Chicago Bears shift focus to stadium plans in Arlington Heights

The Chicago Bears have announced their plans to move forward with a new stadium in Arlington Heights. Outlined in an open letter from Chicago Bears President & CEO Kevin Warren, the announcement confirms that the Bears are now entirely focused on and moving forward with a new stadium in Arlington Heights rather than a new lakefront stadium.

“Moving outside of the city of Chicago is not a decision we reached easily. This project does not represent us leaving, it represents us expanding. The Bears draw fans from all over Illinois, and over 50 percent of our season-ticket holders live within 25 miles of the Arlington Heights site.”

According to the statement, the Arlington Heights location provides the opportunity for building a new stadium and mixed-use development that will benefit fans, the region, and their future together. The new stadium is expected to elevate the fan experience with easy access, whether by Metra train directly to the site or a short drive with ample parking and tailgating. The team reports that they thoroughly evaluated other sites within Chicago’s city limits, but none were viable.

In April 2024, the Bears released plans for a $4.7 billion stadium project along the lakefront that would have seen the demolition of Soldier Field and the construction of a new enclosed stadium to the south of the Soldier Field footprint with 14 acres of athletic fields and recreational park space taking over the rest of the site. The plan included an ask of over $1 billion in public funding for the stadium construction and site infrastructure, a request that did not receive any support from Governor Pritzker and lawmakers. 

As the Bears return to plans at Arlington Heights, the letter says that the new stadium will have a fixed-roof and will be capable of hosting marquee events year-round – from the Super Bowl to the Final Four to global soccer games to concerts to community events to youth sporting events. No official renderings or further details have been shared about the stadium design. The 2023 conceptual masterplan for the Arlington Heights site did not include a stadium design at that time. 

While the statement claims no public funding would be used for the stadium construction, it does say they are looking for “property tax certainty and a fair contribution toward essential infrastructure that will benefit the entire community.”

The Bears will be working with the Village of Arlington Heights to obtain necessary approvals and begin building the new stadium as they seek to officially bid to host a Super Bowl as soon as 2031.