(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Despite the Chicago Bears closing on the purchase of land at Arlington Park in suburban Arlington Heights for a new stadium, mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday insisted all isn't lost.
Lightfoot spun the sale of the former Arlington Racecourse to the NFL franchise as a positive for the city's efforts to keep the team, because previously Bears officials couldn't negotiate with Chicago over potential Soldier Field renovations.
“The closure on the deal yesterday gives us the opportunity to more directly communicate with the Bears,” Lightfoot said Thursday at an unrelated public appearance. “I look forward to that conversation.”
Lightfoot noted the city unveiled an ambitious proposal in 2022 to refresh Soldier Field and the property around it. Bears owners are businesspeople who will weigh what’s best for the team, she said.
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