(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is dismissive about the prospect that the Bears may move from Soldier Field to northwest suburban Arlington Heights.
Her office issued a statement Thursday, after news broke the Monsters of the Midway have made a bid on the land where Arlington International Racecourse is located. Racetrack owners are closing the facility after the current racing season.
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Lightfoot notes the Bears are “locked into” their lease at Soldier Field until 2033 and currently are negotiating for improvements at the lakefront stadium.
“This is clearly a negotiating tactic that the Bears have used before,” Lightfoot said in a prepared statement.
She said she’s committed to keeping the Bears in Chicago, and they should have their own goals — as in, winning.
“Like most Bears fans, we want the organization to focus on putting a winning team on the field, beating the Packers finally and being relevant past October,” the mayor said. “Everything else is noise."
Meantime, Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes says he's encouraged that the Bears are looking at his village. He tells WBBM Newsradio the timing and circumstances could prove fortuitous.
Hayes said he would not expect the Bears to change their Chicago moniker if they moved to the village.