“Friends of the Parks is ‘prepared to fight for the lakefront’ but not ready to say if that will mean mounting a legal challenge to prevent the Bears from building a domed stadium.
“Gin Kilgore, acting executive director of the group, tried hard to thread a needle Tuesday in her first extended interview since the Bears unveiled their $5.9 billion plan to build and finance that stadium and retire existing debt used to renovate Soldier Field and Guaranteed Rate Field, current home of the White Sox.
“The group blocked movie mogul George Lucas from building his interactive museum on Soldier Field’s south parking lot, and the domed stadium could ultimately end up in court. But filing another lawsuit is ‘not the first thing you want to do,’ Kilgore said.
“‘We are prepared to fight for the lakefront. We are prepared to stand on behalf of the doctrines, the principles that say our lakefront should be forever open, clear and free for public use. … [But] this is not a fully fleshed-out proposal,’ she added.
“‘There are many, many, many, many reasons to be concerned about this proposal, which is why we’ve been calling for them to slow down the process, involve stakeholders and scrutinize, scrutinize, scrutinize.’
“‘It is common in Chicago for promises to be broken — whether willfully or through ‘Oops, we’ve run out of money.’ And there are very few details about what happens in Phase 2 and Phase 3 ,in addition to the fact that we have no guarantees. And we have examples over and over of where these amenities promised to make a project palatable don’t happen.”
“‘What is the impact of taking attention and resources away from the park district and local parks? … Where are the details? There’s a lot of, ‘Just trust me’ going on,’ she said.
“Tearing down Soldier Field “in and of itself is highly problematic, in terms of it being a veterans memorial,’ Kilgore said. Instead of doing that to create parkland, ‘Why aren’t we investing more money in making sure that more young people can play in their neighborhoods?’
“‘It is disingenuous to say there is nothing new to see here. This is new. It’s a new building. It’s a huge new project. It’s a new location. It’s gonna be a new arrangement. The Public Trust Doctrine is not just about what we have or build on the lakefront. It’s about who it’s for, how it’s used, how it’s accessed. Everything about this is different.’ (Spielman, Chicago Sun-Times, 5/7/24)
Read the full story at the Chicago Sun-Times
- Friends of the Parks ‘prepared to fight for the lakefront’ in battle over new Bears domed stadium; The group that blocked George Lucas from building a museum on Soldier Field’s south parking lot says the stadium project could ultimate
- Chicago’s lakefront is too important to just hand off for a new Bears stadium; Based on what we’ve seen of the Bears plans so far, and given the lakefront’s civic importance, Mayor Johnson should steer the team to consider other locations in Chicago, Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board, 3/13/24
- Editorial: Bear down on the details, Chicago Bears, Crain’s Editorial Board, 4/26/24
- Bears stadium debate should shift south to Michael Reese site, Civic Federation president says; Bears President Kevin Warren has rejected the 48.6-acre Michael Reese site, saying it’s too narrow and doesn’t work because the stadium would have to be built “over an active train line.”, Fran Spielman, Chicago Sun-Times, 5/15/24
- New hope? Why the Bears believe they will succeed where George Lucas failed; The team rejects comparisons to George Lucas’ abandoned vision for Chicago’s lakefront, but Bears execs say they’ve learned from it and studied other legal battles as they push a $4.7 billion stadium development plan, Jon Seidel and Mitchell Armentrout, Chicago Sun-Times, 5/17/24
- A radical idea for the Bears’ stadium plans; Instead of using it for a new stadium complex, how about we give that lakefront land to citizens to enjoy? Rick Telander Chicago Sun-Times, 5/13/24
- Advocates tell mayor: Fund transit, not stadiums, Leigh Giangreco, Crain’s Chicago Business, 5/15/24
- Bears in a hurry to build domed lakefront stadium, but Friends of the Parks says, ‘Not so fast’; Gin Kilgore, acting executive director of Friends of the Parks, is not about to go along with what she called Bears President Kevin Warren’s “Buy now. This deal won’t last” sales pitch, Fran Spielman, Chicago Sun-Times, 4/5/24
- Bears put lakefront stadium cards on the table with state agency key to funding deal; Frank Bilecki, executive director of the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, said the Bears are eyeing the same portion of the hotel tax the White Sox hope to use to fund a new stadium in the South Loop, Fran Spielman, Chicago Sun-Times, 4/4/24
- Friends of the Parks Encourage Thoughtful Approach as Bears Prepare Proposal for New Lakefront Stadium, Emily Soto, WTTW Chicago, 4/1/24
- Friends of the Parks to the Chicago Bears: Play Ball With Stakeholders on New Stadium Plans; Patty Wetli, WTTW Chicago, 3/12/24
- Chicago Bears sit down with potential stadium foes, Friends of the Parks, Justin Laurence, Crain’s Chicago Business, 3/21/24
- Bears stadium pitch includes dramatic lakefront changes: Crain’s Daily Gist podcast, Crain’s Chicago Business, 3/26/24
- Chicago Bears sit down with potential stadium foes, Friends of the Parks, Justin Laurence, Crain’s Chicago Business, 3/21/24
- Bears’ stadium plans include $1B overhaul of Museum Campus — and a new lakefront hotel, Justin Laurence, Crain’s Chicago Business, 3/21/24