Faced with the lack of urgency from Illinois authorities to approve their new stadium project, the Chicago Bears are studying other options, including leaving the state.
The NFL franchise has played at Soldier Field for over a hundred years. The building constructed in 1924 and renovated in the early 2000s would no longer be suitable for the organization, which has already evaluated several options.
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The Bears purchased land in the suburbs of Chicago, in Arlington Heights, in 2023. However, negotiations with the state are not moving forward.
“State leaders have directly told us that our project will not be a priority in 2026. Therefore, in addition to Arlington Park, we must expand our search and critically evaluate options in the greater Chicago area, including northwest Indiana,” President Kevin Warren explained in a letter to supporters.
With the city of Chicago located just a few miles from the Indiana border, the change would not be extreme. The Bears say they have no choice in exploring further.
“Our fans deserve a world-class stadium. Our players and coaches deserve a field that meets the very high standards they work for every day. With this in mind, the organization must look at all possible avenues to be able to make this future possible,” Warren wrote.
The Bears are having their best season in a long time, going 10-4. They have just one loss in six games at Soldier Field.
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