The Chicago Bears appeared to be just one step away from finally building their new stadium in Arlington Heights. All they needed was some legislation from the state government in Springfield to help cover the infrastructure costs. They would pay for everything else, which is not common in these situations. Yet Governor J.B. Pritzker has remained steadfastly opposed to giving the Bears any taxpayer money to help with the project, and took it a step further by basically telling the franchise their issue won’t be addressed in 2026 either.
That statement had consequences. Team president Kevin Warren delivered a public statement on Wednesday saying the Bears have exhausted their attempts to work with Illinois on getting the project off the ground. As a result, he’s reopening the search for a new location, and this time he included the idea of northwest Indiana as a possibility. Leaving the state outright was not something anyone thought the Bears would consider. Some believe it’s just a bluff—a leverage play. Adam Hoge of CHGO made it crystal clear that it is not.
The Bears are dead serious.
In fact, let’s be perfectly clear: Northwest Indiana is now a serious player to land the Bears’ stadium. This is real.
And the most important reason is because Chairman George McCaskey is on board. Warren’s letter doesn’t get published without McCaskey’s sign-off. According to a source involved in the stadium negotiations, McCaskey was reluctant to use Indiana as a viable option until he was actually prepared to move there.
Which brings us to the sentence of Warren’s letter that actually matters the most: “We have been told directly by State leadership, our project will not be a priority in 2026, despite the benefits it will bring to Illinois.”
That message came from Gov. JB Pritzker’s office.
And inside Halas Hall, it was viewed as the final straw.
The Chicago Bears aren’t the only ones upset about this.
People in the NFL offices are also unhappy. Several other teams have completed the process of passing legislation to facilitate the construction of new stadiums. Illinois is the only place making it this difficult, despite the Bears’ willingness to pay far more privately than any of the other teams. What makes the Indiana threat far more convincing is that the legislative issue has already been addressed. Earlier this year, the state passed House Bill 1292. It established a commission meant to develop a plan to attract major sports franchises to the northwestern region, including infrastructure and financing.
The Chicago Bears would simply need to find a suitable plot of land that aligns with their vision for the stadium. Once done, Indiana is fully prepared to help them pay to make it a reality. Don’t forget. The likely area where the Bears would build is practically the same distance from downtown Chicago as Arlington Heights is. Are you starting to see the danger? Why would the organization stay in a place where they’re not getting any help when they have an alternative filled with people ready to roll out the red carpet?
Pritzker better be careful. He could quickly see his career as governor defined by the fact that he allowed the most storied sports franchise in Illinois’ history to leave the state.
