What hiring Kevin Warren means for the Chicago Bears

The business perspective of the Chicago Bears hiring Kevin Warren

Warren joined the Minnesota Vikings in 2005. He was first the Executive Vice President of Legal Affairs and Chief Administrative Officer, then he was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2015. As a COO, he was instrumental in helping build the U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened in 2016 after many years of struggle.

This is what was written on his Wikipedia page regarding his role in building the stadium:

"As COO of the Minnesota Vikings, Warren oversaw the team’s long-running quest for a new stadium, to be named U.S. Bank Stadium, the largest public/private construction project in Minnesota’s history. Warren was instrumental in selecting designers, developers, legal advisors, and the Vikings’ interim location for play, TCF Bank Stadium, while their new $1.13 billion stadium was under construction."

The new stadium has done wonders for the Vikings financially since it opened in 2016.

Those who had been to that stadium, or even those who have watched the Bears play in Minnesota on television, marvel at the design of their stadium. Fans are especially enthralled by the transparent walls and roofs allowing a view of downtown Minneapolis on a clear, sunny day.

That’s the kind of stadium the Bears need to build after two decades of playing in a remodeled Solider Field. The Bears stadium was never well-received (spaceship) from the beginning and has the smallest capacity in the third-largest city in the country.

This is why Kevin Warren was hired: To help facilitate the Bears’ building of a new stadium in Arlington Heights. The Bears are closing in on securing the 326-acre Arlington International Racecourse property, in which they can build their own stadium, residential and business properties, and sportsbooks, giving them incredible resources and raising the value of the franchise significantly in the coming years if the team also becomes a perennial Super Bowl contender.

Their current lease with Solider Field runs through 2033. But they can break their lease from Solider Field with the Chicago Park District for a reported $84 million as soon as 2026. That’s still three years from now. The Bears probably need to break ground on the new stadium construction by the fall of 2024 at the latest and have the new stadium ready by the 2027 season if they intend on breaking the lease after the 2026 season.

Given how long it took U.S. Bank Stadium to be constructed after years of politics and funding issues, it could take much longer. However, Warren’s background in both business and law, as well as his experience during his days in Minnesota dealing with politicians, business leaders and developers at both local and state levels will only benefit the Chicago Bears.

And unlike Phillips, Warren is an outsider and has no previous connections with the McCaskeys. Don’t be surprised if you hear news of long-time executives leaving the Bears in the coming months, though he won’t take over until April.

His hiring will bring a fresh perspective that this organization sorely needed to operate more like a modern business rather than a mom-and-pop shop.