Chicago Bears president Kevin Warren and chairman George McCaskey met with the media Thursday afternoon for their annual preseason briefing.
While unfounded reports on X, the everything app, suggest today would be the big, huge announcement we’ve all been waiting for, it was not.
Following his usual opening remarks of complimentary platitudes, his actual remarks on the stadium really didn’t amount to much.
Warren reported a “record” revenue last year for the team. He says that Soldier Field has added
new in-stadium suites, “RVs” fans can reserve for a game.
But as for the stadium update, Warren says the ‘sole focus’ is on Hammond right now.
Key quotes:
“Working with Indiana officials on the capital stack and financing.”
“Due diligence is going on at the Wolf Lake terminal site and it’s finished at the Lost Marsh site. They’ve identified another site”
The other site is the terminal site.
“We’ve had occasional meetings with the state of Illinois. But at this time our sole focus is on developing a world-class stadium and mixed-use development in Hammond, Ind.”
Warren said there have been “occasional” meetings with Illinois, but later said they have been minimal.
He also admitted he has not been involved in every meeting with Illinois at this point. My read on it is the NFL lobbyists have taken over most of that.
Warren emphasized the fans are at the forefront of all of the decisions and everything that’s being done.
“The biggest thing for our fans is we have to get this right. I’m looking forward to bringing it to a close.”
Finally, the last real quote of interest came from a question about what he’s learned from the process and if he believes he’s made any mistakes along the way.
“I don’t think we’ve made any mistakes. As you look at these projects, I really look at these as learning opportunities.”
And while he said that it was important for the team to “move with haste” he would not offer any target dates. He said his wife told him to stop saying target dates publicly.
“The target is the right time.”
The stadium saga rolls on. Indiana is in the driver’s seat, but to me, I think they’re going to drag it out to see if they can get something in writing with Illinois.
Finally, I would say the idea Warren floated of “merging” the Lost Marsh and Wolf Lake Terminal sites- one look at Google Maps says that will be difficult.
