Bears Rule Out Chicago, Narrow New Stadium Search to 2 Sites
Updated
Updated · NBC Sports · May 22
Bears Rule Out Chicago, Narrow New Stadium Search to 2 Sites
10 articles · Updated · NBC Sports · May 22
A Thursday team statement said the Bears have "exhausted every opportunity" to stay in Chicago and now see no viable city site for a new stadium.
The franchise said only 2 locations remain under consideration—Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Hammond, Indiana—with a decision expected later this spring or in early summer.
That language hardens the Bears' stance after earlier suggestions Chicago might still be in play, even as city leaders pushed a lakefront proposal before a May 31 deadline.
Indiana has already lined up support for a Hammond project, while Illinois is assembling incentives tied to the Arlington Heights property the Bears already own.
Beyond the initial price tag, what are the true long-term costs for the community that ultimately wins the new Bears stadium?
With Indiana’s deal signed and Illinois’s stalled, what unstated factors could still tip the Bears' final decision?