Bears Expand Stadium Search Beyond Arlington Heights, Eyeing Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana

Overview

• Team leaders said they will evaluate options outside Cook County after progress on the Arlington Heights plan stalled.
• The Bears bought the 326-acre Arlington Park site in 2023 for a proposed domed stadium but later disclosed about a $100 million property-tax gap.
• Negotiations with Illinois officials over predictable taxes and public infrastructure have not yielded an agreement, though the club says it is ready to invest more than $2 billion privately.
• Indiana officials, including the governor, have publicly courted the team, and project materials tied to Arlington Heights cite roughly $855 million in road and utility needs.
• The Bears’ lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033, and the team has indicated it could buy out the deal if a new site is secured.