Bears 2026 Stadium Search May Be Coming to an End
The Chicago Bears have been looking for a location for their brand new stadium for five years now, with plenty of twists and turns. Despite purchasing land in Arlington Heights, Illinois, in 2021, the Bears have been unable to strike a deal with the state to build their stadium there. The organization has made it clear they want to stay in Illinois, but because the city of Chicago has not agreed to the Bears’ terms on the cost of a new stadium, they’ve had no choice but to look outside the state. The Bears have started to ramp up with the city of Hammond, Indiana, as they are the current frontrunners. Indiana has been much easier for the Bears to work with, meaning the fans may have to accept a reality where the team plays in another state. Fortunately, however, some recent news has possibly turned the tide and put an end to these talks before the NFL Draft this week.
ESPN’s David Kaplan shared that the Bears are getting close to an agreement for the Arlington Heights location and that the end is near. “I am more convinced than ever that the Bears will be building their new stadium in Arlington Heights,” he said. “I expect a vote in the next 10 days to approve the Mega Projects bill. And, it will be a bipartisan deal that gets it done.” This is the first sign in a long time that points towards the Bears staying in the state of Illinois, as fans have been against moving out of state. With the NFL Draft approaching, the team wants to have this decision done before it happens and finally focus on building their new home. Despite a positive sign towards staying in Illinois, there’s still a big chance they'll move to Indiana.
Team president Kevin Warren and members of the Bears staff visited Hammond, Indiana, to continue their talks with the Mayor, Thomas McDermott. As the Bears continue to build their relationship with the city of Hammond, it only means that Arlington Heights will need to act fast. The Bears know they have a guaranteed option in Indiana, which means Illinois has very little time left to make a move. With the NFL Draft days away, the Bears’ new stadium decision should be at the finish line. After five years of talks, a stake should be planted in the ground sometime this year.
