Grounds crew members glow snow off the sphere at Soldier Area through the first half of an NFL soccer divisional playoff recreation between the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Chicago.
Nam Y. Huh/AP
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Nam Y. Huh/AP
Illinois lawmakers will debate laws this week that might persuade The Chicago Bears to remain within the metropolis’s suburbs, after Indiana’s legislature final month handed a invoice that might open the door for a brand new stadium to be in-built northwest Indiana. Here is what you might want to know:
What’s Indiana providing?
On Feb. 26, Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed into regulation a invoice that approved funding for a brand new stadium within the Indiana city of Hammond, which is about 28 miles from Chicago.
“I am thrilled to signal Senate Invoice 27 to create the framework to construct a brand new world-class stadium in Northwest Indiana. Now let’s get this throughout the aim line,” Braun mentioned in a publish on X.
The Bears mentioned in a press release — issued shortly after the invoice handed, however earlier than the governor signed it –- that the workforce was “grateful” for Indiana’s management “establishing the framework for a stadium growth in Northwest Indiana.”
How is Illinois responding?
In 2023, The Bears bought a 326-acre, $197.2 million property in Arlington Heights, In poor health., for a possible new stadium. However largely as a consequence of considerations over property taxes, the timeline on building stays unclear.
Though the Bears mentioned they deliberate to pay for the stadium itself, a workforce advisor report launched in October revealed the Bears are literally in search of $855 million in public funding to cowl the stadium’s infrastructure prices.
Illinois lawmakers this week will return to the state capital, Springfield, to debate a invoice that might give builders of enormous building initiatives, often known as “mega initiatives,” a break on property taxes. Whereas this might pave the way in which for building on a brand new stadium, critics say it may additionally hike up property taxes whereas giving breaks to a greater than $8 billion franchise.
However now that Indiana has taken concrete steps to entice the workforce to cross the state line, Illinois lawmakers are feeling the strain to maintain maintain of the workforce.
In his first “State of the Village” deal with since taking workplace final yr, Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia hinted that the Bears will strike a take care of Indiana if Illinois does not act within the subsequent few weeks.
“Ready till the top of Could, I feel, is a no-go for the Bears,” Tingalia mentioned. “They’ve already been by way of the [wringer] too many instances.”
Why do the Bears desire a new stadium?
Soldier Area, the place the Bears have performed since 1971, is the NFL’s smallest stadium with 61,500 seats.
The Bears don’t personal Soldier Area, however as a substitute lease the stadium, and their lease runs by way of 2033. Proudly owning their very own stadium would give The Bears management over operations, scheduling and income from ticket gross sales, concessions, parking and extra.
Soldier Area is an open-air stadium, and workforce executives have additionally mentioned they need to construct an enclosed stadium that might permit for wintertime internet hosting of different main sporting occasions, such because the Tremendous Bowl or NCAA Last 4 video games.
Though the Bears have but to announce the place their new stadium can be, Kevin Warren, the workforce’s President and CEO, mentioned in an open letter that the workforce wants to guage alternatives along with Arlington Park, together with northwest Indiana.
“The stakes for Illinois are vital: hundreds of union jobs, year-round sights and world occasions made attainable by a set roof stadium that would supply long-term income for the State,” Warren mentioned. “For a venture of this scale, uncertainty has vital penalties.”
