would freeze property taxes for large-scale construction projects like the stadium.
Warren maintains the bill could create 56,000 jobs during construction and 9,000 permanent jobs.
“So, if that bill passes in October there are items we have to work on and obviously there is a process you have to follow with the village of Arlington Heights from an approval process,” Warren said. “But obviously they are committed.
“The goal would still be to be in a position to move dirt this year. There’s still work, some initial work that needs to be done to get the site ready, but to hopefully break ground next year formally but to actually move dirt this year.”
Warren has said it would take three years for the stadium to be built once ground is broken.
The Bears are devoting about $2.7 billion to the project on their own property at the old Arlington International Racecourse.
Bears owner George McCaskey said he hasn’t become frustrated with the political process of getting the stadium built.
“These things take time,” McCaskey said. “It’s on us to convince the governor and the state legislators that this is a good idea for the people of Illinois and we need to do a better job at that.“
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