The Arlington Park Bears

[WrigleyField 22]

Offered up by who?

Its for sale. In any development that happens there the city probably will be involved too. It doesnt take a huge leap for the city to help negotiate the path presuming the seller is willing to part at a price that makes sense.

[Tim]

Coming back to the idea of staying in Chicago, anyone have any idea why the US Steel Southworks site was never offered up as a solution? 400+ acres. On the lake. Nearby 90. On LSD. Close to a CTA stop. And a area that actually could benefit from development. 2021 aside, even when they were trying to figure things out in 2000s why wasn't that a proposed solution?

Aren't most former steel plant locations EPA supersites?

[WrigleyField 22]

Coming back to the idea of staying in Chicago, anyone have any idea why the US Steel Southworks site was never offered up as a solution? 400+ acres. On the lake. Nearby 90. On LSD. Close to a CTA stop. And a area that actually could benefit from development. 2021 aside, even when they were trying to figure things out in 2000s why wasn't that a proposed solution?

Aren't most former steel plant locations EPA supersites?

Is this what you're referencing? I don't see it listed

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Superfund_sites_in_Illinois

 

If it were though, what's the implication, that it's too expensive to cleanup? I can find several articles about some level of desire for the city to make development happen there now. US steel moved out in 1992. I was too young to remember what was going on in the late 90s... Like has that site ever had promising plans?

[minnesotacubsfan]

It's likely at least a brownfield, if not a future superfund site. It probably hasn't been submitted for superfund status because that would put it under very strict "do not touch" guidelines. I bet the current thought is to get someone to buy it and treat it as a brownfield, clean it up, and redevelop it instead. That's prolly why it isn't a superfund, but the sheer cost of cleaning up 400 acres would preclude a lot of development, including the Bears stadium

[Brian]

dream scenario is Bears build a monstrosity stadium in Arlington, and the city finesses some team to relocate here/expansion team. I would 100% follow a 2nd Chicago NFL team, ideally they'd sync up with the Bears so at least 1 of them was good most seasons.

[jersey cubs fan]

dream scenario is Bears build a monstrosity stadium in Arlington, and the city finesses some team to relocate here/expansion team. I would 100% follow a 2nd Chicago NFL team, ideally they'd sync up with the Bears so at least 1 of them was good most seasons.

NY says hi

[Sammy Sofa]

Offered up by who?

Its for sale. In any development that happens there the city probably will be involved too. It doesnt take a huge leap for the city to help negotiate the path presuming the seller is willing to part at a price that makes sense.

 

Outside of the state of the land, the main area of consternation with the Bears having a new stadium anywhere in the city is going to be the team wanting money to help fund it, and the city and state's attitude being "go pound sand." An area of land simply being for sale or not isn't the issue/solution.

[Sammy Sofa]

dream scenario is Bears build a monstrosity stadium in Arlington, and the city finesses some team to relocate here/expansion team. I would 100% follow a 2nd Chicago NFL team, ideally they'd sync up with the Bears so at least 1 of them was good most seasons.

 

[WrigleyField 22]

Offered up by who?

Its for sale. In any development that happens there the city probably will be involved too. It doesnt take a huge leap for the city to help negotiate the path presuming the seller is willing to part at a price that makes sense.

 

Outside of the state of the land, the main area of consternation with the Bears having a new stadium anywhere in the city is going to be the team wanting money to help fund it, and the city and state's attitude being "go pound sand." An area of land simply being for sale or not isn't the issue/solution.

Well they did anyways for SF. While the state/city funding zero would be great, wonder what the 600M could have done there circa 2000. Call it 1B including cleanup for the whole site, which could have then been partioned off to Private developers. And SF could have just hobbled along for occasional non marquee events. Maybe Lucas Muesum could have eventually found its way to the Muesum campus.

 

But yea now, I wouldn't want the city state to give any funding. Maybe a tax credit directly related to the cleanup aspect, but that's about it.

[WrigleyField 22]

dream scenario is Bears build a monstrosity stadium in Arlington, and the city finesses some team to relocate here/expansion team. I would 100% follow a 2nd Chicago NFL team, ideally they'd sync up with the Bears so at least 1 of them was good most seasons.

Chicago probably should have a second team, but any scenario where there's two monstrous football stadiums is dumb.

 

Since a second Chicago team will have trouble filling the stands for a while anyways, maybe they could be a SF tenant. They'll get no special treatment other than a low lease offer though, and the responsibility to keep up the turf.

[Old Style]

I couldn't imagine being interested in the Chicago Jaguars or some other franchise that moved to Chicago. Maybe if it was an expansion team but even then I doubt it.

[UMFan83]

I’m pretty sure that the McCaskey family, being part of the old guard of NFL owners, would have some pretty significant say in a second team in Chicago. The Rooney’s and Mara’s would likely stand with the McCaskey’s in opposition and that’s probably enough power in the NFL hierarchy to kill any move into the Bears territory.

 

I believe they would only need 9 no votes to axe a move which I think would be easy unless they could prove that it would provide a significant financial benefit to the rest of the league to have a second team in Chicago.

[UMFan83]

I couldn't imagine being interested in the Chicago Jaguars or some other franchise that moved to Chicago. Maybe if it was an expansion team but even then I doubt it.

 

After all the bitching about how you can’t be a Cubs and White Sox fan for decades, it would be hard to draw a dedicated fanbase. Then again if the Bears continue to flounder and can’t build a modern NFL offense and this new team can, there’s a slight chance.

[BigSlick]

Something that feels very true to me is if a second team came to Chicago it would inevitably boast extremely effective awesome offenses with great sterling quarterbacks and would never ever ever have a good defense

[Old Style]

I couldn't imagine being interested in the Chicago Jaguars or some other franchise that moved to Chicago. Maybe if it was an expansion team but even then I doubt it.

 

After all the bitching about how you can’t be a Cubs and White Sox fan for decades, it would be hard to draw a dedicated fanbase. Then again if the Bears continue to flounder and can’t build a modern NFL offense and this new team can, there’s a slight chance.

I guess I'm just dumb enough to stick with "my" teams no matter how shitty they are so I wouldn't really give a new team a chance.

[WrigleyField 22]

I couldn't imagine being interested in the Chicago Jaguars or some other franchise that moved to Chicago. Maybe if it was an expansion team but even then I doubt it.

Obviously they'd struggle. And theres probably 2 or 3 cities who could support one team better than a 2nd Chicago team, but I would think it should be up there on the options if NFL expands. Especially if the Bears have a top notch facility they can host as tenant or SF as a playable home field.. It makes some sense.

[WrigleyField 22]

I couldn't imagine being interested in the Chicago Jaguars or some other franchise that moved to Chicago. Maybe if it was an expansion team but even then I doubt it.

 

After all the bitching about how you can’t be a Cubs and White Sox fan for decades, it would be hard to draw a dedicated fanbase. Then again if the Bears continue to flounder and can’t build a modern NFL offense and this new team can, there’s a slight chance.

I guess I'm just dumb enough to stick with "my" teams no matter how horsefeathers they are so I wouldn't really give a new team a chance.

I'm not gonna flip allegiances, but I go to as many Sox games as Cubs games since they're convenient and cheap as opposed to inconvenient and expenaive. It doesn't immediately need 2M die hard fans to be viable.

Edited October 1, 2021 by WrigleyField 22

[Brian]

I would just find it interesting, and they'd be like the Blackhawks to me (they are here and I think it's nice when they do well)

[Derwood]

Maybe Chicago can be like LA where the residents hate both teams

[Old Style]

 

After all the bitching about how you can’t be a Cubs and White Sox fan for decades, it would be hard to draw a dedicated fanbase. Then again if the Bears continue to flounder and can’t build a modern NFL offense and this new team can, there’s a slight chance.

I guess I'm just dumb enough to stick with "my" teams no matter how horsefeathers they are so I wouldn't really give a new team a chance.

I'm not gonna flip allegiances, but I go to as many Sox games as Cubs games since they're convenient and cheap as opposed to inconvenient and expenaive. It doesn't immediately need 2M die hard fans to be viable.

I don't live in the area anymore but when I did I would go to maybe 2-3 Sox games a year. When I was in school it was because we got free tickets for straight A's & perfect attendance. As I got older I went with friends who were Sox fans. But I always chose to go when there was a visiting team/player in town I wanted to see. Then again, I'm not a huge fan of attending NFL games in person anyway. To me they are more enjoyable watching at home. It's the only league where I feel that way.

[squally1313]

 

After all the bitching about how you can’t be a Cubs and White Sox fan for decades, it would be hard to draw a dedicated fanbase. Then again if the Bears continue to flounder and can’t build a modern NFL offense and this new team can, there’s a slight chance.

I guess I'm just dumb enough to stick with "my" teams no matter how horsefeathers they are so I wouldn't really give a new team a chance.

I'm not gonna flip allegiances, but I go to as many Sox games as Cubs games since they're convenient and cheap as opposed to inconvenient and expenaive. It doesn't immediately need 2M die hard fans to be viable.

If the Bears move up to AH, the new team could maybe play up a North Side/South Side thing similar to Cubs/Sox, especially if the Bears continue to lag behind the rest of the league in terms of actually developing a team. Though I'm not sure how attractive being the White Sox of the city is to a new owner.

[WrigleyField 22]

I guess I'm just dumb enough to stick with "my" teams no matter how horsefeathers they are so I wouldn't really give a new team a chance.

I'm not gonna flip allegiances, but I go to as many Sox games as Cubs games since they're convenient and cheap as opposed to inconvenient and expenaive. It doesn't immediately need 2M die hard fans to be viable.

If the Bears move up to AH, the new team could maybe play up a North Side/South Side thing similar to Cubs/Sox, especially if the Bears continue to lag behind the rest of the league in terms of actually developing a team. Though I'm not sure how attractive being the White Sox of the city is to a new owner.

I guess what are the other cities that will vie for an NFL team expansions attention?

 

San Antonio

Portland

San Diego

Oakland/Bay area 2nd team

St Louis

OK City?

[Brian707]

London

[WrigleyField 22]

London

Still skeptical they'll put a full team there rather than just eventually get to a point where everyone has to make the annual trip each year.

[UMFan83]

Lets say the Bears do intend to build on Arlington Park. I don't think they have the wealth to finance a state of the art building themselves. How are they going to get funds from the state and local government? State funds will have heavy opposition from downstate (this is already happening). Cook County is already taxed up the wazoo and in general the states finances are in peril.

 

A friend suggested the other day that Arlington Park is so big that they can sell off plots of the land for a significant profit due to the allure of building near the stadium. Take the $200m in land, use 1/2 of it, sell the rest for $400m and you are on your way to having enough money.

 

The other thing I keep hearing is that this is a ploy to up the value of the franchise if the McCaskey's intend to sell the team. That would be my preferred option for sure.