It's been more than two years since the Chicago Bears first leaked out their plans to possibly leave Solider Field, and in that time, not much has been solved. The Bears did buy a 326-acre chunk of land in Arlington, Illinois, with hopes of building a stadium there, but that situation is now at a stalemate due to a tax issue.
With the Bears' future now completely up in the air, multiple cities in Illinois are now making a play to land the team. Not to mention, Chicago is now making a last-ditch effort to keep the Bears.
Here's a look at the current situation and where the Bears might end up:
- Chicago. Although the Bears are looking to leave Chicago, the city is hoping to keep the team. The city has pitched plans for a $2.2 billion domed stadium at Soldier Field. Those plans were first released in July 2022 with a video of the proposal coming out six months later in January. The Bears have said they're not interested in this proposal, so it will be interesting to see if the city can change the team's mind.
- Arlington Heights. After the Bears made a $197 million land purchase in Arlington, it looked like a done deal that they would move there, but then the tax man threw a wrench into things. The Bears thought they would be paying property taxes of $2.8 million per year, but a recent assessment of the property could raise that tax bill to $16.2 million per year, something the Bears aren't on board with.
The tax situation has created a "stalemate" and because of that, the Bears are now considering other options, according to team president and CEO Kevin Warren.
"We were singularly focused on this development at Arlington Park," Warren said on June 26, via NBC Sports Chicago. "Since that time has come and passed, and we've had a stalemate and a lack of communication -- and it sounds like it's a little bit more convoluted at this point in time than I thought it would be -- well, then we're in a position to start exploring other places and opportunities. As any good business person would do, that's what you need to do."
With the Bears now exploring other options, several Illinois cities quickly made it known that they would love to be the team's new home.
- Aurora. The mayor of Aurora, Richard Irvin, sent a letter of interest to the team this week. "The opportunity to partner with the historic Chicago Bears as you search for the perfect new home is one we are eager to take on," Irvin wrote in the letter, via the Chicago Sun-Times. Although Aurora is mostly known for being the home of Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar, it could be an enticing option because it's the second-largest city in Illinois. According to city officials, the Bears "responded quickly and positively" to the letter.
- Naperville. Like his counterpart in Aurora, Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli also sent the Bears a letter this month. "The city would welcome the opportunity to review your business needs and our available properties," Wehrli wrote, via NBC Chicago. "Through prudent planning, Naperville is accessible via our region's major interstates and Metra. We have several available or to-be-available sites that may fit the characteristics you are looking for in your future home." The Bears were interested enough that they took a meeting with Wehrli earlier in June. The Bears likely took the meeting because they don't want to close the door on any of their options after what happened in Arlington.
- Waukegan. The Bears have been piling up the mayoral letters this month, because they also got one from Waukegan Mayor Ann B. Taylor. In her letter, Taylor described why her city would be the perfect landing spot for the Bears. "The City of Waukegan, located along Lake Michigan, has multiple large parcels, including lakefront property within 20 minutes of [team practice facility] at Halas Hall, that could be developed into both the state-of-the-art stadium and entertainment district the team has publicly expressed interest in building," Taylor wrote, via CBS 2 in Chicago.
Although the Bears don't know where they'll be playing in the future, they do have some time to figure it out. The team's lease at Soldier Field runs through the 2033 season, which means they have a home for at least the next 11 seasons. However, they can break the lease as soon as 2026, so if they find a new home that suits their needs, they could theoretically be playing there before the end of the decade.
