Kevin Warren's stadium debacle a painful reminder for Chicago Bears
They won the division. The actual football has been much better in Chicago. This never-ending stadium saga, however, shines a troubling light on the man in charge.
On the field, the NFL remains a merit-based enterprise. Perform, and you’ll see a raise. Millions of dollars fill your bank account. Fail, and you’ll be released. Ejected into a new 9-to-5 reality. The entire world sees exactly what you bring (or don’t bring) to a football team. There’s no guesswork. Off the field, it gets murky. We don’t always know who’s good and who’s bad at their job. Owners who are present have a chance to snuff out used-car salesmen and hire the best people. Owners who are not — George McCaskey has claimed to be just a “fan” in Chicago — suffer from an abundance of blind spots.
A business plan that allows people like Kevin Warren to consolidate power.
In our House of Dysfunction series last summer, the grand poobah of these Chicago Bears was skewered by employees past and present for creating a culture of fear at Halas Hall.
Bottom line, he was hired in January 2023 to build a stadium.
It’s now June 2026.
At this rate, George R.R. Martin will publish “The Winds of Winter” before dirt is moved.
Warren first promised “shovels in the ground” by 2024. That didn’t happen. Warren then targeted 2025. That didn’t happen. Instead, legions of Bears fans have been treated to nothing but empty press releases, sugar-high interviews and, mostly, mud-slinging between Warren and these politicians. Downtown? Arlington Heights? Hammond, Indiana? This week’s news is the most damning yet and a sign that — as promising as 2025 was for these Bears — a stench still lingers.
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The Illinois legislature ended its spring session Monday AM without passing a bill that would’ve laid the foundation for the Bears to build a new home 26 miles from the city in Arlington Heights. The previous president, Ted Phillips, purchased the 326-acre property for $197.2 million. Unless there’s a special session in the summer, Illinois state legislature won’t convene again until November.
The Bears can build their stadium without tax assistance (ha!) or, as locals feared, pivot out of state.
Indiana has already passed legislation to attract the Bears.
A common theme has developed through the stadium stalemate.
Political reporters in Springfield keep hearing one name.