Developer Curt Bailey is pushing hard to build the Chicago Bears stadium at the Old U.S. Steel South Works site on the South Side. He sees a skyline view and a boat ride to the venue as the perfect draw. But this flashy pitch ignores the cold hard math that drives NFL decisions. The team needs a deal that saves money, not one that adds billions in costs just to look good on a map. Bailey claims almost $1 billion of work is already happening there, including new university buildings and a hospital. “You can’t help but think this is where the Bears should be,” Bailey said, according to Yahoo Sports.
That $1 billion figure sounds impressive until you look at who pays for it. The Bears are currently focused on Indiana because the state offered real tax breaks. Chicago politicians are now scrambling to write new laws to stop the team from leaving. Governor JB Pritzker says his office met with team leaders this week to get legislation ready for a vote in the veto session. “This is part of a continuing endeavor to try to make sure we have legislation ready to go for the veto session hearings on it the first week and a vote the second week of veto,” Pritzker said. The rush to keep the team in Illinois is a political move, not a business one.
The Money Chaser
Stadium expert Marc Ganis sees the real reason developers are circling the South Works site. They want profit, not football. For years, Ganis has observed that the Bears collaborated with the Arlington Heights government and have already cleared 300 acres of land there. “The fact that developers are starting to circle this tells me that they think there’s a chance it could happen because all they really want is to make money,” Ganis said. A private developer wants to cash in on the project, which means the Bears would lose control and likely pay more. The team already has the land in Arlington Heights ready to go without an intermediary asking for a cut.
The Bears say they are still looking at two sites in Hammond, Indiana, while keeping the door open for Illinois options. The team stated they have a duty to look at every option available. “The Chicago Bears remain committed to building a world-class stadium and mixed-use district for our fans, the Chicagoland community and the team,” the Bears said in a statement on Friday, according to Yahoo Sports. But the core issue remains: Indiana offered a deal that works, and Illinois is trying to catch up with new laws. The South Works plan adds a layer of private financing that the Bears do not need.
Stick to the Plan
The Bears are coming off a 34-17 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night to improve their record to 6-2. They face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next on Sunday night. The team has momentum and a young quarterback named Caleb Williams who has thrown just one interception this season.
