It seems like the Chicago Bears will not be moving to the suburbs, aft all.
Previously, the team had agreed to buy a racetrack in Arlington Heights, Illinois – a suburb of the city of Chicago – to develop a stadium on it. But the team has now announced that those plans have now shifted and the team plans to build a new stadium in the city of Chicago.
“The Chicago Bears are proud to contribute over $2 billion to build a stadium and improve open spaces for all families, fans and the general public to enjoy in the City of Chicago,” the team said in a statement according to Pro Football Talk. “The future stadium of the Chicago Bears will bring a transformative opportunity to our region—boosting the economy, creating jobs, facilitating mega events and generating millions in tax revenue. We look forward to sharing more information when our plans are finalized.”
This is obviously a surprising decision given the team’s previous plans to move out of the city, but it will now continue a long tradition of playing inside Chicago city limits.
The Bears have played inside of Chicago for the vast majority of the team’s existence. The team was founded in Decatur, Illinois, in 1919, but then moved into Wrigley Field in 1921 where they played until 1971. They then moved to historic Soldier Field, where they have played ever since.
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