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Chicago Bears new team president Kevin Warren says he is putting his “sole focus” on the stadium development project in Arlington Heights and won’t consider other options at this point, including renovations at Soldier Field.
Warren held his introductory press conference as the new President/CEO of the Bears alongside chairperson George McCaskey on Tuesday at Halas Hall, where both men made it clear Arlington Park is their primary focus in terms of stadium development. The Bears have been planning to move out of Soldier Field, their home of more than 50 years, for the past few years and now have a trailblazing executive who says he is “100%” committed to making that happen for the franchise.
“We’re going to build an incredible franchise,” Warren said on January 17. “I came here to win championships, to win the NFC North, to win the NFC, to win the Super Bowl, to help shepherd and lead a stadium development project, to embrace our alumni, to embrace our history and tradition and to embrace the absolutely incredible Chicago Bear fans. That’s why I’m here.”
Bears Plan to Close on Arlington Park in Q1 of 2023
The Bears signed a purchase agreement for the Arlington International Racecourse property that is located in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Ill., back in September 2021 with the intention to develop the 326-acre land into a new stadium and a surrounding entertainment district.
While the Bears have not yet closed on the property — and are not guaranteed to develop the property even if they do — McCaskey reiterated the goal is still to close before the end of the first quarter in 2023 despite attempts from the City of Chicago to keep the Bears at Soldier Field. Earlier this month, the city even released renderings of their proposed renovations at the venue to make it a state-of-the-art NFL arena.
“We will continue to do it the right way,” Warren continued. “We will work hard. We will have fun. We will be diligent. We will be detailed. We will be methodical. We’ll operate with integrity and honor at every step of the way. This is a special time in the NFL, but most of all it’s a special time for the Chicago Bears. Everything is ahead of us. All we need to do now is go and grasp it, put in the time and energy and effort.“
Warren’s Stadium Experience an ‘Asset’ to the Bears
One of the first things that stood out about Warren when the Bears announced his hiring on January 12 was his experience with stadium construction.
Warren played an instrumental role in the concept, construction and operation of U.S. Bank Stadium during his tenure as Chief Operating Officier of the Minnesota Vikings from 2015 to 2019. That experience was something that McCaskey said they recognized as an “asset” for the Bears and their stadium endeavors during their hiring process, even though he admitted it was not a direct requirement of the job.
“I think what makes U.S. Bank Stadium so special, we spent almost a year planning, and planning is critical,” Warren said. “That’s what I appreciate about the McCaskeys; they support the planning process. I think that will be really critical from that standpoint and I know we’re focused on Arlington Park and that stadium development project; I looked forward to leaning in to the stadium development project. But I think the biggest thing we can do is to make sure we’re methodical and detailed and we take the time to plan it properly.”
