Arlington Park Metra station in Arlington Heights. (WTTW News)
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The Bears hosted a community meeting Thursday in north suburban Arlington Heights about their plans for a new stadium and entertainment district, and there’s no shortage of opinions.

The NFL season officially kicks off this week and the Chicago Bears are set to start their season Sunday at noon against the San Francisco 49ers.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot (WTTW News)

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott are trading barbs over buses of migrants sent to Chicago. Our politics team weighs in on that story and more.

An aerial view from the southwest of a proposed Chicago Bears stadium and entertainment district in Arlington Heights. (Credit: Hart Howerton / Chicago Bears)

In renderings released Tuesday of a proposed master plan for Arlington Park, the Bears stressed that the “stadium shown is a placeholder and not an actual design.” But that didn't stop people from poking fun at the artwork.

An aerial rendering of a proposed Chicago Bears stadium and entertainment district in Arlington Heights. (Credit: Hart Howerton / Chicago Bears)

A trio of high-level renderings released by the team on Tuesday demonstrate the scope of the Bears ambition. More than just a new stadium, the team is aiming to turn the 326-acre Arlington Park property into "a multi-purpose entertainment district anchored by a new, best-in-class enclosed stadium."

Halas Hall in Lake Forest. (Courtesy of Chicago Bears)

Most recently, his focus has been on purchasing a 326-acre tract of land in suburban Arlington Heights, Illinois, where a new stadium and entertainment complex could be built. 

Soldier Field. (WTTW News)
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The Bears announced “an informational community meeting” will be held Sept. 8 during which the team’s potential purchase and redevelopment of the former Arlington International Racecourse will be discussed.

(WTTW News)

The mayor has a new proposal to upgrade Soldier Field, but can it really sway the Bears to stay? 

A rendering of the proposed renovation of Soldier Field. (Provided: Landmark Development)
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Mayor Lightfoot unveiled three options to renovate Soldier Field, ranging in price from $900 million to $2.2 billion. The mayor, who is running for a second term, declined to say how much public funding she was prepared to spend to prevent the Bears from leaving the city and moving to Arlington Heights.

Halas Hall in Lake Forest. (Courtesy of Chicago Bears)

The Chicago Bears are teaming up with the Lake County Forest Preserves to remove invasive buckthorn from the property surrounding Halas Hall in Lake Forest.

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Delivering on a promise she made when the owners of the Chicago Bears announced their purchase of the Arlington International Racecourse property, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the members of a working group tasked with reimagining the city’s lakefront museum campus.

Matt Eberflus is shown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo / Gary McCullough, File)

Matt Eberflus is the new coach of the Chicago Bears, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press, tasked with turning around a franchise mired in mediocrity for much of the past decade.

The Bears’ head coach and general manager are out. James “Big Cat” Williams, former offensive lineman for the Chicago Bears, gives us his thoughts on the offseason challenges the team and the incoming new coach and general manager face.

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy reacts during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo / Jason Behnken)

Matt Nagy's fate seemed sealed as the Bears struggled through a 6-11 season that ended with a loss at Minnesota on Sunday. But it was not clear if Ryan Pace also would be let go or retained in either his current role or a different capacity.

(WTTW News graphic)

The Chicago Bears aim to end a disappointing season on a high note by beating the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in what could be Matt Nagy’s last game as the team’s head coach.

(WTTW News graphic)

The Bears have a chance to finish a lost season on a high note, starting with the last place New York Giants who visit Soldier Field this Sunday. But there are questions as to who will play quarterback, and then the bigger picture questions as to where exactly the organization is headed as fans demand a major overhaul.