For 50 years, Soldier Field has been the Bears’ fortress, but now, political roadblocks in Illinois are forcing the franchise to look for a new kingdom, potentially outside the state altogether. The team’s history with the stadium dates back to 1971, when it first began using the facility. For decades, it has been home. But now a fresh message from the Bears’ president and CEO, Kevin Warren, has reopened conversations about the team’s future home. 

“In addition to Arlington Park, we need to expand our search and critically evaluate opportunities throughout the wider Chicagoland region, including Northwest Indiana,” he said, via an Instagram post. “This is not about leverage…Our fans deserve a world-class stadium. Our players and coaches deserve a venue that matches the championship standard they strive for every day.”

On Wednesday, Warren made it clear that Northwest Indiana could be a possible new home for the Chicago Bears. Besides giving players and coaches a top venue to play, the move is also about keeping every realistic option on the table. With increased delays and uncertainty in Illinois, the team feels it can’t afford to put all its hopes in one place. In this case, it is Arlington Heights in Cook County, Illinois. 

Earlier this season, the Bears were sure that Arlington Heights checked all the boxes for a world-class NFL stadium. They were even ready to invest over $2 billion, making it one of the largest private investments in Illinois and in the league’s history. The most important part? The organization didn’t wish to use taxpayer money to build the stadium. 

All it required was basic local infrastructure, such as roads, utilities, and site improvements, and fair property tax terms. However, things went sideways as there was no strong legislative support despite years of discussions and cooperation, according to Warren. Ultimately, the team was informed that the state wouldn’t prioritize the stadium project until 2026, sparking major uncertainty. 

The stakes of the proposal would have been massive, including job opportunities, year-round attractions, and global events. For a project of this scale, delays and uncertainty in timelines and processes can be deal-breakers. And this became the reason for the Bears to expand their search beyond Cook County. As for the right spot, Warren clarified that the team is not abandoning Chicago emotionally and still commits to providing unwavering support.

Here’s more on the Chicago Bears’ battle with Illinois lawmakers that led to their ultimate decision. 

The Bears’ struggle with the lawmakers 

The shift in the Bears’ plans is the result of years of political hurdles, financial pushback, and shrinking options within the state. Things took a turn for the worse when the franchise failed to secure tax relief and $855 million from the public. The organization needed it to fund its new stadium in Arlington Heights. 

Those stalled negotiations led the Bears not to continue pursuing this as a viable option. Meanwhile, Soldier Field has been home to the team since 1971 and has undergone major renovations between 2002 and 2003. However, staying near the lakefront presents its own challenges due to the state’s strict protection laws.

So, after repeated failures to keep the team in Chicago, moving to Indiana has emerged as a better fallback option. Sports consultant Marc Ganis discussed the Bears’ interest in the new venue back in September. 

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“Indiana put together a stadium authority,” he said, via Sports Illustrated. “Their legislature passed a stadium authority for Northwest Indiana to try and attract teams from Chicago, clearly thinking about the Bears and potentially the White Sox. Those would be the options since there were no other options offered for the city of Chicago.”

The Chicago Bears’ struggles to find a new home are far from over. While the search has expanded, the franchise and its fans are left in a frustrating state of limbo, waiting to see where the team will plant its flag for the coming years.