Bears Weigh Stadium Options in Illinois and Indiana

Team expects to decide on new home by late spring or early summer

Apr. 3, 2026 at 3:20am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the outline of a football stadium and surrounding urban landscape, broken down into sharp, angular geometric shapes in shades of navy, green, and grey, conveying the complexity and competing factors involved in the Bears' stadium decision.The Bears' search for a new stadium home in Illinois or Indiana is a complex, multi-faceted decision with high stakes for the team and local communities.Hammond Today

The Chicago Bears are considering two potential sites for a new stadium - one in Arlington Heights, Illinois and another in Hammond, Indiana. The team's chairman and president/CEO provided an update on the stadium decision process, noting that tax certainty is a critical factor in determining the final location.

Why it matters

The Bears' stadium decision will have major implications for the team's future and the surrounding communities. A new state-of-the-art stadium could provide an economic boost, but securing the necessary tax incentives and legislation has been a challenge in both states.

The details

The Bears currently own 326 acres of land at the site of the old Arlington International Racecourse in Illinois. However, they are still seeking tax certainty from the Illinois General Assembly in the form of legislation that would freeze property taxes and allow developers to negotiate a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement. In Indiana, the state has already passed legislation to provide tax certainty for a 340-acre site in Hammond that the Bears are also considering.

  • The Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to be in session through May 31, when the Bears hope to have tax certainty resolved.
  • In February, the state of Indiana passed legislation to provide tax certainty for the Bears' potential stadium site in Hammond.

The players

George H. McCaskey

Chairman of the Chicago Bears.

Kevin Warren

President and CEO of the Chicago Bears.

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What they’re saying

“We have been working on our stadium and feel very strongly that we are making progress. We are in an excellent position. The target is to make sure that we have a decision made by late spring, early summer.”

— Kevin Warren, President and CEO, Chicago Bears

“The fact of the matter is we don't have a deal to consider right now. In Indiana, we have a great site. There's some due diligence that needs to be completed before we can fully evaluate the site, and we have a legislative framework in place. In Arlington Heights, we have a site that's shovel-ready, but we don't yet have a legislative framework.”

— George H. McCaskey, Chairman, Chicago Bears

What’s next

The Bears expect to make a decision on the stadium location by late spring or early summer, once the necessary tax certainty legislation is resolved in Illinois.

The takeaway

The Bears' stadium decision is a high-stakes process that will shape the team's future and have significant economic implications for the surrounding communities. Securing the right legislative framework and tax incentives is crucial, and the team is weighing options in both Illinois and Indiana.