As the Chicago Bears look toward the future, the franchise is weighing up the location of its future home between potential sites in Arlington Heights, Illinois and Hammond, Indiana
09:24 ET, 03 Apr 2026Updated 09:24 ET, 03 Apr 2026
Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren recently addressed the future home of the franchise
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Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren recently addressed the future home of the franchise(Image: Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears have set a hard deadline of late spring or early summer before deciding on the future of their $5 billion new stadium.
The Bears have played at Soldier Field since 1971, and while the venue is iconic, it hasn’t been updated since 2003. The organization is keen to move forward and shared renderings of a new $5 billion stadium during the 2025 NFL season.
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The process began five years ago when the team purchased land in the northwest Chicago suburb. Now, the Bears face a choice between a domed stadium in Hammond, Indiana, and one in Arlington Heights, Illinois, where the team already owns 326 acres of land - and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is pushing for a decision.
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On Wednesday, Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren confirmed at the NFL’s league meetings that the Bears are targeting a decision by late spring or early summer. He told reporters: “We’re in an excellent position. I recently said that the target is to make sure we have a decision made by springtime here soon. Late spring, early summer would be that from a target.”
The Bears are weighing up potentially leaving the state of Illinois following a delay in negotiations. The franchise has never played home games outside Illinois since its founding in 1920, and moving across to another state would represent a major shift.
“I’ve said to our family, we need to be patient and let the deal come to us,” Bears chairman George H. McCaskey said. “We think a deal will materialize somewhere. We’re comfortable with either site.”
McCaskey revealed that the Bears staff is actively working with public officials in both Indiana and Illinois to make a deal happen. He continued: “I don’t think in the end it’s going to matter to people. Back in 1976, the New York Giants went to New Jersey. They’ve been there ever since, and the Jets joined them shortly after.”
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The 70-year-old added: “And whether we go to Arlington Park or to Hammond, there is going to be an adjustment period. People will need time to get used to it. I think Bears fans are up to it.”
The Bears are now awaiting the Illinois PILOT bill, which could pass during the state assembly’s spring session ending May 31. The legislation could prove pivotal; if passed, the bill could freeze property tax assessments on “megaprojects” and allow developers to negotiate payments instead of taxes with local governments.
Warren insisted tax certainty is critical to the Bears’ future moving forward, which is why the franchise turned to Indiana in the first place. He declared: “We would not be able to build a stadium without tax certainty.
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“Fortunately, Indiana offers that certainty. There are no property taxes for our stadium there. But in Illinois, we need that assurance to even consider the opportunity.”