Just days after Arlington Park held its final races on the historic track Saturday, the Chicago Bears reportedly are poised to announce they’ve reached a deal to purchase the 326-acre site in Arlington Heights.
The Chicago Bears reportedly have signed an agreement to purchase the Arlington Park property in Arlington Heights, putting the storied NFL franchise closer to building the state-of-the-art suburban stadium that founder George Halas first envisioned 46 years ago.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot confirmed the deal late Tuesday night, after it first was reported by The Athletic, which said the Bears would announce the news Wednesday morning.
“Tonight, the Bears informed us that they signed a purchase agreement for the Arlington Park property,” Lightfoot stated. “We are not surprised by this move. We remain committed to continuing the work to keep the team in Chicago and have advised the Bears that we remain open to discussions.”
Reached late Tuesday, Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes declined to comment on the reported deal. When asked if the Bears might make an announcement as soon as Wednesday, Hayes said, “Well, we’ll see what happens.”
Spokespersons for the Bears and Arlington Park owners Churchill Downs Inc. did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Tuesday.
Arlington Park ran likely its final races Saturday, about seven months after Churchill Downs announced plans to sell the sprawling 326-acre property at Euclid Avenue and Wilke Road.
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