CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears say they are considering moving to northwest Indiana in an effort to secure public funding they need to build an indoor stadium in Illinois.
Team president Kevin Warren emphasized in an open letter to fans Wednesday that the team still prefers to build a new home on land in suburban Arlington Heights, Illinois. He also said bears aren’t using the threat of crossing state lines as an advantage.
Advertising
“It’s not about making a profit,” Warren said. “We spent years trying to build a new home in Cook County. We invested significant time and resources in evaluating multiple sites and rationally decided on Arlington Heights. Our fans deserve a world-class stadium. Our players and coaches deserve a place that matches the championship standard they strive for every day.”
Warren did not say where in northwest Indiana the bears appear to be moving.
The letter comes just days before Chicago hosts rival Green Bay in a game with heavy playoff implications. The Bears (10-4) hold a slim lead over the Packers (9-4-1) in the NFC North. In their first season under coach Ben Johnson, they are trying to secure their first postseason appearance since 2020.
“Bears have called Chicago home for over a century,” Warren said. “One certainty is that our commitment to this city will not change. We will continue to provide unwavering support to the community. We need to secure a world-class venue for our passionate fanbase and honor the energy you bring every week.”
Advertising
The Bears’ focus for a new home has fluctuated between the Chicago lakefront in Arlington Heights and then the land they own in the suburbs. They plan to pay for the construction of the stadium on the site of the racetrack 30 miles northwest of their longtime home in Soldier Field, though they need help to complete the project.
According to a team consultant’s report released in September, they are seeking $855 million in public funding for infrastructure to build a stadium in Arlington Heights that could host the Final Four and Super Bowls. The Bears were also hoping the Illinois Legislature would pass a bill in October that would freeze property taxes for large-scale construction projects like the stadium, allowing them to begin construction this year. But that didn’t happen.
“For a project of this scale, uncertainty has significant consequences,” Warren said. “Stable timelines are important, as are predictable processes and elected leaders, who share a sense of urgency and appreciation for the public partnership that projects with this level of impact require. We have not received that sense of urgency or appreciation to date. We have been told directly by state leadership, our project will not prioritize in 2026, it will bring benefits.
In September 2022, the Bears unveiled a nearly $5 billion plan for Arlington Heights that also called for restaurants, retail and more, while they were finalizing the purchase of the site, about 30 miles from Soldier Field. After Warren was named president two years ago, replacing the retired Ted Phillips, their focus shifted to building a new stadium next to Soldier Field. The plan to transform Chicago’s museum campus received enthusiastic support from Mayor Brandon Johnson, but was met with poor reception by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and state legislators when it was announced in April 2024.
Advertising
Last spring, the team announced it was returning its focus to Arlington Heights, citing “significant progress” with local leaders.
Since moving to Chicago in 1921, the Bears have not owned their own stadium, whether playing at Wrigley Field or Soldier Field from 1921 to 1970. ___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
