Robbie Gould supports Bears' move from Soldier Field originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
There might be no player that knows Chicago's harsh, bitter winter football games at Soldier Field than former kicker Robbie Gould.
Gould kicked for the Bears for 11 years of his ongoing NFL career. Plenty of those years he spent in Chicago's notoriously vicious winters at Soldier Field.
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When talking about the Bears' move out to Arlington Heights, Gould said on ESPN 1000's Waddle and Silvy: "I do think that in the best interest of the fans, the best interest in the organization, this is what makes the most sense to be able to keep pace with the other teams that are starting to do it."
The former Bears kicker mentioned how difficult the conditions are to kick in at Soldier Field. Not that it poses as a reason for the Bears to move, but it demonstrates a legitimate reason to have an indoor stadium.
Gould also mentioned the economic opportunity for events the Bears could host at the stadium and other chances for other businesses to grow around the stadium that will ultimately help the organization keep up with other teams in the NFL.
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The city of Chicago proposed a plethora of stadium renovations in an attempt to keep the Bears in downtown Chicago at Soldier Field. Some examples of their proposed fixes included a dome, paving over Burnham Harbor to create a parking lot, a monorail to the stadium, etc.
While the city and Mayor Lori Lightfoot have advocated for the Bears to stay in the city, the Bears solemnly rejected the idea of staying in Chicago.
In a statement from the team reported by the Daily Herald, "The only potential project the Chicago Bears are exploring for a new stadium development is Arlington Park," according to a statement from a team spokesman, via the article. "As part of our mutual agreement with the seller of that property, we are not pursuing alternative stadium deals or sites, including renovations to Soldier Field, while we are under contract."
The Bears are expected to break their lease with Soldier Field and fully move to Arlington Heights to build on the land they are expected to close on the land in early 2023.
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