Illinois village with population of 249 makes shock pitch for new $4bn Chicago Bears stadium

The Chicago Bears are on the move, but exactly where the team will end up remains a mystery.

One of the NFL‘s most storied franchises, the Bears have grand plans to move from historic Solider Field and build a $4 billion domed stadium in the suburbs.

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Two potential sites, Arlington Heights in Illinois and Hammond in Indiana, have long been touted.

But as the Bears move closer to announcing their final decision, another location has thrown a hat into the ring.

Step forward, the village of McCook.

New Bears stadium offer turns heads

Located around 15 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, McCook is a small town with a big dream.

With a population of just 249 according to the 2020 census, residents could fill Solider Field 246 times over, with some seats still spare.

But they could soon be home to the Bears.

McCook officials believe they have the perfect site for a new multi-billion dollar stadium, and have outlined a financial plan to make it work for both the team and the village.

The proposal, according to Des Plaines Valley News, is centered on a location at the southeast corner of 55th Street and East Avenue.

Vulcan Materials Company owns the 150 acres of former quarry land, and has listed it for sale, according to Mayor Terrance Carr.

He hand delivered two letters to the Bears’ headquarters, Halas Hall, last week.

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One letter was addressed to owner George McCaskey, and the other to president and CEO Kevin Warren.

Mayor Carr was joined on his trip by McCook Village Clerk Ken Lyons, Police Chief Jeremy Carr, Fire Chief Dave DeLeshe, and Building Inspector Brendan Meskill.

What is McCook’s proposal to the Bears?

The plan, in theory, is simple.

The Bears or the village would buy the quarry land. Then, the team would build a domed, 80,000-seat stadium, and later hand it off to McCook.

In return, Mayor Carr would charge the Bears $1 a year in rent.

And here’s the kicker: As a publicly owned stadium, it would be exempt from property taxes.

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“Vulcan has some concerns, which I get. But they’re willing to sell,” Mayor Carr told Des Plaines Valley News, revealing he has talked with the company’s officials.

He added that he expects the asking price for the land to be ‘about $160 million because they know they have a gem now.’

Mayor Carr’s proposal has been in the works since January, and he recently alluded to the various roadblocks that have stopped the Bears from settling on any other location in Illinois.

“We’ll get it done in four quarters,” he said in early June.

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“We don’t need overtime like the state. We’ll either get it done or not get it done, one of the two.”

Mayor Carr, of course, knows the Bears are a long shot.

But even if the team doesn’t build a new stadium in McCook, he’s confident that the land will be sold eventually.

“This is prime real estate. If we don’t get the Bears, I’ll get some development there,” the official said.

“It’s not a waste of money for me to do this. It’s not a crazy idea.

“Maybe I’ll get a racino, the White Sox, the Bears — whatever I get, I’m going to promote the village of McCook.”

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