The Chicago Bears stadium saga has reached its peak with the NFL itself calling for “timely action”. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently flew to Illinois on Thursday for a closed-door meeting with Governor JB Pritzker and top state lawmakers. Alongside Bears minority owner Pat Ryan, league leadership stepped in to break Springfield’s ongoing legislative holdup.
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A post shared by Capitol News reporter Brendan Moore on X read,
“The Governor’s Office has remained in conversation with the Bears about their plans in Illinois throughout the summer. Today, Governor Pritzker was grateful to meet in Illinois with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Pat Ryan, Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Rep. Kam Buckner, and Sen. Bill Cunningham. The Governor and General Assembly leadership were glad to participate in a productive meeting focused on keeping the Chicago Bears in Illinois and protecting taxpayers.”
Right after the summit, the league delivered an official statement, confirmed by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport via X as a response to the statement from the governor’s office confirming the meeting.
“The NFL appreciated the opportunity to meet with Governor Pritzker and legislative leaders today. Timely action is essential as the Bears work to find a long-term stadium solution for the club and their fans.”
Chicago Bears minority owner Pat Ryan’s presence at the negotiating table represents a new chapter in these talks. The insurance executive, who owns 20% of the Bears and sits on the club’s board, provided the lead funding for the $870 million rebuild of Northwestern’s Ryan Field.
At the same time, Governor Pritzker has made it clear that he would oppose any form of taxpayer bailouts to fund stadium construction. The state rejected the Bears’ $4.7 billion lakefront plan in 2024 because it sought to use bonds issued by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. Instead, Pritzker remains open to other forms of financing, but wants to ensure that no public funds are used.
“I will continue to work with the Chicago Bears and anybody who wants to make sure that we provide them with what it is they need that isn’t going to cost taxpayers more money.”
The cohort from the General Assembly included Speaker of the House Chris Welch, Representative Kam Buckner, and Senator Bill Cunningham, all Chicago-based politicians not representing Arlington Heights, where the Bears have a 326-acre, $197.2 million purchase.
These Chicago legislators are working on a megaprojects bill that would offer property tax certainty through PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) while avoiding direct taxpayer subsidies from state funds.
While there are no new updates on the development of a new stadium as of now, it remains to be seen whether any action is taken regarding the stadium in the next few days, given the urgency that the NFL Commissioner has promised.