Property transfer documents obtained by the Daily Herald reveal the Bears are barred from opening a land-based casino at Arlington Park — a restrictive covenant that is in conflict with the spirit, if not the letter, of a 2021 Arlington Heights village ordinance that sought to preserve gambling options.

A 23-page special warranty deed filed with the Cook County clerk’s office prevents the new property owner from adding casino gambling such as slots and table games — or even seeking a license — at the 326-acre site it bought from Churchill Downs Inc., for $197.2 million.

The May 3, 2021 village ordinance banned restrictive covenants for 11 types of gambling permitted under municipal code, including “gambling games conducted on riverboats.”