Pride and joy of Northwest Indiana? Bears president floats move as deal for Arlington Park stalls

Stymied by hopes of a property tax break and infrastructure dollars for a new stadium and entertainment complex in Arlington Heights, Chicago Bears officials Wednesday expanded their stadium search across state lines to Northwest Indiana.

In a letter to season ticket holders, team President/CEO Kevin Warren decried a lack of “legislative partnership” in Springfield for state support that would allow the team to build on the 326-acre Northwest suburban property it purchased in 2023.

“In addition to Arlington Park, we need to expand our search and critically evaluate opportunities throughout the wider Chicagoland region, including Northwest Indiana,” Warren wrote. “This is not about leverage. We spent years trying to build a new home in Cook County. We invested significant time and resources evaluating multiple sites and rationally decided on Arlington Heights.

“Our fans deserve a world-class stadium,” he continued. “Our players and coaches deserve a venue that matches the championship standard they strive for every day. With that in mind, our organization must keep every credible pathway open to deliver that future.”

The Bears flirted with a move to Gary, Indiana, in the mid-1990s before reaching a deal in 2000 with Chicago and Illinois lawmakers over renovations to Soldier Field. The Bears’ current lease with the Chicago Park District for the lakefront stadium expires in 2033.

But legislators today have remained resistant — most recently, during the fall veto session in October — to the NFL franchise’s request for a long-term property tax break. The Bears have argued that’s necessary to make the long-contemplated move to the suburbs a reality.

The so-called megaproject legislation would allow the team to negotiate with local taxing authorities, including school districts, over the amount of taxes that should be paid for up to 40 years at the old Arlington Park racetrack site.

So, too, have lawmakers been unwilling to support the team’s ask for $855 million worth of public infrastructure dollars for roads, utilities and site improvements.

Warren called the tax break bill “reasonable property tax certainty” to secure financing for the project, which has been previously estimated at $5 billion and would be one of the largest redevelopment projects in Illinois history.

“We have not received that sense of urgency or appreciation to date,” Warren said of state officials. “We have been told directly by state leadership, our project will not be a priority in 2026, despite the benefits it will bring to Illinois.”

Gov. JB Pritzker Wednesday criticized Warren’s latest stadium search pivot.

“Suggesting the Bears would move to Indiana is a startling slap in the face to all the beloved and loyal fans who have been rallying around the team during this strong season,” a Pritzker spokesman said in a statement. “The governor’s a Bears fan who has always wanted them to stay in Chicago. He has also said that ultimately they are a private business that makes their own decisions, but the governor has also been clear that the bottom line for any private business development should not come at the full expense of taxpayers.”

In a statement Wednesday night, Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia continued to advocate for — and encouraged state legislators to move forward with — the megaproject bill that he said “will help to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois, within the limits of Cook County, and ultimately — in Arlington Heights.”

Warren on Wednesday didn’t formally shift the team’s stadium development focus away from Arlington Heights — as he did in 2024 — and he reiterated in the letter that the sprawling site is “the best and only path forward in Cook County given there are no other viable alternatives.”

That’s a likely reference to the 48.6-acre former Michael Reese Hospital property in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, which is favored by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, but that the Bears have rejected as too narrow.

Warren’s statement also reflects the reality of Pritzker and state lawmakers’ lack of enthusiasm for the team’s earlier $4.7 billion lakefront public stadium plan that was backed by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Meanwhile, legislation designed to lure the Bears to the Hoosier state — by creating the Northwest Indiana Professional Sports Development Commission — earned legislative approval in April. The measure authorizes the commission to prepare a comprehensive master plan for building facilities and other infrastructure necessary for attracting a professional sports franchise to the area.

Warren’s letter didn’t mention any specific locations the team may be eyeing in Indiana.

Pritzker has expressed support for the megaproject concept, but in September declared it a “prerequisite” for the Bears to first pay off some $500 million still owed for the 2003 Soldier Field renovations.

During negotiations at the end of October, the Bears offered to pay $25 million of the balance. But they’ve generally maintained they’re not responsible for the outstanding debt held by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, which issued bonds backed by a 2% Chicago hotel tax to pay for the Soldier Field work.

Legislators return to Springfield Jan. 13.