Overview
- The Bears said state leaders told them the Arlington Park project would not be a 2026 priority, prompting an open-letter announcement to evaluate sites across the wider Chicagoland region, including Northwest Indiana.
- The team and Arlington Heights released consultant reports seeking about $855 million for roads, utilities and site work plus a state law enabling fixed property-tax payments through a PILOT mechanism.
- Club officials maintain they are not requesting state taxpayer dollars to construct the stadium itself, framing the ask as infrastructure funding and tax predictability to secure financing.
- No Indiana site or deal has been selected, and the Bears state their commitment to Chicago communities continues even as alternatives are reviewed.
- Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker criticized shifting costs to taxpayers, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun welcomed talks, and economists such as J.C. Bradbury questioned vague relocation threats and the promised public returns of stadium subsidies.