It was one year ago Thursday that the Chicago Bears closed on a deal to purchase the site of the former Arlington International Racecourse, but as their battle with Arlington Heights continues, new developments are complicating the team's stadium efforts.
The Cook County Board of Review informed the team Wednesday of its decision to leave the property’s value at $192 million, which would roughly quintuple their tax bill owed on the property.
That decision puts heightened pressure on the Bears and three area school districts, which rely on those property taxes for their funding, to reach an agreement in their ongoing negotiations over exactly how much that 326-acre site is worth.
The Bears bought that property that once housed the former Arlington International Racecourse for $197.2 million, aiming to build a multi-billion dollar stadium development on the site with restaurants, retail, residential real estate and more.
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Here is a timeline of the team's project in Arlington Heights, as well as a full update on what the Cook County Assessor's Office decided this week.
June 17, 2021 - Bears submit bid to buy Arlington Park
Then-Bears CEO and Team President Ted Phillips announced that the team had submitted a bid to buy Arlington Park from Churchill Downs, saying the team could "further evaluate the property and its potential."
June 23, 2021 - Bears zoning change approved by Arlington Heights Board
The Arlington Heights Village Board allowed the Bears to clear a procedural hurdle, voting to approve a zoning overlay that would potentially permit construction of a stadium on the Arlington Park site.*
That project would still need further approval from the county board.
*= The headline previously read that the stadium project itself had been approved, a step that has not been taken at this time. We have corrected the headline to accurately reflect the vote.
October 20, 2021 - Bears, Arlington Heights begin zoning talks
Despite efforts by then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot to keep the Bears in Chicago, the team begins talks with Arlington Heights on local zoning and approval processes.
August 5, 2022 - Proposed ordinance aims to leave Arlington Heights taxpayers off the hook
A proposed ordinance opposed by the village's mayor aims to ensure that Arlington Heights taxpayers are left off the hook for any development related to the Bears' relocation efforts.
September 6, 2022 - Plans for Bears stadium at Arlington Park unveiled
Ahead of a community meeting later that week, plans for a Chicago Bears stadium at Arlington Park were unveiled to the public. The renderings showcased a nearby hotel, restaurants and parks, aiming to surround the stadium with a community space.
September 8, 2022 - Bears reveal that planned stadium would include a roof
Integral to the team's aspirations of having a stadium capable of hosting a Super Bowl, the Bears revealed that the planned stadium would include a permanent roof.
Then-President Ted Phillips expressed concerns over the cost and maintenance of a retractable roof when making the announcement.
November 7, 2022 - 'Master plan' revealed for Bears' stadium, surrounding area
Graphics and renderings of a "master plan" for the Arlington Park site are released, showcasing everything from shops and hotels to the stadium and public transportation access in a 31-page document.
November 8, 2022 - Bears, Arlington Heights agree to pre-development plan
The Village of Arlington Heights approved a pre-development plan for the 326-acre site, agreeing with the Bears on the framework and construction potential of the land.
January 12, 2023 - Bears hire Kevin Warren as Team President/CEO
Taking over for Ted Phillips and coming back to the NFL after a few years spent as the Big Ten Commissioner, Kevin Warren was named as the new Team President and CEO for the Chicago Bears.
Warren's notable previous experience was highlighted by 15 seasons spent with the rival Minnesota Vikings, including five seasons as the Chief Operating Officer from 2015 to 2019.
March 29, 2023 - Still no timeline for construction at Arlington Park
Despite closing on the property over a month earlier, Bears chairman George McCaskey and incoming Team President Kevin Warren said that there was still no timeline for construction to begin.
Warren and McCaskey added that they were in "no rush" to get started, adding that the team would plan extensively ahead of breaking ground.
June 2, 2023 - Bears announce Arlington Heights 'no longer our singular focus' while Naperville mayor submits a pitch
In a stunning reversal just days after it appeared some progress was being made, the Bears announced that pursuing a stadium in Arlington Heights was no longer the singular focus of the club.
The shift came after the Bears saw major differences between their valuations of the property and the values from the Cook County Assessor.
The team said it was committed to listening to proposals from other municipalities, while Mayor Hayes said that the village expected the Bears to explore other opportunities.
Meanwhile, a meeting was held between Warren and Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli to discuss the possibility of the Bears building a new home in the western suburb that approximately 150,000 Illinoisans call home.
July 27, 2023 - Kevin Warren, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson issue joint statement on talks
With stadium plans in flux, Kevin Warren and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson issued a joint statement, indicating the two sides were still in communication as uncertainty grew over the Arlington Heights site.
“We continued our productive discussion this week that began in early June," the brief statement read. "We plan to have regular dialogue with each other, and across our respective staffs, as we work together to meet the needs of the citizens of Chicago and Bears fans.”
January 6, 2024 - Warren teases to stadium update in next 'couple of months'
Toward the end of the 2023 NFL season, Kevin Warren told fans that concrete progress was being made for a new stadium, with an update just a couple of months away.
"I'm pleased with the progress we've made and I'm just happy to finish strong this season, looking forward to the game this weekend and continue making progress on the stadium," Warren said.
February 2, 2024 - Bears reportedly shift focus back to Chicago
In a stunning reversal of earlier plans, a report from Crain's Chicago Business states that the Bears' goal is now to construct a stadium south of Soldier Field.
The report states that the stadium would be financed thanks to a bonding clause in the law that governs the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. To ease possible difficulties with building on the lakefront, Hinz suggests that Soldier Field would be converted to public parks and athletic fields.
Feb. 14, 2024: Cook County Assessor's Office Upholds Valuation on Arlington Heights Property
Meanwhile, as part of the triennial reassessment, the Cook County Assessor’s Office increased the value of the property from $33 million to $197 million. Property taxes in Cook County lag by a year, leaving former owner Churchill Downs on the hook for the first bill at the higher value. Churchill Downs negotiated a one-year agreement with the school districts, which intervened in the appeal, for a $95 million value. The responsibility for the bill then shifted to the Bears, who now continue to negotiate with the districts.
At a January 30 Board of Review hearing on the issue, the Bears’ attorney said the team submitted two appraisals, one for $60 million and the other for $71 million. The Bears’ lawyer argued the Assessor’s Office inflated the value of the land relative to other, similarly sized sales, asking the Board of Review to reduce the value to $60 million.
In that same hearing, the school districts’ attorney said the appraisal they submitted found the site to be worth $160 million, leaving a $100 million gap between the two sides. The Board of Review’s period to accept a settlement closes Saturday, with the valuation slated to be sent to the assessor’s office for certification at the end of the month.
Once the value is certified, if a settlement hasn’t been reached, the Bears could appeal to the Property Tax Appeal Board or file a complaint in the Circuit Court of Cook County, though both would likely be lengthy processes.
“If the Bears want Arlington Heights to happen, I think they’re going to have to budge way further than they want to,” NBC Sports Chicago’s Bears Insider Josh Schrock said.
The Bears have long said — even as they purchased the site — that they needed property tax “certainty” before they can build. And the battle over the property taxes has put the possibility of staying within the city of Chicago back on the table, as the team has reopened the conversation with Mayor Brandon Johnson, who took office after the Bears purchased the Arlington Heights property.
“I think the stagnation in the talks between the school districts and the Bears can only tell you that the Bears are at least really considering trying to find a way to stay in the city,” Schrock said. “I think there’s more momentum that way now than there was a year ago.”
“This is all part of the long, slow dance that many of us expected between the Bears and their next home,” said longtime Bears commentator David Haugh.
“It’s essentially: Who is going to blink first? And I believe the Bears are wanting people to think they’re prepared to wait, to wait it out,” Haugh said.
“Why did the Bears get in this position to begin with? They wanted to own their own stadium. That’s how you get ahead as an NFL owner. The McCaskeys want to be able to keep the money they make at their own stadium,” he added. “This is a game of leverage.”
“Once they get it all built, they’re going to make that money back in concerts and tourism and should they ever want to sell the team, the valuation is going to go through the roof because you have all of that land,” Schrock said. “I think in the end it’s just going to be: how much do the Bears value that? And are they willing to eat a little bit upfront for the pay down the road?”
When reached for comment on the Board of Review’s decision, a spokesman for the Bears referred back to the comments the team’s attorney made during the hearing last month.
A spokesman for the school districts declined to comment.
