Why the Chicago Bears could be moving to Indiana : NPR

Members of the grounds crew shine snow on the field at Soldier Field during the first half of an NFL football divisional playoff game between the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Chicago.

Nam Y. Huh/AP

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Nam Y. Huh/AP

Illinois lawmakers will debate legislation this week that could persuade the Chicago Bears to stay in the city’s suburbs, after the Indiana Legislature last month passed a bill that would open the door to building a new stadium in northwest Indiana. Here’s what you need to know:

What does Indiana offer?

On February 26, Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed a bill into law authorizing funding for a new stadium in the town of Hammond, Indiana, about 28 miles from Chicago.

“I am pleased to sign Senate Bill 27 to create the framework needed to build a new world-class stadium in Northwest Indiana. Now let’s move to the finish line,” Braun said in a statement. post on.

The Bears said in a statement — released shortly after the bill passed, but before the governor signed it — that the team was “grateful” to Indiana leaders “who established the framework for the development of a stadium in Northwest Indiana.”

How is Illinois responding?

In 2023, the Bears purchased a 326-acre property worth $197.2 million in Arlington Heights, Illinois for a potential new stadium. But largely because of concerns about property taxes, the construction timeline remains unclear.

Although the Bears have said they plan to pay for the stadium itself, a team consultant’s report released in October revealed that the Bears were actually seeking $855 million in public funding to cover stadium infrastructure costs.

Illinois lawmakers will return to the state capital, Springfield, this week to debate a bill This would give developers of large construction projects, also called “megaprojects,” a property tax break. While it could pave the way for a new stadium to be built, critics say it could also raise property taxes while giving breaks to a franchise of more than 8 billion dollars.

But now that Indiana has taken concrete steps to entice the team across the state line, Illinois lawmakers are feeling the pressure to keep the team.

In his first “State of the Village” address since taking office last year, Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia hinted that the Bears will make a deal with Indiana if Illinois doesn’t act in the coming weeks.

“I think waiting until the end of May is a no-no for the Bears,” Tingalia said. “They have already crossed the [wringer] too many times.”

Why do the Bears want a new stadium?

Soldier Field, where the Bears have played since 1971, is the NFL’s smallest stadium with 61,500 seats.

The Bears do not own Soldier Field, but lease the stadium, and their lease runs through 2033. Owning their own stadium would give the Bears control of operations, scheduling and revenue from ticket sales, concessions, parking and more.

Soldier Field is an open-air stadium, and team officials have also said they want to build an enclosed stadium that would accommodate other major sporting events, such as the Super Bowl or NCAA Final Four games, in the winter.

Although the Bears have not yet announced where their new stadium will be located, Kevin Warren, president and CEO of the team, said in an open letter that the team needs to evaluate opportunities beyond Arlington Park, including Northwest Indiana.

“The stakes for Illinois are high: thousands of union jobs, year-round attractions and world events made possible by a fixed-roof stadium that would provide long-term revenue to the state,” Warren said. “For a project of this scale, uncertainty has significant consequences.”