Chicago Bears Explore Stadium Options in Arlington Heights and Hammond

The Chicago Bears remain at the center of a high-stakes stadium saga as franchise leadership weighs a potential move across state lines against keeping the storied NFL team in Illinois. For the Chicago teams playing today and in the future, the venue question involves evaluating sites in Arlington Heights, the northwest suburbs, and Hammond, Indiana.

In February 2023, the franchise purchased a site in Arlington Heights to build a new enclosed stadium with a massive entertainment and residential development. However, after the Illinois legislature adjourned its summer session without resolving last-ditch efforts for a public-private ownership deal and property tax relief, the team shifted its focus toward Northwest Indiana. Bears Chairman George McCaskey and President and CEO Kevin Warren announced in August that the team board of directors voted to proceed with plans for Hammond, centering on the Lost Marsh Golf Course and the Wolf Lake Terminals.

Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed Senate Bill 27 on February 26, establishing a financial framework for a taxpayer-financed stadium and mixed-use entertainment district in Hammond. Republican lawmakers in Indiana have championed the proposal as an incredible economic opportunity and a strategic advantage over Illinois.

Meanwhile, efforts to keep the franchise in Illinois have seen recent developments. In an October 1 meeting, Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois legislative leaders met in person with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and minority owner Pat Ryan, alongside key General Assembly negotiators state Senator Bill Cunningham and state Representative Kam Buckner. Notably absent from the downtown meeting were McCaskey and Warren, whose previous dealings with Illinois lawmakers have sometimes been strained.

The Chicago Bears are evaluating stadium proposals in both Arlington Heights and Hammond.

Other external proposals have emerged without team participation, including an informal pitch by Sterling Bay CEO Andy Gloor to place the stadium in Bridgeport on the site of the White Sox's Rate Field, which the team declined to pursue. As ownership works through its evaluation timeline, the final decision will determine the future home of the franchise.

Why it matters

The ongoing stadium decisions affect the economic landscape and sports infrastructure of both Illinois and Northwest Indiana. A potential relocation to Hammond would create significant economic advantages for Indiana while altering the long-standing community ties the team holds in the Chicago area.