by: Nick Schultz 2 hours ago NickSchultz_7
As the Chicago Bears put together a 10-4 record entering this week’s rematch with the Green Bay Packers, the franchise’s search for a new stadium continued. Wednesday night, it took another turn.
Team president Kevin Warren announced the Bears are expanding their search to areas outside Chicago as they look to leave Soldier Field. That includes Northwest Indiana as a potential option.
The announcement comes after the Bears learned the proposed stadium in Arlington Heights – roughly 25 miles outside Chicago – will not be a priority in the Illinois state legislature. As a result, the franchise is keeping its options open, though Arlington Heights would still be the ideal location in Cook County. Warren said the expanded search is not about leverage, though.
“For a project of this scale, uncertainty has significant consequences,” Warren wrote in an open letter released Wednesday. “Stable timelines are critical, as are predictable processes and elected leaders, who share a sense of urgency and appreciation for public partnership that projects with this level of impact require. We have not received that sense of urgency or appreciation to date. 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.
“Consequently, in addition to Arlington Park, we need to expand our search and critically evaluate opportunities throughout the wider Chicagoland region, including Northwest Indiana. 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. 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.”