Mayor: Public meetings to review Bears’ Arlington Heights stadium plans coming soon

Public meetings to review specific Bears redevelopment plans for Arlington Park are anticipated in the coming months, Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia said Tuesday.

Residents will be encouraged to provide their feedback, opinions and input at neighborhood meetings, and plans also will be discussed publicly by village staff, the village’s appointed commissions, and ultimately the elected village board, Tinaglia wrote in a letter to the community.

“As we celebrated the kickoff to the 2025 Chicago Bears season last night, we also cheered for the progress made by the village and the Bears in regards to the development of Arlington Park,” Tinaglia wrote. “Watching a national broadcast shine a spotlight on the village of Arlington Heights was exciting, and we’re proud that our village is the topic of many water cooler conversations this morning — from coast to coast and beyond.”

Tinaglia and village officials have been meeting weekly with Bears brass since the team returned its stadium development focus to the 326-acre former racetrack site in May.

The mayor said he’s happy with the way the project is advancing, and those efforts will continue to move forward through a multitiered approval process that engages the community.

The village’s consultants are still reviewing the Bears’ traffic and economic impact studies, and concepts for the sprawling property have been discussed, but formal plans have not yet moved forward into the approval process, Tinaglia noted.

Village officials said when project plans are placed on public meeting agendas or neighborhood meetings are scheduled, announcements will go out on social media, online at vah.com/arlingtonpark, and via press release.

“Our top priority remains ensuring that the project goes to its highest and best use and benefits the Arlington Heights community,” Tinaglia wrote. “Both the village and the Chicago Bears want this development to reach its full potential and we’re happy to be working toward the same end-zone together.”

In a letter of his own to season ticket holders ahead of Monday night’s season kickoff at Soldier Field, Bears President/CEO Kevin Warren beared down on the idea of leaving Chicago for a new stadium in Arlington Heights, declaring the “Bears belong to more than just Chicago.”

He also said the NFL franchise is at a “pivotal juncture” to build its new domed stadium in Arlington Heights, and believes now is the time to finalize those plans in hopes of hosting a Super Bowl as soon as 2031.