Proposed Bears lakefront stadium would only benefit the rich, opponents say

Parks advocates on Wednesday tried to throw more blocks in the way of the Chicago Bears’ stalled drive for a new stadium on the lakefront.

Leaders from Friends of the Parks, Landmarks Illinois and People for Community Recovery voiced their opposition outside Soldier Field, arguing the plan would intensify an existing gap in development throughout the city and use public money in a way opposed by many taxpayers.

“Ensuring Chicago’s lakefront remains forever open, clear and free is not the responsibility of one but the work of many,” said Gin Kilgore, interim executive director of the influential Friends of the Parks. “With all the issues of inequity in Chicago, we cannot take our eyes off the real goal of accessible health care, addressing food deserts, affordable housing and abundant amenities in all of our parks for everyone to enjoy.”

The Bears are seeking upward of $1 billion in public funding for the proposed stadium, backed by an extension of the 2% city hotel tax used to build Guaranteed Rate Field and renovate Soldier Field. But Gov. JB Pritzker and the state lawmakers who would need to sign off on that idea have all but rejected it, with Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf targeting the same public dollars for another baseball stadium.

The Bears never got any legislative momentum behind their initial plan to move to Arlington Heights either, a proposal that remains stalled due to a property tax dispute with suburban school districts.

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