Significant step taken as Bears reconsider Arlington Heights for new stadium

Arlington Heights officials are once again pushing for a plan that could bring the Chicago Bears to the northwest suburb -- and they've reached a significant step in that process.

The village board recently approved an agreement with a consulting firm to evaluate an economic impact study surrounding the new stadium and proposed entertainment district.

Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes said the move allows a third-party consulting group to crunch numbers and make sure the investment into such plans would be positive for the village and its taxpayers.

According to officials, the study analyzing the 326-acre site will take place over the next couple of months.

The village also hired a consultant to take an in-depth look at the traffic impacts of the proposed stadium.

"In the four years that we’ve been discussing this, I’ve received virtually unanimous positive comments from our residents. Of course, they have concerns about traffic and financial impact on their homes, their property values, their taxes, and that’s the reason why we’re doing this due diligence, so we can answer those questions for them," Hayes told NBC Chicago.

Hayes leaves the mayor's office in a matter of weeks, having not sought re-election - though he had hoped to have a shovel in the ground before then, he's confident a plan could be finalized by the end of 2025.

Arlington Heights Mayor-elect Jim Tinaglia has said he is ready and willing to talk to both the Chicago Bears and Chicago White Sox about potential stadium project options for the suburb.

News of the new milestone reached between Arlington Heights and the Bears comes after Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren indicated the suburban land was back in the running for the team's stadium plans, despite repeatedly saying the team was focused on remaining in Chicago.

Speaking to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio and Chris Simms, Warren confirmed that the Bears’ stadium project is “really down to the Museum Campus and downtown Arlington Heights."

“We are the largest landowner [in Arlington Heights]. I’m excited for these next couple of months,” he said. “This land is absolutely beautiful. It’s a great piece of land.”

Warren said the team is still actively engaged in conversations with the city of Chicago, both concerning the proposed stadium site on the Museum Campus and an alternative site at the location of the former Michael Reese Hospital.

“The key thing in all these stadium projects is optionality,” he said. “The good thing about it is one, we continue our conversations with the city of Chicago. I’ve said it many times, that piece of land along the lakefront is absolutely beautiful. I understand all the dynamics. I understand the politics. I understand the cost of it.”

Both the Bears and White Sox have run into different types of opposition as they seek financing for stadiums to be built in the city of Chicago.

But Tinaglia has said he’s willing to play ball if the deal makes sense for taxpayers and the community.

“We want them to come. We want it to be great. We want it to be wonderful,” he said. “It needs to be something that everybody's proud of and no one is paying any kind of unfair price for it.”