The end is near for Arlington Park.
The National Football League's Chicago Bears – which purchased the suburban Chicago racetrack from Churchill Downs Inc. as a site for a new stadium – have filed paperwork with Arlington Heights officials to demolish the grandstand, according to various media reports.
The Bears entered into an agreement in September 2021 to buy the 326-acre property for $197.2 million and closed on the deal in February. The track's grandstand, considered one of the most beautiful in the world, was built after a fire destroyed the old structure in 1985.
The team had threatened before to move out of Soldier Field near downtown Chicago but had never gone so far as to purchase property for a new stadium. After the Bears agreed to purchase Arlington, Chicago officials floated a $632-million plan to renovate Soldier Field – which is owned by the Chicago Park District – that would include a dome, expanded seating, and additional luxury suites and clubs. Bears officials pooh-poohed the proposal.for Arlington Park
According to reports, a team official said the application for a demolition permit does not mean plans or funding have been finalized for a stadium at Arlington. The Bears – which have long had a reputation for being frugal – are not seeking taxpayers' dollars to build the stadium but are looking a partnership with private industry to surround it with retail outlets, hotels, and restaurants.
Churchill Downs Inc. sold Arlington Park after opting not to open a casino at the track made possible through 2019 legislation. By then, the company had purchased majority interest in Rivers Casino, the state's largest and most successful gambling parlor, just down the road from Arlington. Churchill officials also opted not to sell the track to a group led by former Arlington president Roy Arnold, who planned to continue racing operations while developing some of the surrounding property.
Timeline for the demolition is not known. Arlington Park ran its last race in September 2021.
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