Goodell: Bears need to find stadium solution, soon

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants the Bears to find a solution to their stadium search “sooner rather than later.” He made the comments Tuesday at the league’s annual meetings in Phoenix.

“It’s really important that there come a resolution and it’s relatively soon,” Goodell said. “It’s important. I’ve spoken to officials in Illinois. This is an important time to get this resolved sooner rather than later.”

The comments came as the Bears continue their search for a location to build a new stadium. The team is considering building on 326 acres they own in Arlington Heights. It’s also considering building in Hammond, Ind.

It’s become a tradition at the league’s annual meeting for Goodell to answer a question about the Bears stadium. The franchise has been looking for a new stadium since it came to an agreement to buy the Arlington Heights property in 2021. It’s since turned into a search that went back to Chicago’s lakefront, back to Arlington Heights and now Northwest Indiana.

The search has had its share of twists since Goodell last spoke about it last year.

Indiana acted quickly after Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren opened up the team’s search in December to include Northwest Indiana. Indiana lawmakers passed and signed a bill into law in February to incentivize the Bears to move to Hammond just over the Illinois-Indiana border.

That quick action added pressure for Illinois lawmakers, who didn’t enact legislation last year allowing the Bears to negotiate a property tax rate with local governments. An Illinois House committee passed a Bears-backed megaproject legislation last month.

But it’s up in the air how much longer it will take to turn the bill into law as the House and Senate continue to negotiate.

“They’re focused on looking at the best resolution to a stadium,” Goodell said. “That’s an important element as you know to the success of a founding team.”