The Chicago Bears’ bid to move to Arlington Heights seems legitimate, and not a bluff, the village mayor said Tuesday, after local officials acted to prohibit certain uses but allow a football stadium.

       “I don’t think this is a negotiating tactic,” Mayor Tom Hayes said. “I do think the Bears are serious about this. It may not come to fruition, but I think they’re seriously considering this.”

       While Hayes hasn’t seen the specifics of the Bears’ bid, he said team President Ted Phillips gave him a phone call Thursday to alert him of the team’s proposal to buy and redevelop the property with a new stadium.

       Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has called the Bears’ bid a ploy to extract more profitable terms for their current home at Soldier Field, saying they are “locked into” a lease there through 2033. Taxpayers reportedly are still on the hook for more than $1 billion in costs to renovate the stadium in 2001.

       Soldier Field holds 61,500 fans, the fewest in the NFL. A new stadium could come with a roof so the team could make money from year-round events such as concerts or the Super Bowl.

       While the team previously had flirted with moving to Arlington Heights as far back as 1975, when officials said they couldn’t afford to build a stadium, much has changed since then. Last year, Forbes valued the team’s worth at $3.5 billion.

       “The landscape has changed,” Hayes said. “They need a bigger stadium. The fact that they don’t own their stadium diminishes the value of their franchise. I’m told it would be in the best interest of the Bears’ long-term financial situation.”

       Arlington International Racecourse is up for sale after its owner, Churchill Downs Inc., requested bids this spring. The company said it is reviewing “strong proposals” from numerous bidders. The site covers 326 acres near I-90 and Route 53 expressways, and has its own Metra train stop.

       The Bears issued a statement to the Tribune on Tuesday from Phillips: “It’s our obligation to explore every possible option to ensure we’re doing what’s best for our organization and its future. If selected, this step allows us to further evaluate the property and its potential.”

       As owner of the site, Churchill Downs gets to choose who it will sell to, which will determine what gets proposed for development. But the village can set parameters for what can go on the site. On Monday, the village board voted unanimously to require any developer to propose a comprehensive master plan for the site, rather than piecemeal development.

       New zoning would prohibit certain uses such as adult businesses, automated car washes, currency exchanges, carnivals, funeral parlors, pawnshops, tool and die shops, and warehouses.

       The zoning also would require preservation of the narrow Salt Creek park that runs along the southwestern edge of the site, and would include sustainable development including energy efficient building design, bicycle access, and electric vehicle charging stations.

       The zoning would allow a football stadium, casino gambling or continued horse racing. A group led by former Arlington International Racecourse President Roy Arnold and Chicago developer Sterling Bay has proposed keeping the racetrack, and adding an ice rink and other development.

       Any new use probably also would include housing, stores, dining, entertainment venues and a park.

       The track itself takes up about one-third of the property. The rest is primarily parking and the backstretch area, which includes apartments for workers, stables and a training track. A professional football stadium with parking would take up about 160 acres, Hayes said, leaving plenty of room for other development.

       Village officials do not anticipate providing money for the project, the mayor said, but would be open to a tax increment financing district, though there is question whether the site would qualify as a “blighted” area.

       Racetrack President Tony Petrillo said he is not involved with the sale, but is focused on running what may be the last season of horse racing at the storied park. After surviving recent COVID-19 restrictions, the grandstand will return to full capacity July 2, with the season ending Sept. 25.

       rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com

       Man shot in prior carjacking attempt now sentenced to 16 years for attempted carjacking in Downers Grove, prosecutors said

       39m

       Second gentleman Douglas Emhoff to visit Black-owned barbershop, vaccination site in Chicago as part of national vaccination tour

       56m

       Criminal Justice ‘They left their babies’: Family mourns as mother of two dies following videotaped shooting of couple after Puerto Rican Day parade in Humboldt Park

       1h

       Chicago Cubs Ben Zobrist lawsuit alleges his pastor had an affair with his wife Julianna and defrauded the former Chicago Cubs player’s charity

       Jun 21, 2021

       News After the tornado, a stranger came to town with a red pickup, a wood-fired oven and a message of hope: Free, hand-tossed pizzas for everyone

       4h