Chicago Bears’ stadium plan prone to retain help after new mayor takes over in Arlington Heights

Two potential prime contenders for the job of subsequent mayor of Arlington Heights are anticipated to proceed help for a brand new Chicago Bears stadium if plans make sure the the undertaking will work out nicely for the village.

Trustee Thomas Schwingbeck Jr. and village Chamber of Commerce Govt Director Jon Ridler each have expressed curiosity within the stadium undertaking prior to now, however are anticipated to proceed the Village Board’s insistence that the undertaking have a optimistic influence, monetary and in any other case.

Mayor Tom Hayes introduced not too long ago he gained’t run for reelection, and can step down when his time period ends in Could. The election will likely be in April.

The mayor thinks the Bears officers will determine by then whether or not to go ahead with constructing a brand new stadium in Arlington Heights or Chicago.

“Having handled the Bears for greater than three years now, I do know they need to get it achieved sooner fairly than later,” Hayes stated. “(Bears President and CEO) Kevin Warren stated publicly he desires to get a shovel within the floor someday subsequent 12 months, so to do this you’d should decide within the subsequent 10 months.”

In 2022, the Bears proposed constructing a $2 billion enclosed stadium as a part of a $5 billion mixed-use growth on the positioning of the previous Arlington Park. Staff officers had signed an settlement to purchase the previous horse race monitor in 2021 and closed the deal for $197 million in 2023.

However Warren stated a dispute over just a few million {dollars} with native faculty districts over property taxes for the positioning have been a “non-starter,” and switched focus to in search of a new domed stadium on the lakefront to switch the staff’s present house in Soldier Area.

That proposal known as for the staff to pitch in $2 billion towards a $3.2 billion stadium, with taxpayers developing with $900 million. With curiosity on loans to construct the undertaking, the stadium value would close to $4.8 billion, plus as much as $1.5 billion for associated infrastructure, together with street enhancements.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson supported the proposal, however Gov. J.B. Pritzker and state legislative leaders didn’t, saying they produce other extra urgent priorities.

The Bears in an announcement Friday stated their “focus” stays on the lakefront website.

“We look ahead to persevering with to satisfy with elected officers, neighborhood leaders, enterprise leaders, residents and followers to collaborate on methods to make this huge financial growth undertaking, which is able to create 43,000 development jobs and greater than 4,000 everlasting jobs for Illinois, a actuality,” the assertion stated.

The team meanwhile continues to appeal Prepare dinner County’s $125 million valuation on the Arlington Heights property to the state Property Tax Enchantment Board, claiming that it ought to pay a ten% tax fee fairly than 25%, as a result of it demolished the grandstand and different constructions in 2023.

Hayes stated he’s stepping right down to spend extra time with household after 33 years in public workplace, first as a village trustee, and as mayor since he succeeded Arlene Mulder in 2013.

The place is meant to be half time, with a wage of $8,500, however Hayes says it’s been virtually like one other full-time job on prime of his function as asbestos litigation trial legal professional for McKenna Storer.

As for the Bears’ tax dispute, Hayes stated, “We have now been speaking with the varsity districts over the previous a number of months, so I feel we’re in an excellent place with them,” he stated. “We communicated that to the Bears, they’ve responded, and we’re persevering with our discussions with them.”

Schwingbeck introduced his plans to run in Could.

“As a present village trustee I do know the problems dealing with our village and can proceed to give attention to being an excellent steward of our residents’ cash whereas ensuring we provide them superior village providers,” Schwingbeck stated in a written announcement, as first reported by the Daily Herald. “You will need to me to be fiscally accountable, particularly in these powerful financial occasions. My time as a village trustee — together with my previous service on the zoning board of appeals — will proceed to be a big profit to the board and our residents in view of the potential alternatives for the Arlington Park redevelopment undertaking.”

Ridler couldn’t instantly be reached for remark, however shaped an exploratory committee in March for a doable run.

“I feel it’s going to be one other nice asset for not solely Arlington Heights however surrounding communities,” Ridler stated when the staff first introduced its plans. “When you will have one thing just like the Bears in your space, it will increase consciousness of the neighborhood and the area, not just for tourism, however for companies that need to find right here.”