Lightfoot says she's willing to work to keep Bears at Soldier Field

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday she wants the Bears to stay in Chicago and she's willing to work with the team she loves to expand and improve Soldier Field and maximize year-round revenues, but in a "fiscally prudent way that doesn't preclude other uses."

Three months ago, Lightfoot cavalierly dismissed the Bears decision to put in a bid to buy the Arlington Heights International Racecourse property as the same old, boy-who-cried-wolf negotiating ploy.

She's not doing that now.

During a Zoom meeting with the Sun-Times editorial board that primarily focused on her 2022 budget, Lightfoot made it clear she is taking the Bears' threat to leave Chicago seriously.

• This report was produced in partnership with the Chicago Sun-Times. For related coverage, visit chicago.suntimes.com.