Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's plan to renovate Soldier Field
is "dead" because it does not provide the team with enough
revenue to stay competitive, according to team officials cited in
this morning's CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. The Bears say they will now
turn their attention toward a Gary, IN, stadium proposal. Bears
VP/Ops Ted Philips: "We're walking away with way too much risk
(at Soldier Field) and we're going to walk away, period." Daley:
"We're staying with $60 million plus $28 million ( in state
infrastructure money) and we can discuss anything within that
financial package. That's it." Philips said the Bears have no
intention of resuming talks with the city unless Daley increases
the $60M offer and lowers a $17M annual payment from the Bears.
Colleen Dykes, spokesperson for Gary's proposed $482M Planet Park
project, said the Bears' statements mean "Merry Christmas,
Indiana." Dykes said they now hope to sign a "memorandum of
understanding" with Bears President Mike McCaskey by December
that states if the Lake County council approves a countywide
income tax, "the Bears will come" (Fran Spielman, CHICAGO SUN-
TIMES, 12/14). The
