The Chicago Bears’ route to build a new home in Illinois is getting clearer following discussions over a proposal that would shake up the stadium’s ownership structure.
The proposal would likely involve the Bears financing the construction of the stadium in suburban Arlington Heights and leasing it from an entity created by the village. It would remove the stadium from the local property tax rolls.
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The latest plan to keep the team in Illinois, which passed the Illinois Senate in May, is at the heart of discussions between Bears top brass and state leadership, according to Crain's Chicago Business. The proposal has yet to be brought before the Illinois House but could be during the state legislature’s veto session next month.
The move would mark a shift from the Bears’ previous pursuit of a model in which the team would own the stadium but negotiate payments to Arlington Heights and area school districts in lieu of taxes.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and team minority owner Pat Ryan met with Gov. JB Pritzker and other top legislators Thursday to discuss the Bears’ stadium plans, Capitol News Insider first reported. These discussions are centered on creating legislation with broad-based political support, according to Crain’s.
“It is something that I think would be very important for us to advance sooner rather than later, and, indeed, I think the veto session is exactly the right time,” Pritzker told Capitol News Insider.
The Illinois Legislature’s fall veto session is shorter than its spring session, taking place Nov. 17-19 and Dec. 1-3.
The team’s board of directors “voted to advance” its project in Hammond, Indiana, in June but stopped short of fully committing to the Hoosier State.
The team released a statement in June, following the conclusion of the spring session, saying it would announce its next steps in late spring or early summer. That timeline has come and passed without a firm decision.
Although discussions to keep the team in Illinois have picked up steam, an Indiana stadium deal is still in play.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed a bill at the end of February that dangles significant financial incentives for the team to make its home in Hammond. The Bears would invest more than $2B in the new stadium project, while Indiana would put in roughly $1B through several taxes.
The Bears kicked off their quest for a new home when they signed a $197M purchase agreement for the Arlington Heights site in 2021. Since then, the team has cycled through several sites, including the Indiana location and a separate Chicago lakefront proposal.
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