BEARS MAKE IT OFFICIAL -- THEY WANT OUT OF THEIR DEN

     Bears President Michael McCaskey announced the team's latest
proposal to move from Soldier Field.  The plan calls for a $285M,
74,000-seat stadium financed primarily by public funds to be
located at one of three sites -- two in the suburbs and one in
the city.  The Chicago site is at the "western-most portion" of
O'Hare Airport.  Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who earlier this
week expressed doubt that the Bears were going to move, "reacted
calmly" noting that negotiations are "just beginning" over the
Bears' Soldier Field lease, which expires in '99.  According to
McCaskey, the Bears will seek legislation to issue bonds to cover
$185M of the cost.  The other $100M would be "raised by the
team," from a variety of sources including rent, advertising
rights, parking, concessions, and PSLs.  However, McCaskey
acknowledged that the $285M "would not include the funds" needed
to cover land or infrastructure (Reardon & Pierson, CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 4/13).