ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (WLS) -- The Chicago Bears are prioritizing Arlington Heights for their new stadium, a statement from Mayor Brandon Johnson's office said Friday.
Johnson spoke with Bears executive leadership, who indicated they intend to prioritize the Arlington Heights site, the statement said.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
Johnson said the door remains open to the Bears in Chicago.
Arlington Heights recently approved a deal to open a formal review of the Bears' $5 billion plan to build a stadium in the suburb.
The Bears have owned the 326-acre property at the former Arlington racetrack for more than a year. They've released drawings of a planned stadium and entertainment complex, but then turned their pursuit to a new downtown Chicago stadium.
While a new downtown stadium has a lot of supporters, no one has yet figured out how to pay for the extensive infrastructure improvements needed.
The Bears have said they are also still considering their proposal to stay on the Chicago lakefront, building a new stadium next to their current home, Soldier Field.
Arlington Heights officials say the financial analysis as well as traffic impact studies could take several weeks or even months.
But, if the numbers work out, they are hoping to see construction equipment on the property sometime soon.
The video in the player above is from an earlier report.
Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.