Bears met with stadium authority on funding for domed lakefront stadium

On the same day that Jackson County, Missouri voters rejected in overwhelming fashion a proposal from the Chiefs to fund renovations to Arrowhead Stadium with taxpayer money, the Bears met with politicians regarding public money for a Soldier Field replacement, on the lakefront in Chicago.

Via Crain’s Chicago Business, the Bears met with the state and city stadium authority to commence discussions on the public subsidies that will be used for Soldier Field 2.0. The Bears have committed $2 billion to the project, but the team hopes the stadium authority will cover the rest.

Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker isn’t a fan of spending public dollars for a stadium to be used by a team worth billions. Which makes him no different than the average voter.

The Bears had been looking at various other suburban options before settling on a domed stadium in Chicago proper. While the Bears would be sacrificing the home-field advantage that comes from wind and weather, the new facility would be able to host events all year long. Resulting in far more revenue, given that the stadium is otherwise used 10-12 days by the primary tenant.