NightLink: Bears Leaving Bourbonnais After 2009?

by Dane Noble on Jun 11, 2009 6:18 PM CDT Comment 12 comments

Per this article, it appears the Chicago Bears may be looking for different options for their yearly training camp. They have been holding camp in Bourbonnais since 2001, but sources say the team wants to move closer to Chicago.

The Bears have tried to hammer out a long-term agreement with Olivet Nazarene, but have ended up settling for short-term deals requiring annual negotiations that have grown contentious at times, one source said.

Apparently, Lewis University is an option.

Lewis University in Romeoville is one option the team is said to be considering, with a meeting scheduled next week between school representatives and a Bears group that includes team president Ted Phillips, financial guru Cliff Stein and Brian McCaskey.

ONU spokesperson Gary Griffin says that an ending date for this summer's camp is an issue.

According to Griffin, at issue currently is the ending date for this summer's camp. The contract permits the Bears to be on campus through Aug. 21. ONU will have 2,500 students moving in on the next day for the school year. Griffin said the school has asked the Bears to leave a day earlier on Aug. 20. Camp is starting later because kickoff Sunday for the NFL season is not until Sept. 13. The NFL mandates that the season not start until the week after Labor Day, and Labor Day is Sept. 7 this year. Consequently, the Bears are opening camp a full week later than they did last summer.

"There is no controversy here,'' Griffin said. "There is a logistical problem. Both sides are trying to find a solution"

What are your feelings of a potential move for future training camps?

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Works for me

I know this is really selfish, but I don’t live in Chi, so somewhere closer to the city would be better for my travels.

I'M A MAN! I'M 23!

by ChiFan13 on Jun 11, 2009 6:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Sounds good.

Why shouldn’t the Bears move if the guys at the university are not letting the Bears agree to a long term contract.

by The Beast With the Sugar and Yeast on Jun 11, 2009 7:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I hate the offseason

I can’t wait til this site is covered with game news, like “Forte rushes for 8700 touchdowns. Catches another 290.” and “Greg Olsen apologizes for endzone celebration rap.” No longer Bear-bonnais? Yawn.

"If God had wanted man to play soccer, He wouldn't have given us arms" - Ditka

by EricEmpire on Jun 11, 2009 8:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Eventually, I think most teams will have their training camps at the regular year-round facilities

The reason for training camps was to get the team together to bond and concentrate on football. That was in the days when players actually had jobs during the off-season and there were no organized activities so the players went a good 6 months without any meaningful contact with their teammates. The present day NFL is a different story. The season really never ends now and they are together probably 75% of the time during the off-season anyway, so they are continuously bonding. Regarding concentrating on football, with the contracts today, they really have no choice because there is too much at stake.

I’m not a financial expert, but I would think expanding the Lake Forest complex and facilities might be a less expensive alternative in the long run.

by BearFan611 on Jun 11, 2009 9:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The major reason they use a training camp site is for housing... and eating.

There’s about 80 players plus coaches, medical staff, and administration…. all at the beginning of camp.

They don’t have facilities to house everyone at Lake Forest… and building that facility would likely be a poor use of resources. And, while many of the veterans and staff have homes nearby Lake Forest, there are a slew of rookies and other training camp hopefuls trying to make the team, who have nowhere to reside during camp.

It’s cheaper to have a housing/facility agreement with a campus and share revenue… then it is to build your own complex which only gets used for 6 weeks out of an entire year.

"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)

Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
.

by SackMan on Jun 11, 2009 11:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You make a good point

but I know they are already paying for some housing for players who are attending OTA’s now. I wonder, if they had it at their normal facility, if many of the coaches and veterans wouldn’t require housing so the facilities wouldn’t need to be large enough to accommodate that entire group.

According to USA Today, there are 11 (I think I counted them correctly) who aready use their regular training facilities for training camp.

by BearFan611 on Jun 12, 2009 1:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

man

that would have been sweet back when i was living back there.

by mike b on Jun 11, 2009 11:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Are you going to the Seattle game?

At least you’d be able to see them play live two years in a row.

I'M A MAN! I'M 23!

by ChiFan13 on Jun 12, 2009 5:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah I'll probably try

it’ll actually be three, caught the regular seaosn game two years ago as well as the preseason thriller.

by mike b on Jun 12, 2009 9:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll be at Qwest Sept. 29th.

4 rows off the sideline, directly above the visitor’s (Bears) tunnel. Found the tix on stubhub… started looking at the nosebleeds, but then the whole “for only 30 more dollars, i can get these” mentality started. Ended up paying waay too much, but it’ll be my first Bears game, so I figgered why not.

I’ve been to Safeco, but will be my first trip to Qwest. As I understand it, Amtrak drops off right at Qwest, so we’ll probly take the train from Portland… that way I’ll be able to partake in adult libations and not have to worry about driving back (and the traffic of I-5).

Be nice. Flag comments that you think are offensive. Use the "reply" button. Drink plenty of water. Compliment others. "Rec" comments and posts you like. Don't call people names. If you don't like someone's comment, attack the comment and not the commentor. Learn the difference in your/you're, then/than, to/too. Exercise. Relax. Stretch often. Find good in the world.

by Dane Noble on Jun 12, 2009 9:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs