Kevin Warren doesn’t begin his tenure as Bears president and CEO until April 17, but he’s been in the transition process since being hired in January.
Warren’s biggest project will be the development of the Arlington Heights property, which is expected to be the site of a new state-of-the-art stadium. The Bears officially closed on the land back in February, which means potential stadium development can start moving once Warren steps in.
“Fortunately, I’ve been through this process before,” Warren said, via ChicagoBears.com.
“That was a big part, to be able to close on the land. That was a big step. That remains our main focus from a stadium development situation. There’s a lot of work to be done. I mean, when you close on land, that’s really when the work begins. And so I’m looking forward to April 17 and still just been trying to transition, gather information and stay up to speed. But I’ll really dive in once I start.”
Last fall, the Bears confirmed they’d reached an agreement to acquire the 326 acres of property — and they’ve already revealed initial plans for the property. After closing on the land, the Bears are one step closer to building a new state-of-the-art stadium.
But what’s the next step?
“Now you have to get all the legislation done, work through all the political elements, design the stadium, make sure it comes to life,” Warren said, via Adam Hoge.
Warren added that it takes typically about 36 months from the time you put a shovel into the ground to have it come to life.
