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Bears reconsidering Michael Reese site for new stadium
The Chicago Bears are reconsidering a site for their new lakefront stadium.
CHICAGO - It appears the Chicago Bears could be pivoting their plans for a new stadium, yet again.
According to reports, the Bears are considering the Michael Reese site as a location for their new stadium.
The Bears previously stated that the former Michael Reese Hospital site was not suitable for their new venue.
Crain's Chicago was the first to report the news.
This comes as the Bears continue their push to acquire public funding to build a state-of-the-art stadium on the Chicago lakefront adjacent to Soldier Field. The team already owns the land where Arlington Racecourse used to be.
The Bears brought their stadium proposal to Springfield, and called on the General Assembly to approve $900 million in public subsidies and $1.5 billion for infrastructure for the stadium. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker rejected the deal.
Last month, Bears team president Kevin Warren reaffirmed the franchise's focus remained to make the lakefront the location for a nearly $5 billion stadium development project.
"The status is we’re continuing to make progress. We stay focused still to be able to be in the ground, start construction sometime in 2025," Warren said in October before the Bears played Jacksonville in London. "We’re having regular meetings with key business leaders, key politicians, just staying focused and on course."
Now, according to Crain's Chicago, the team is said to be considering the 49-acre property south of McCormick Place. The report says the team hopes to start discussions with politicians to keep the team in Chicago.
Before, the Bears evaluated the Michael Reese site, now called Bronzeville Lakefront by its developer, and the Bears rejected the site because it was too narrow and included plans that put a new stadium on top of active Metra tracks, Crain's reported.
Thus, the Bears' stadium saga continues.
Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson was asked about the report on Tuesday, and he aims to keep the Bears in Chicago.
"My goal is to keep them in Chicago," Johnson told reporters on Tuesday. "Not just keeping them in Chicago, but creating opportunities for real economic development. That is important."