Developer Proposes Building Chicago Bears Stadium in McCook

McCook mayor says idea is a longshot, but a racino proposal is more interesting

Jan. 29, 2026 at 9:55pm

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A developer has approached the mayor of McCook, Illinois with a proposal to build an 80,000-seat stadium for the Chicago Bears at a site in the village. While the mayor acknowledges the idea is a longshot, he says a separate proposal for a racino (casino with horse racing track) on the same site is more interesting to him.

Why it matters

The Chicago Bears have been searching for a location to build a new stadium, with Arlington Heights and other areas being considered. If McCook, a small village of just 249 residents, were able to land the Bears' new home, it would be a major economic development coup for the community.

The details

The developer proposed building the stadium at the southeast corner of 55th Street and East Avenue in McCook, on a site owned by Vulcan Materials Company. The stadium design would be modeled after the Dallas Cowboys' home. In addition to the stadium, the proposal includes plans for a "future entertainment district & parking" east of the stadium. Just days after hearing the Bears stadium proposal, the mayor received another call from a developer interested in building a racino (casino with horse racing track) on the same site.

  • The developer contacted McCook Mayor Terrance Carr a few weeks ago with the Bears stadium proposal.
  • On January 20, 2026, a developer called the mayor about the possibility of building a racino on the same site.

The players

Terrance Carr

The mayor of McCook, Illinois who received proposals from developers about building a Chicago Bears stadium and a racino in the village.

Vulcan Materials Company

The Birmingham, Alabama-based company that owns the site proposed for the Bears stadium and potential racino development in McCook.

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What they’re saying

“A developer came to us to throw the idea out there. Is it for real? Everything's for real.”

— Terrance Carr, Mayor of McCook (southwestregionalpublishing.com)

“That is more interesting to me than anything.”

— Terrance Carr, Mayor of McCook (southwestregionalpublishing.com)

What’s next

The mayor says he will "run it up the channels and see what happens" regarding the racino proposal for the site.

The takeaway

While a Chicago Bears stadium in the small village of McCook seems highly unlikely, the mayor's interest in a racino development on the same site suggests the village is open to major new commercial projects that could transform the community.