OT: Chicago Bears moving to Indiana??!!

MADHAT1

Heisman
Apr 1, 2003
31,424
16,262
113
Last moving rumor:The Chicago Bears purchase of the 326-acre former Arlington Park racetrack in Arlington Heights, Illinois, in February of 2023 claiming to build a massive new enclosed stadium and entertainment district.

This is just a new way to make the City of Chicago modernize Soldier Field or put up big bucks to keep them.
Bears won't leave Chicago and the city will eventually put terms out there the Bears like , while the Bears give in to some of Chicago's demands
 

mdk02

Heisman
Aug 18, 2011
26,676
18,964
113
Last moving rumor:The Chicago Bears purchase of the 326-acre former Arlington Park racetrack in Arlington Heights, Illinois, in February of 2023 claiming to build a massive new enclosed stadium and entertainment district.

This is just a new way to make the City of Chicago modernize Soldier Field or put up big bucks to keep them.
Bears won't leave Chicago and the city will eventually put terms out there the Bears like , while the Bears give in to some of Chicago's demands

Does Chicago have the bucks to put up?
 
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MulletCork

All-Conference
Sep 1, 2012
2,674
3,206
113
Last moving rumor:The Chicago Bears purchase of the 326-acre former Arlington Park racetrack in Arlington Heights, Illinois, in February of 2023 claiming to build a massive new enclosed stadium and entertainment district.

This is just a new way to make the City of Chicago modernize Soldier Field or put up big bucks to keep them.
Bears won't leave Chicago and the city will eventually put terms out there the Bears like , while the Bears give in to some of Chicago's demands
Much like the Patriots and Bob Kraft used Hartford, CT to get a new stadium in Foxboro in the very late 90s.
 
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Zak57

Heisman
Jul 5, 2011
11,085
11,193
113
Why should taxpayers foot the bill for billionaires to build new stadiums? Study after study show that the cities are the ones that get screwed over.

Anyways even if they do leave there are examples of teams not playing directly in the city they represent. You obviously know the Giants and Jets play in Jersey. Miami plays in Boca, Dallas in Arlington, Washington was elsewhere but moving back, KC moving out, SF in Santa Clara.
 

MADHAT1

Heisman
Apr 1, 2003
31,424
16,262
113
Does Chicago have the bucks to put up?
Every pro city claims not to have the money, but when push comes to shove they usually find it along with the team putting up bucks on their own..
The NFL loans up to $250 million for building/upgrading stadiums , the loan is for 15 or so years with proceeds from some of visiting team share of game revenues used to help pay back the loan.
While the teams invest it's own funds and find private funding for their part of cost.
Taxpayers pay a large share : Local and state governments pay their part of cost (negotiated with the team ) through tax-exempt municipal bonds, hotel taxes, and special sales tax so the team stays

I would say the Bears and the City are so connected that the Bears would never leaver Chicago and the city would do everything possible to keep them.
But as a kid I thought that with baseball's Brooklyn Dodgers /NY Giants only to see them hit the west coast then later in life watch the Meadowlands nab the Football Giants and Jets
 
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DJ Spanky

Heisman
Jul 25, 2001
48,181
59,088
113
Why should taxpayers foot the bill for billionaires to build new stadiums? Study after study show that the cities are the ones that get screwed over.

Bears were looking to commit $2 billion towards getting this done.
 

mdk02

Heisman
Aug 18, 2011
26,676
18,964
113
Every pro city claims not to have the money, but when push comes to shove they usually find it along with the team putting up bucks on their own..
The NFL loans up to $250 million for building/upgrading stadiums , the loan is for 15 or so years with proceeds from some of visiting team share of game revenues used to help pay back the loan.
While the teams invest it's own funds and find private funding for their part of cost.
Taxpayers pay a large share : Local and state governments pay their part of cost (negotiated with the team ) through tax-exempt municipal bonds, hotel taxes, and special sales tax so the team stays

Most pro cities don't have pension plans as underfunded as Chicago.
 

RUkrazy89

Sophomore
Sep 29, 2009
90
168
33
As someone who lives in Chicago and my company sells product to soldier field let me add my two cents. The team and the people out here don't really want the team to move, it's all posturing for $$.

One of the biggest issues is the stadium is owned by the city and the Bears pay 50% of every dollar from sales to the city. Dogs, beers et al. Obviously, that is coupled with the fact they want the newest, shiniest stadium with the most boxes etc for more $$$. They will tell you a lot of the fans drive from the burbs so it makes sense to build it out here...sure. It's also one of the smallest, if not the smallest in the league. I've been there many times, I'd take that building over the soulless new Meadowlands any day of the week.

Fun fact, if you want to sell certain items at the stadiums out here, you need to pay for "advertising". Aka write them a build old check for the right to sell stuff and you get a little billboard. Likely break even at best
 

MADHAT1

Heisman
Apr 1, 2003
31,424
16,262
113
Most pro cities don't have pension plans as underfunded as Chicago.
Which makes moving a real possibility if the State doesn't come to the rescue.
From what I understand the Bears want around $800 million in public funding to upgrade Soldier Field around $855 mil for their Arlington stadium and entertainment district plans and the state isn't acting like that's acceptable.
Indiana is offering $1 billion to fund their move there .
Tough call to say the Bears will stay in Chicago, but I think between the City ,State and the Bear's ownership, something will be worked out and Soldier Field will get an upgrade because some major corporations in the area will step up and help finance the upgrade receiving tax breaks and other incentives to do help defray the cost .
 

WhiteBus

Heisman
Oct 4, 2011
39,516
21,918
113
should never leave soldier field, just update it
It's already been through a major renovation and it was horrible. Time to move on. Chicago wasn't interested in helping out.
Make something new and exciting and the people will pack it up every game no matter where it is.
 
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RUTGERS95

Heisman
Sep 28, 2005
31,198
44,798
113
It's already been through a major renovation and it was horrible. Time to move on. Chicago wasn't interested in helping out.
Make something new and exciting and the people will pack it up every game no matter where it is.
I get the view but it's iconic. It's like the Ynakees moving the footprint from hallowed ground that's now a parking lot next door. just hate it
 

iReC89

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2014
2,435
1,863
78
Doesn’t seem like a big deal. Let Indiana foot the bill. The new stadium chase is a stupid game of waste, and screws fans and taxpayers. Use the money to give Monangai a raise!

Next time let NY build the next Giants/Jets stadium.
 
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bigmatt718

Heisman
Mar 11, 2013
15,721
22,069
113
Philly would never betray its fans in that manner...at least as far as the Eagles and Phillies go. Sixers on the other hand with Josh "Carpetbagger" Harris might.
 

koleszar

Heisman
Jan 1, 2010
37,333
58,658
113
I'd take that building over the soulless new Meadowlands any day of the week.

Oh, c'mon! The New Meadowlands would make a great prison.
This we can agree on. The exterior is so drab. Then you enter and feel the life sucked out of you. The owners who greenlit this eyesore are just as soulless as the stadium itself. Couple this with the American Dream disaster and you can't help but shake your head while muttering WTF.
 

NotInRHouse

Senior
Jul 29, 2025
559
416
63
Philly would never betray its fans in that manner...at least as far as the Eagles and Phillies go. Sixers on the other hand with Josh "Carpetbagger" Harris might.

Ironically the location is more convenient for NJ than a lot on the PA side of the river. I think having everything in one area like Philly has is pretty cool. Even though I live in North Jersey I don't mind going there for events.
 
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NotInRHouse

Senior
Jul 29, 2025
559
416
63
Why should taxpayers foot the bill for billionaires to build new stadiums? Study after study show that the cities are the ones that get screwed over.

Anyways even if they do leave there are examples of teams not playing directly in the city they represent. You obviously know the Giants and Jets play in Jersey. Miami plays in Boca, Dallas in Arlington, Washington was elsewhere but moving back, KC moving out, SF in Santa Clara.

Won't someone please think of the billionaires?! We need to not only subsidize them but also bar them from prosecution. Look at what's happening in Europe, they're even making princes account for crimes!