PHOENIX – The day following NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s emphasis on the necessity for the Chicago Bears to reach a determination “quite promptly” regarding the location of their new stadium, team president and CEO Kevin Warren presented the anticipated schedule for the team.
“We are in an excellent standing,” Warren stated Wednesday at the NFL’s league gatherings. “I recently mentioned that the objective is to ensure we finalize a decision by early spring in the near future. Late spring, early summer would be that from a target standpoint.”
The Bears will opt between constructing a domed arena in either Hammond, Ind. or Arlington Heights, Ill., where they currently possess 326 acres of land. The endeavor to depart Soldier Field, their home since 1971, commenced earnestly five years ago when the franchise acquired land in the suburb situated northwest of Chicago.
Nonetheless, the Bears have encountered impediments with the state of Illinois concerning property taxes, which prompted the team to investigate a prospective location in northwest Indiana.
“I’ve communicated to our family, ‘We must exercise patience and allow the agreement to materialize for us,'” chairman George H. McCaskey noted. “We anticipate an accord will emerge somewhere. We are content with either site. We have personnel at the Bears collaborating with public servants in both Indiana and Illinois to facilitate this outcome.”
The Bears have never competed beyond Illinois state lines since their establishment in 1920. The prospect of relocating across state borders while remaining within the Chicagoland area is something McCaskey does not believe will adversely affect their fan base.
“I don’t think ultimately it’s going to matter to people,” McCaskey commented. “Back in 1976, the New York Football Giants moved across state lines to New Jersey. They have been situated there ever since. The Jets joined them shortly thereafter. And then 35 years later, both teams had an occasion to re-evaluate their circumstances and re-committed to New Jersey. And somehow the Republic has persisted.
“When the Bears transferred from Wrigley Field to Soldier Field, it necessitated an adjustment. When we went to Champaign, it called for an adjustment. And whether we go to Arlington Park or to Hammond, there will be a transitional period. Individuals will need to be granted some time to acclimatize to it. I believe Bears fans are capable of adapting.”
The Bears are awaiting to see if the PILOT bill passes during the Illinois general assembly’s spring session, which concludes on May 31. State legislators introduced the proposed legislation, which would freeze property tax valuations on “megaproject” sites and permit developers to negotiate a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) with local administrations.
“I think the paramount aspect is, in all these major undertakings, you must possess tax certainty, which is fundamentally crucial,” Warren articulated. “We would be unable to construct a stadium without tax certainty. Fortunately, we do have tax certainty in the state of Indiana, from that perspective. There are no property taxes for our stadium in the state of Indiana, so that is assured. That legislation has been enacted. But here in Illinois, for us to even contemplate an opportunity, we must have tax certainty. Without that, we cannot advance.”
The Bears had hoped to commence construction on their new stadium in both 2024 and 2025, but nothing materialized as the team explored numerous alternatives after it struggled to reach an accord on its property taxes with Arlington Heights. Goodell voiced backing for the Bears’ endeavors on Tuesday and mentioned he had been in communication with Illinois government officials to propel the initiative forward.
“They have examined not only Indiana but also Illinois and other locations and have invested in a site (in Arlington Heights),” Goodell stated. “So I think they have been diligent with that. And I believe it’s truly vital that they come to a resolution on this fairly soon. It’s significant. I’ve spoken to officials in Illinois that this is a critical moment to get this settled.”
The Bears are also anticipating a ruling from the NFL regarding the league’s decision to not grant the team two compensatory third-round picks after Ian Cunningham was engaged as the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons in January.
Cunningham, who is Black, served as the assistant general manager in Chicago from 2022-25. Because Matt Ryan – Atlanta’s president of football operations – is regarded as the team’s chief football executive, the Bears did not receive draft remuneration as per the Rooney Rule for his departure.
McCaskey, Warren, and general manager Ryan Poles recently convened with Goodell in New York City to convey why they felt the league should award them two compensatory picks. With the NFL draft quickly approaching on April 23, the Bears anticipate hearing a decision from the league promptly.
“The league has to consider the broader implications. What are the repercussions of us deciding in a particular manner in this specific instance, and how would that be applied to the other 30 teams in the future?” McCaskey inquired. “So it’s a profound matter. It’s not a restricted examination. They have to expand the scope of their investigation.”