The Chicago Bears have again made clear that they are moving away from the city as they evaluate two stadium sites outside Chicago. The team said there is no workable location left in the city and that only Arlington Heights in Illinois and Hammond in Indiana remain under consideration.
That latest message reinforces a shift that has been building for months as the franchise searches for an enclosed stadium project it can control. It also raises the possibility that the Bears could leave Soldier Field, where they have played for more than half a century.
Chicago no longer appears to be in play
In a statement, the Bears said they had “exhausted every opportunity to stay in Chicago,” adding that “there is not a viable site in the city.” The club said the remaining options are the suburban parcel in Arlington Heights and the Hammond site across the state line in Indiana.
The wording matters because it marks another strong signal that the organization sees its future elsewhere. Chicago had been the initial target, but the team now says its stadium search has narrowed to locations beyond the city limits.
Two competing bids remain
Arlington Heights remains the Bears’ Illinois option, built around a 326-acre tract of land owned by the team. Illinois lawmakers have already responded with legislation aimed at giving tax breaks to megaprojects of at least $100 million, which would cover the Bears’ proposed development.
Hammond is the Indiana alternative, where lawmakers are trying to attract the team with a plan to finance and build a domed stadium. The location is about 25 miles from Soldier Field and would place the Bears in a different state while keeping them in the Chicago metro area.
Warren points to a decision coming soon
Team president Kevin Warren said last month at the NFL’s annual league meeting in Arizona that the Bears hoped to pick a site for a new enclosed stadium in Illinois or Indiana late this spring or early in the summer. He also described both locations as strong possibilities.
The latest statement suggests that timeline still stands, even as the organization makes its position on Chicago more explicit. By repeating that the city is no longer a viable option, the Bears are signaling that the decision now centers on which suburb or nearby market will host the next phase of the franchise’s stadium plans.
A long history without ownership
The Bears are one of the NFL’s charter franchises and have played in Illinois since they began as the Decatur Staleys in 1920. After moving to Chicago in 1921, the team has never owned its stadium, spending decades at Wrigley Field before shifting to Soldier Field.
That history gives added weight to the current debate, since the organization has spent generations as a tenant rather than a stadium owner. The search now appears focused on finding a home that gives the team more control, with the city of Chicago no longer part of the equation.
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