It might be too little, too late, but the Chicago Bears received a new pitch from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson about building the new stadium project in the city.
The Bears are moving full steam ahead with the site in Arlington Heights. The local government in Arlington Heights is still working through the feasibility studies, and the state government has not passed any legislation that would aid the team in building the stadium, especially with a freeze on property taxes.
Mayor Brandon Johnson wants the Chicago Bears in Chicago
During an appearance on 670 The Score, Johnson argued that the Bears “belong” to Chicago and wants to keep them in the city for the next 100 years.
“Look, the Bears belong in the city of Chicago,” Johnson said on the “Rahimi & Harris Show” Monday afternoon. “And I believe that people know that. There’s a tremendous momentum. As you know, Joe Mansueto with the Fire, we’re talking about hundreds of million dollars to build a new stadium. The 1901 Project on the west side of Chicago, you’re talking about millions of dollars of investments…
“We’re on a nice little hot winning streak here. So, my door’s going to remain open. And the hope is that Chicago Bears fans will rally around this moment to challenge all of us to come together to figure out a path to make sure the 100-year history doesn’t end in this moment and we can set ourselves up for the next 100 years.”
Johnson points to low crime rates in Chicago
Johnson touted declining crime rates as a reason for the Bears to stay in the city.
“Homicides are down 32%, shooting victims are down almost 40%,” Johnson said. “We’re seeing unprecedented levels of investment. So, my door still remains open. And perhaps because I am a Cubs fan, I just remain optimistic, no matter what the circumstances are. But they really do belong in the city of Chicago.”
Johnson hasn’t had conversations with the Bears in the last two weeks. For now, CEO Kevin Warren is trying to get enough government support to start building in Arlington Heights as soon as possible. If Warren doesn’t get the help he needs, the Bears could again try and angle for lakefront property in Chicago.
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