Month: July 2022

At Uproxx, we love a classic American summer road trip. The feeling of freedom as you roll down your windows and barrel down an unknown road – it’s truly intoxicating. This year, of course, some of those long-distance or cross-country trips have been tabled due to inflation and high fuel costs. But that doesn’t have to keep you off the road. Personally, I have been focusing on shorter-distance road trips – for cost concerns but also to experience each stop more fully.

Driving the Overseas Highway (Highway 1) south through the Florida Keys was the perfect summer “slow travel” road trip for me (it’s only 160 miles!). Consistently lauded as one of the most epic road trips in the United States, it certainly didn’t disappoint — with tons to do, some incredible food, and great properties to visit. Plus a whole lot of natural adventure.

Check my full guide below.

Start: Miami

I started my trek by flying into Miami on a redeye from Denver – but Fort Lauderdale is just as easy, depending on the price of flights and rental cars. Luckily, watching the sun come up from the air over Miami’s bustling coastline re-energized me for the full week ahead.

I didn’t stick around Miami for long, although you could easily stretch out your trip here with plenty of unique places to eat, drink, explore, and party. But I was more interested in the laid-back Florida Keys vibe, so I headed south.

Stop 1: Biscayne National Park

As you head towards the Overseas Highway, you’ll pass right by one of the lesser known and less visited major US National Parks – Biscayne National Park. It’s definitely worth a trip. Ninety-five percent of the park is water – protecting Biscayne Bay, a mangrove swamp, and offshore coral reefs. Spend some time here boating, fishing, diving, or on a guided tour before continuing on to the Keys.

I recommend reserving a cruise to Boca Chita Key and Lighthouse, at a minimum. If you’re daring, do some kiteboarding.

Stop 2: Key Largo

After checking another National Park off your list, continue on Highway 1 where you’ll soon enter the Florida Keys themselves. There are five main islands that make up the region from Key Largo to Key West (and on to Dry Tortugas beyond the highway), but hundreds of small islands on the archipelago.

I decided to make Key Largo my home base for a couple of days of exploration, as it is the first of the main keys on the overseas highway. From here you can explore the upper keys easily before heading down further south.

Stay:

I stayed at Bakers Cay Resort on the Gulf side of Key Largo. Just a quick turn off Highway 1 and I was transported into a chic tropical paradise. The view from my room was serene, but I could easily head to the beach area for a more lively vibe. I really loved the hammock beach area with chairs under the mangroves for watching the sunset and enjoying a drink.

Eat:

I didn’t eat many meals in Key Largo itself, but I loved brunch at Key Largo Conch House where I enjoyed key lime pancakes (you’ll start to notice a theme).

Drink:

Dry Rocks is the place to see and be seen in Key Largo – and luckily it was right at my hotel. I enjoyed a simple glass of rose, but the margaritas and tequila flights looked like the perfect island thirst quenchers.

Explore:

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is located on Key Largo, and the area is known to be the “dive capital of the world.” With easy access to many dive sites and the prime location on the 3rd largest barrier reef in the world, you can’t visit without getting underwater. Whether snorkeling or scuba – you can’t go wrong.

Stop 3: Islamorada

My next stop was a day spent in Islamorada, just a 20-minute drive from my home base in Key Largo. Also known for watersports, I was looking forward to some time in the water.

Explore:

I spent the morning SNUBA and snorkeling with Sundance Watersports out of Robbie’s Marina. And yes, you read that right – Snuba, not scuba. Snuba is a cross between scuba and snorkeling – with surface-supplied oxygen enabling you to dive deeper into the water – 20 ft – than snorkeling, but without a personal tank and certifications necessary for SCUBA.

I was nervous at first, to be honest, without any diving experience under my belt, but once I was in the water it felt completely natural. We spent time diving around a reef, seeing a large array of fish and even a sea turtles. I definitely recommend it.

Eat:

I had a day of great meals in Islamorada, starting with The Hungry Tarpon at Robbie’s Marina. I got there right after opening, as it can become very crowded (which I witnessed firsthand later on) and I was rewarded with a great table and better service. I had the Purple Isle, a crepe filled with lobster meat and topped with hollandaise. It was as rich and tasty as you’re imagining.

For lunch, I stopped by Bad Boy Burrito, a local favorite Mexican spot. Tucked away and unassuming, Bad Boy Burrito prides itself on local, fresh and organic ingredients – and it was evident in my lunch. I had the key west pink shrimp burrito and must have downed it without ever putting it down once – it was that good.

For dinner, I went slightly more upscale with a meal at Morada Bay Beach Cafe. It gave Bloodline vibes (which was filmed nearby) in the best way, with tables set right on the sand and the perfect sunset view. I enjoyed the nightly special – wahoo – and a side of lobster tail (not a sentence I can say very often). Of course, I ended my meal with key lime pie while watching the sunset.

It felt like a dream come to life.

Drink:

Before dinner, I stopped by Florida Keys Brewing, the first microbrewery in the Upper Keys. I was lucky to get a tour and I was as enchanted with their story as I was with the beer. The vibe is everything you’d want in a tropical brewery, complete with live music, a food truck, local art, and even brewery cats.

I enjoyed a flight of beer that included the famous Iguana Bait – a Kolsch brewed with hibiscus and honey — and nearly missed my dinner reservation while enjoying the friendly local scene.

Stop 4: Marathon

The next morning I checked out of Bakers Cay and headed south to Marathon with just one thing on the agenda – the Turtle Hospital. Located on the grounds of an old roadside motel, the Turtle Hospital is a non-profit committed to rescuing, rehabbing, and releasing sea turtles (when possible). I loved taking a tour and learning all that the hospital does for these majestic animals.

Stop 5: Key West

My last stop was Key West – the southernmost point of not just the Florida Keys, but the continental United States. Famously located closer to Cuba than Miami, the history of Key West is legendary. At one point the wealthiest city in the United States, it is still known to be eclectic and full of surprises. You could spend days just exploring this small, historic town.

Stay:

I stayed at Parrot Key Hotel & Villas which was peaceful and upscale, located just outside the hustle and bustle of the old town area. The Hotel has four pools, a bar and restaurant, and a quaint garden vibe. I had a room overlooking the water and loved waking up to the towering palms outside. I actually ended up dropping my rental car off at the airport early once I arrived in Key West, utilizing the hotel shuttle and a few ride shares.

Parking in Key West is difficult (and expensive) so shuttles, walking, scooters, bikes, or ride shares are definitely the way to go.

Eat:

I had a lot of memorable meals in Key West – beyond just the key lime pie on a stick. I liked The Docks Restaurant and Raw Bar most during my stay. Located on the nearby Stock Island, The Docks has a great secret feel on, well, the docks, with a great bar and – of course – raw bar. I enjoyed a rose sangria, shrimp cocktail, and the Local Sauteed Snapper. The snapper was incredible, with a green gazpacho risotto and key lime bure blanc.

Other meals I won’t forget were dinner at Half Shell Raw Bar and brunch at Blue Heaven.

Drink:

Key West is known as a party and festival town, and there is no shortage of bars to help you enjoy it. I didn’t spend too much time on Duval Street – the main drag for bars, restaurants, and shops — but I did stop in to Sloppy Joes, Ernest Hemingway’s favorite hangout during his time in Key West, for a refreshing drink and some live music.

Explore:

There is seemingly no end to exploration in Key West. From the water to the city, it has something for everyone. I loved spending a day with Honest Eco Tours snorkeling, kayaking, and dolphin watching – all while learning about the ecosystem and sustainability measures that are being taken in the area and by the company themselves. Honest Eco Tours is a unique tour company in that they aim to educate as well as give patrons a great experience. Builders of the first Lithium-Ion hybrid Electric boat for Charter in United States, Honest Eco takes conservation seriously – and provides a great day on the water.

It would be a shame to visit Key West without taking a Sunset Sail. As the southernmost point of the continental United States, the sunsets are legendary – and so are the sails. I boarded a boat with Sebago Watersports for music, open bar, and apps while cruising around the island and watching a gorgeous sunset.

Once you’re back on land you’ll want to spend time in Old Town and Duval St. As the historic district, I could walk around looking at the homes and visiting museums all day. I loved visiting the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, learning more about the iconic author’s life in Key West while scouting for the famous polydactyl cats. I also loved visiting Truman’s Little White House, the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, and, of course, the Southernmost Point.

Bonus:

Your road trip might be over, but your adventure doesn’t have to be. A great day trip from Key West is to Dry Tortugas National Park and the ferry leaves right from downtown. It is a once-in-a-lifetime bucket list national park trip, and I can’t recommend experiencing it for yourself enough.

Ethan Hawke‘s performance as Arthur Harrow in Marvel’s Moon Knight had a perfectly reasonable and understandable explanation for existing: Oscar Isaac personally asked him at a coffee shop to join the project, and by his own account, Hawke had a fun time getting to play on the “baggage-free set” during the pandemic. Pretty cut and dry, right?

Well, in a new interview, Hawke apparently felt the need to further justify starring in a Marvel film, so he invoked the work ethic of legendary actor Paul Newman, who is the subject of Hawke’s new docuseries The Last Movie Stars. According to Hawke, when the Marvel offer came in, he gathered his family to ask for their input.

“I remember I was sitting at my dinner table and I had just been offered ‘Moon Knight’ and I was trying to decide whether to do that or not and my youngest, Indiana, who was 10 at the time, said, ‘Well, Dad, what would Paul do?’” Hawke told Insider. From there, the answer was simple:

“Do I think he admired blockbusters and superhero movies? No, I don’t,” Hawke said of Newman. “He hated doing ‘Towering Inferno.’ That was his idea of a giant sellout. You see him in physical pain in that movie.”

“But, it’s still a job,” Hawke added. “You still have to put food on the table.”

According to Hawke, who reportedly has a net worth of $55 million, there really wasn’t a choice in the matter. “I am an actor,” he said. “That is how I pay my kids’ medical bills, that’s how I put a roof over our heads. And my job is not to change the world and make it the perfect place. My job is to do good work to the best of my ability.”

(Via Insider)

Kyler Murray is now, officially, the face of the Arizona Cardinals franchise for the foreseeable future after inking a 5-year, $230.5 million extension with the team after an offseason where there were genuine concerns over whether the two sides could reach an agreement.

That contract is a massive investment in Murray from Arizona, but it’s the going rate for a top-tier quarterback in the NFL, which Murray has shown he can be at his best. From the Cardinals perspective, giving Murray that much money means they want a bit more consistency and commitment, and that’s not just implied with the deal, but written directly into it. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network provided a rather shocking clause from the contract on Monday that requires Murray to do four hours of “independent study” each week (aka, watch film) on his own.

Now, for most elite quarterbacks, this is not a significant ask as many of the best are film junkies (sometimes to an upsetting and, potentially, unnecessary degree) who will watch far more four hours on their own. That the Cardinals included this section in the contract seems to indicate that wasn’t exactly the approach of Murray previously, and they don’t just expect that to change now that he’s being paid $46 million per year but are demanding so.

Maybe this happens more than we think, but it is pretty funny phrasing, because “independent study” is usually something you’d get told to do in college, not as an NFL player.

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, eliminating federal abortion protections, Democrats are scrambling to protect same-sex marriage from being reversed as well.

Supporters of same-sex marriage are concerned after Justice Clarence Thomas called for other rulings to be revisited in the wake of the Roe decision. “In future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell,” Thomas wrote, referring to decisions on contraception, sodomy and same-sex marriage.

To ensure that same-sex marriage won’t be overturned by the aggressive court, the House of Representatives passed the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) bill last week. It won by a 267-157 vote, with 47 Republicans joining a unanimous Democratic caucus in supporting the legislation.

Now, the bill has to be approved by the Senate where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hopes to get 10 Republicans to support the bill to overcome the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster hurdle.

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio called the bill a “stupid waste of time” after being approached by a reporter at the Capitol building on Wednesday, July 20. Rubio says he wouldn’t participate in a vote when it comes to the Senate, saying that it’s a “fake problem.”

Rubio clearly hasn’t considered the fact that the United States has 980,000 same-sex households, of which 58% are married. Repealing same-sex marriage would severely impact the rights of hundreds of thousands of American families.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg pushed back against Rubio’s suggestion that it was a waste of time by explaining how important the issue is to his family. He also made note of the fact that Rubio was part of Florida’s Republican Party’s petty culture-war-driven fight against Disney.

u201cDisney doesnu2019t say a word about the dictatorship in #China because it would cost them billions of $u2019s nnBut they have no problem using their corporate power to lie about laws passed by democratically elected legislators in #Florida nnhttps://t.co/aURQrl9mQ9u201d

— Marco Rubio (@Marco Rubio)
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If the thought of someone mentioning the word gay in a public school setting is a threat to Rubio then surely considering the legality of same-sex marriage is far from a waste of his time.

“If [Rubio’s] got time to fight against Disney, I don’t know why he wouldn’t have time to help safeguard marriages like mine. Look, this is really, really important to a lot of people. It’s certainly important to me,” Buttigieg said on CNN’s State of the Union this weekend.

u201cTapper: Rubio called the bill a stupid waste of timenButtigieg: If he has time to fight against Disney, I donu2019t know why he wouldnu2019t have time to safeguard marriages like mineu201d

— Acyn (@Acyn)
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Rubio has also recently got really worked up about UFOs.

u201c”I want us to take it seriously.” u2014u00a0Marco Rubio, on UFO researchnn”A stupid waste of time.” u2014u00a0Marco Rubio, on protecting interracial and gay marriage rightsu201d

— Timothy Burke (@Timothy Burke)
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As the first openly gay person confirmed to a U.S. cabinet position who is married and has two children, Buttigieg is in a unique position to point out how out of step Rubio is with reality. Buttigieg went on to explain why the legislation was on his mind as he fed his twin babies breakfast over the weekend.

u201cButtigieg: I donu2019t understand how such a majority of House Republicans voted no after I was in a room with a lot of themu2026 having perfectly normal conversations with many of them only for them to go around the corner and say that my marriage doesnu2019t deserve to continueu201d

— Acyn (@Acyn)
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“That half-hour of my morning had me thinking about how much I depend on and count on my spouse every day, and our marriage deserves to be treated equally,” he said. “I don’t know why this would be hard,” he added.

“I just don’t understand how such a majority of House Republicans voted ‘no’ on our marriage as recently as Tuesday,” he continued.

u201cWorking Americans,of every background,struggle with real problems like gas prices & flight cancellationsnnBut we have a Transportation Secretary who wants us to focus on a fake problem & who went to Harvard but apparently doesnu2019t know the difference between state & federal issuesu201d

— Marco Rubio (@Marco Rubio)
1658705191

Rubio responded to Buttigieg on Twitter.

“I’m gonna focus on the real problems,” Rubio said. “I’m not gonna focus on the agenda dictated by a bunch of affluent elite liberals and a bunch of Marxist misfits who sadly today control the agenda of the modern Democratic Party.”

Rubio is wildly out of touch with that statement as well. Buttigieg isn’t parroting the agenda of some elitist class, but the average, everyday American. Polls show that 71% of Americans support same-sex marriage, so it’s Congress’s job to step up and protect a cornerstone of the American family from being overturned by an activist court.

The first trailer was just released for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and I, along with many others, am having some big feelings about the sequel to 2018’s “Black Panther.” The original film’s star, actor Chadwick Boseman, died in 2020 after a long secret battle with colon cancer. There was concern around how the franchise would go on without him donning the black catsuit once more, and while the trailer doesn’t give away who replaces Boseman as Black Panther, it does invoke emotions as the now female-driven cast seemingly prepares for war.

Even musically, you can feel a shift in the film’s direction as Lupita Nyong’o, who plays Nakia, stands at the shoreline as Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” plays, sung soulfully by singer Tems, at the opening of the trailer. The song then merges into Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” as a foreshadowing of things to come. It could be the fact that viewers know Boseman passed away or that Black Panther felt the wrath of Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War.” Either way, the strong presence of female energy feels fitting and the mural of T’Challa just adds to the feeling.

But let’s be real, the women in “Black Panther” were always self-sufficient, intelligent and exceptional warriors, so watching the clips of them preparing to fight and taking charge falls in line with what you’d expect. In case you need more convincing that people are here for this female-driven movie, check out some of the comments across social media.

On Twitter, the comment thread under the official trailer is filled with gifs of people crying. One commenter, Jason Carreras, said “Tears…what an emotional scene from Angela Bassett,” referring to a scene in the trailer when she asserts she is “queen of the most powerful nation in the world” and her entire family is gone. Scorpiogirl2 wrote, “I’ve been crying for a half an hour now, the tribute to Chadwick, this strong cast, just all of it has me so emotional, we are getting another great movie yall. November can’t come fast enough #WakandaForever #blackpantherwakandaforever.” Comments like these have flooded Twitter, Instagram and Facebook feeds.

A commenter on Facebook, Joshua John Flores Orongan, reflected, “No trailer has made me cry but this is an exception. The camera shots, the songs, the reveal of Atlantis, Namor, and Iron Heart. I love how this is a tribute to Chadwick Boseman and at the same time the sequel to the first Black Panther movie. This trailer is epic. Wakanda Forever!!!”

This movie is going to make just about everyone an emotional mess. The way the death of Boseman is handled and he is honored in the trailer is likely only a preview of what’s to come. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” will be released November 11. In the meantime, I’m going to go grab a tissue.

On October 7th, North London quintet Sorry will be dropping Anywhere But Here, the follow-up to 2020’s breakthrough 925. Co-produced by the band along with Portishead’s Adrian Utley, Sorry promises Anywhere But Here will be a more rough and tumble look at the corners of their London. Now the band have announced their first ever North American headlining tour in support of the new album.

Shortly after the conclusion of Sorry’s European 2022 headlining tour dates, their North America tour begins on November 8th at Philadelphia’s Johnny Brendas. They’ll cruise the East Coast before hitting the midwest and then a full west coast wing, which culminates with a December 1st date at San Francisco’s Rickshaw Stop and a tour closing appearance at Zebulon in Los Angeles on December 2nd.

Check out all of Sorry’s 2022 tour dates below and tickets for all tour stops are available here.

10/14 — Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ekko
10/15 — Paris, France @ Pop Up
10/25 — Brighton, England @ Chalk
10/26 — Nottingham, England @ Metronome
10/27 — Leeds, England @ Brudenell Social Club
10/28 — Glasgow, Scotland @ Stereo
10/29 — Dublin, Ireland @ Academy 2
10/31 — Bristol, England @ Fleece
11/01 — Manchester, England @ White Hotel
11/02 — London, England @ Electric Brixton
11/08 — Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
11/09 — Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere Zone One
11/11 — Washington, D.C. @ DC9
11/12 — Durham, NC @ Local 506
11/14 — Atlanta, GA @ Aisle 5
11/18 — Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s
11/19 — Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
11/20 — Toronto, Ontario @ The Garrison
11/22 — Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
11/23 — Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry
11/27 — Vancouver, British Columbia @ Wise Hall
11/28 — Seattle, WA @ Barboza
11/29 — Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
12/01 — San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
12/02 — Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon

Anywhere But Here is out 10/7 via Domino. Pre-save it here.

On the heels of being found guilty on contempt of Congress charges, Steve Bannon is proudly boasting that he’s going to “deconstruct” the government by gathering up “4,000 shock troops” in preparation for Donald Trump‘s second term. Bannon made the bold claim on his podcast while reacting to Axios writer Jonathan Swan preemptively revealing the plan over the weekend.

“Trump, in theory, could fire tens of thousands of career government officials with no recourse for appeals. He could replace them with people he believes are more loyal to him and to his ‘America First’ agenda,” Swan wrote. “It would effectively upend the modern civil service, triggering a shock wave across the bureaucracy.”

While it’s probably not the best idea to announce that Trump would once again attempt to disrupt the federal government as the January 6 hearings continue to shed light on his last effort, Bannon leaned into Axios broadcasting the plans.

Via Raw Story:

“It gets my deplorable blood going on a Monday morning to hear Jonathan Swan talk about a purge!” Cortes exclaimed while Bannon laughed. “A purge of the administrative state! Of course, he means that to be an exposé, to be a hit on our movement. We took it exactly the opposite and wear it as a badge of honor.”

“It tells me that, yes, Jonathan Swan recognizes that there is a plan in place,” he continued, “that this second Trump term is going to be far more consequential than the first one.”

Bannon then made a call to arms to his fellow deplorable, which, again, might not be the brightest move as Congress continues to investigate the last time a MAGA horde rallied together.

“I want everybody to understand deeply exactly what we’re doing here. OK? Because you’re going to be part of it,” Bannon said. “And particularly [we] want people stepping forward, say[ing], hey, I want to be one of those 4,000 shock troops.”

(Via Raw Story)

Considering the success of the Grammy-winning Black Panther soundtrack that Kendrick Lamar executive produced, there’s good reason to be excited about the soundtrack to Marvel’s upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sequel. Over the weekend, the first official trailer to Wakanda Forever dropped and it was as memorable to the tribute it pays to the late Chadwick Bozeman as it was for the choice of music that was used underneath.

Throughout the clip, Nigerian afrobeats/R&B singer Tems sings a version of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” that eventually morphs into Lamar’s “Alright” in exciting ways. Today, Tems’ cover of “No Woman, No Cry,” (produced by Ludwig Göransson) has been officially released on digital streaming platforms, along with two other songs from the soundtrack entitled, Wakanda Forever Prologue. Also released today, is a vibey, afro-fusion tune from Ghanaian singer Amaarae called “A Body, A Coffin,” as well as the tribal thump of “Soy,” by Mexican rapper Santa Fe Klan.

All three of the songs shift the vibe from the big-name hip-hop of the original Black Panther soundtrack. With the explosion of afrobeats music and the global rise of música Latina, it seems as though Wakanda Forever Prologue is moving towards those sounds and artists. It’s a welcome push for the film franchise which not only broke barriers as a blockbuster Black superhero movie, but also as a curator of the best artists making music today.

Ryan Coogler is back directing the sequel and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will once again feature Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, and Danai Gurira.

Listen to Tems’ “No Woman, No Cry” above.

Joey Badass has released his long-awaited follow-up to All-Amerikkkan Badass, 2000. A spiritual successor to his breakthrough mixtape, 1999, the new album is proving to be an early favorite, with appearances from rappers like Westside Gunn, Larry June, and JID. However, one unlisted feature that is getting a lot of attention is Nas, the rap icon to whom Joey drew comparisons when he dropped his debut in 2012. However, rather than appearing as a featured artist, Nas contributes to a short sketch on the outro of “Cruise Control.”

In an AMA on Reddit today, fans wondered why Nas’s voice appears in a skit rather than rapping, prompting Joey to offer a response explaining his hero’s glaring absence. “Man Nas is one of my all time favorites and one of my biggest influences,” he wrote. “I really wanted him to rap on the project but time didn’t permit so I asked him to just say a few words for me in a jazz club setting. And I gotta say, the feeling is equally satisfying to just have his blessing and presence on the project anyway.”

Another feature that drew attention, albeit much more negative attention, was Chris Brown’s feature on “Welcome Back.” When fans asked about the feature, Joey gave a pragmatic response, turning the question around on the inquirer. “Chris Brown is one of the most talented artist musicians of all time are you kidding me?” he asked. “It was an honor that he was even so willing to be a part of my album. He’s also a friend of mine. I get it, you guys may not think he’s perfect or cool because of things he’s done in his past, but which one of you guys are perfect?”

And just for fun, here’s a cute exchange between Joey and fellow rapper Guap, formerly known as Guapdad 4000.

The Chicago Bears are currently looking to potentially build a new stadium in Arlington Heights, a suburb 30 miles northwest of their current location at Soldier Field, at the site of Arlington International Racecourse, which they have begun the process of purchasing and plan on closing on the property in the next year.

The city of Chicago, of course, doesn’t want to lose the Bears given what they mean to the city and the amount of people the draw to Chicago on gamedays, and on Monday, mayor Lori Lightfoot detailed a $2.2 billion proposal to upgrade Soldier Field, putting what appears to be a windowed dome on top, along with building up the area around it with retail space, housing, entertainment and more.

As always, there’s the question of whether the city should be spending this much money on a sports stadium, even with the economic implications of the Bears leaving, but it also remains to be seen if the Bears would even want to stay with a massive renovation. They’ve been very clear about their plans to move forward with the Arlington Heights stadium build, with the potential to put a casino on site and more to make it a destination, despite their lease with the city of Chicago and Soldier Field running through 2033.

Maybe their push to move was always a leverage play to get the city to put this kind of money into the stadium, but at this point this feels like a last gasp move from Chicago and the Bears will follow a number of other teams into moving out of city centers and to the suburbs.

Aside from all of that, I will say that as a general fan of weather games, seeing another team move indoors (whether Soldier Field or a new stadium), while understandable, will feel like a loss. There’s something about football in the elements that feels right, but pretty much every new stadium being built now has a roof and climate control that strips that away.