Even after Illinois passed a major bill to help build a new stadium, the Chicago Bears aren’t fully convinced yet. The House vote moved the project forward, but it did not give the Bears everything they wanted. In their own statement, the team said more amendments are still needed before Arlington Heights becomes a workable stadium site.

“Breaking: The Illinois House votes 78-32 to approve a megaprojects bill that could clear the way for the Chicago Bears to build a new domed stadium in Arlington Heights. A major sign of progress, but hurdles remain. The bill goes to the Senate, where it will likely be amended,” Brenden Moore posted on X.

That vote mattered because Illinois is trying to keep the Bears from looking harder at Indiana. But the House approval alone was not enough for the team to treat Arlington Heights as settled.

Lawmakers approved a “megaprojects” bill to help the team move forward with a new stadium in Arlington Heights. The bill would let the team negotiate property taxes directly with the village, which is a key part of making their $5 billion stadium and entertainment district plan work. The project includes a modern enclosed stadium, along with hotels, apartments, shops, restaurants, and office spaces.

Back in 2023, the Bears spent $197 million to buy the former Arlington International Racetrack property. But since then, they have made it clear that the numbers do not add up without a lower property tax rate. That is the gap in the story. The Bears are not pushing back against the entire bill; they are saying the current version still does not fully solve the tax and site-feasibility questions.

The bill itself faced delays earlier this year. As Chicago Democrats wanted to make sure the city would not lose revenue if the team left Soldier Field. Others argued that the tax benefits should also apply to smaller projects, not just large ones like the Bears’ plan.

Even with those disagreements and other hurdles, the bill has successfully passed the House and is now awaiting approval in the Senate, where amendments can be made. Even so, the Bears are not satisfied.

After the vote, the team said more changes are needed to make the Arlington Heights project possible.

“We welcome the progress made on the House’s version of the mega project bill; however, additional amendments are necessary to make the Arlington Heights site feasible for our stadium project. We support Illinois leaders as they determine the path forward to making the essential changes to the mega project bill and aligning on infrastructure funding,” the team wrote.

At the same time, there is pressure from Hammond, who is trying to attract the team. So while Illinois is pushing to keep the Bears, the final decision is still up in the air.

Hammond could be the Chicago Bears’ new home

When the Chicago Bears bought the 326-acre former Arlington International Racecourse for about $197.2 million, they never promised it would definitely become the site of a new domed stadium.

The team’s financial plan reveals a significant gap; while they’ve pledged $2 billion in borrowed funds, money George McCaskey admits they don’t have yet, they are also seeking an additional $850 million in public funding just to cover essential infrastructure. At the same time, Hammond is still in the picture. Indiana has already approved a stadium bill, and team leaders, including McCaskey and Kevin Warren, recently met with local officials there to continue their review of the site.

“Fortunately, we do have tax certainty in the state of Indiana,” Warren said, per ESPN. “There are no property taxes for our stadium in the state of Indiana, so that is certain. That legislation has passed. But here in Illinois, for us to even consider an opportunity, we have to have tax certainty. Without that, we can’t proceed forward. ”

Indiana is also preparing financially. The State Budget Committee approved semi-annual toll increases on the Indiana Toll Road that could raise about $700 million for roads and infrastructure near the proposed stadium.

If the Bears do not move, that money will still be used for improvements across northern Indiana counties. Roger Goodell has even visited possible stadium sites in both states and wants a decision soon. The Bears say they hope to choose a location by early summer.