In news that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone with a sense of why the Chicago Bears were looking for a new stadium to begin with, the Bears announced on Friday that they have shifted their focus for their new stadium project back to Arlington Heights.
“Over the last few months, we have made significant progress with the leaders in Arlington Heights, and look forward to continuing to work with state and local leaders on making a transformative economic development project for the region a reality," the Bears revealed in a statement to the Chicago Tribune.
Friday's statement comes after Bears' president Kevin Warren has entertained the charade of the team remaining in the city of Chicago. One of the biggest reasons why the Bears purchased the land in Arlington Heights is that it would afford them the opportunity to not only own their own stadium, but host non-football events throughout the calendar year, where the revenue would be funneled back through the organization. Combined with the additional land for a potential entertainment district, Arlington Heights offered the Bears something they were never going to have if they remained in Chicago.
Bears' stadium plans shifting back to Arlington Heights
There is also some irony in the Bears releasing this statement one day after a bombshell revelation of Caleb Williams initially not wanting to be drafted by the team. Beyond the Bears' failures at the quarterback position, stadium uncertainty was cited as one reason why Carl Williams did not want his son to play for the Bears. While Ben Johnson will be the hopeful answer to the football concerns that Williams had in the past about the Bears, Arlington Heights is the clear answer for the stadium concerns.
With the shift in focus back to Arlington Heights, the hope is that the Bears can work quickly to secure a stadium deal. There has already been too much time wasted on the back-and-forth nonsense of the idea of the Bears staying in Chicago.