(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The mayor of Arlington Heights has decided not to run for a fourth term next year, but he says he's not ready to give up on convincing the Chicago Bears to build their next stadium in the northwest suburb.
The Bears spent nearly $200 million to buy the former site of the Arlington Park race track, but the team has announced plans for a new stadium along Chicago's lakefront.
Mayor Tom Hayes said he remains hopeful that the team will eventually decide that Arlington Heights is the best option.
“The lakefront proposal looks real nice, but doesn't offer all the things that Arlington Park has to offer. In terms of ownership of their own stadium and having a lot of property around it to develop into a game day experience,” Hayes said.
“I just think the Arlington Park property will eventually be determined to be the best location for the Bears for the next 50 years.”
Hayes says he still has 10 months as mayor to convince the Bears of that.
“I do feel we're in a good place, with respect to it. We've done all we can. I'm very proud of what we've done to get to this point. It's been a long road.
“You know, we've been at it for really three and a half years now trying to work together with the Bears to make it a reality, and we're still working very hard on it. And I will be continuing to work on it for the next 10 months to make it happen.”
After three terms as mayor and 22 years as a village trustee before that, Hayes says it was time to focus more on his family and his other full-time job as a lawyer.
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