Bears Place Bid on Arlington International Racecourse

Earlier this year, rumors surfaced about the Chicago Bears possibly looking to relocate in the coming years. Those rumors now have some steam behind them after an announcement from the team today.

It doesn’t get any clearer than that. Per CEO and President Ted Phillips, the Bears have submitted a bid to purchase the Arlington International Racecourse. Although they have made a bid, this news doesn’t mean the Bears will win the bid or relocate, but it does show interest. Furthermore, another horse racing group placed a bid on the property earlier in the month. If we know anything about Ted Phillips from past organizational decisions, he probably lowballed the offer.

The fan base seems to be pretty divided on this subject, but I will try to put it into perspective. The location of Soldier Field cannot be matched, but there are aspects of the stadium itself that make it undesirable. Parking is limited, seating is limited, and the last renovation made it look like someone slapped a UFO on the top of the original Soldier Field.

That being said, it’s also easy to understand what a dome would do for increasing revenue for the city. If the Bears do win the bid, I just ask that the dome stays open during football games.