Courtney CroninDec 17, 2025, 08:04 PM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever and GameNight on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.Follow on X
Pat McAfee: Are they still the Chicago Bears if they’re in Indiana? (2:05)Pat McAfee reacts to the Bears expanding their stadium search to the state of Indiana. (2:05)
CHICAGO — Three days before hosting their biggest game at Soldier Field in years, the Chicago Bears are exploring moving outside the city for which they are named.
In an open letter to fans Wednesday evening, team president and CEO Kevin Warren said the Bears will explore other locations — including outside of Cook County, where the team owns a 326-acre property in Arlington Heights, Illinois — to build a domed stadium.
“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.”
“Suggesting the Bears would move to Indiana is a startling slap in the face to all the beloved and loyal fans who have been rallying around the team during this strong season,” Pritzker spokesperson Matt Hill said in a statement. “The Governor’s a Bears fan who has always wanted them to stay in Chicago. He has also said that ultimately they are a private business.”
The Bears purchased the Arlington Park property that formerly housed the Arlington International Racecourse for $197 million in 2023, shortly before Warren replaced Ted Phillips as team president and CEO. The Bears proposed building a 60,000-seat, fixed-roof stadium within a $5 billion mixed-use development.
Not long after closing on the land in Arlington Heights, the Bears began exploring options for a new stadium site when they announced their plans to build at the Arlington Park site were “at risk” as negotiations over property taxes reached a $100 million impasse.
Shortly before the 2024 draft, the Bears shifted their focus to building their new stadium on the lakefront south of Soldier Field. They announced they would invest more than $2 billion in private money into the construction and development of the stadium and surrounding areas.
However, the Bears have been in a battle with lawmakers over tax breaks and securing $855 million in public funding for costs related to building the new stadium.
“We have not asked for state taxpayer dollars to build the stadium at Arlington Park,” Warren said. “We asked only for a commitment to essential local infrastructure [roads, utilities, and site improvements], which is more than typical for projects of this size. Additionally, we sought reasonable property tax certainty to secure financing. We listened to state leadership and relied on their direction and guidance, yet our efforts have been met with no legislative partnership.”
The Bears’ lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033. On Saturday night, the Bears (10-4) will host the Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) in a high-stakes meeting that will heavily determine Chicago’s path to the postseason.
Pat McAfee: Are they still the Chicago Bears if they’re in Indiana? (2:05)Pat McAfee reacts to the Bears expanding their stadium search to the state of Indiana. (2:05)
CloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever and GameNight on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.Follow on X
That includes the possibility of moving the Bears out of Illinois altogether.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker pushed back against a potential move of the team out of the state.
Pat McAfee reacts to the Bears expanding their stadium search to the state of Indiana. (2:05)