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Suburban mayor makes pitch for new Chicago Bears stadium
Another Chicago suburb wants the Bears and is pitching a massive domed stadium with no property taxes for the team.
COOK COUNTY, Ill. - Another Chicago suburb is reportedly trying to convince the Chicago Bears to build a new stadium there.
What we know:
Officials in southwest suburban McCook have proposed a 150-acre site for a new Bears stadium. The land is located near 55th Street and East Avenue, close to Interstates 55 and 294.
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McCook proposes dome stadium deal to attract Chicago Bears
Another Chicago suburb wants the Bears and is pitching a massive domed stadium with no property taxes for the team.
The proposal calls for an 80,000-seat domed stadium built on land that is currently part of a quarry area.
McCook Mayor Terry Carr acknowledged that landing the Bears would be a long shot, but said the village wants to be considered as the team continues its search for a new home.
The backstory:
The Bears' stadium search has taken several turns in recent years.
The team purchased the former Arlington Park property in northwest suburban Arlington Heights, which many believed would become the future site of a stadium. However, disputes over property taxes slowed progress.
The Bears later shifted attention to a proposal near Chicago's Museum Campus, but that plan faced challenges in Springfield.
At the same time, officials in northwest Indiana have continued trying to attract the team across the state line with potential tax incentives.
Why McCook thinks it has a chance
One of the biggest selling points in McCook's proposal is the stadium ownership structure.
The village would own the stadium and lease it back to the Bears for just $1 per year. Because the facility would be publicly owned, the Bears would not pay property taxes on the stadium.
That could address one of the major concerns that complicated the Arlington Heights project.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear whether the Bears are seriously considering the McCook proposal.
What's next:
The Bears continue to weigh their stadium options. This new proposal comes weeks after the team decided to advance plans for a stadium project in Hammond, Indiana.
Chicago Bears announce intentions to build stadium in Hammond, Indiana
The Chicago Bears plan to move forward with building their new stadium out of state.
If the Bears decide against McCook, the mayor said the village could pursue other major projects, including trying to attract the Chicago White Sox or developing a racino.
The Source: The information in this story came from the Des Plaines Valley News and previous FOX Chicago reporting.