How much longer will the Chicago Bears actually be in Chicago? That’s the operative question as this relocation saga continues to drag on. For years, the Bears have been planning on building a new stadium in Arlington Heights, Illinois, a Chicago suburb (and moving away from Soldier Field in downtown Chicago). But more recently, there’s been talk of the team relocating to Hammond, Indiana — another Chicago suburb, but crucially, one that isn’t located in Illinois.
The main sticking point for the Bears are property taxes. Without getting too deep in the nitty-gritty of state tax laws, Indiana lawmakers essentially created a tax exception for the Bears to build their new stadium in Hammond, trying to make their state an appealing option. The Bears don’t want to leave Chicago or the state of Illinois, but money is a big motivator, and Indiana’s offer is enticing.
Illinois has been working on a way to keep the Bears in the state, and now the team has a new update as of Monday morning.
Illinois Gives Update on Chicago Bears’ Relocation
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 18: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears looks on during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Playoffs at Soldier Field on January 18, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Illinois state lawmakers adjourned early Monday morning without passing any new legislature regarding the Bears’ relocation. Two bills were proposed: a “megaprojects bill” that would have allowed the Bears to negotiate a direct payment rather than paying property taxes. This bill died on Saturday, so Illinois state Senator Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) proposed a new one on Sunday night that would’ve allowed Illinois cities with more than 70,000 residents (including both Chicago and Arlington Heights) to create their own sports stadium authorities.
In theory, this would allow the Bears to save money and avoid taxes on the construction by having the land be publicly owned. However, the Illinois legislature adjourned without passing the bill, leaving the Bears in an unknown spot.
“In all these big projects, you have to have tax certainty, which is critically important,” Bears team president and CEO Kevin Warren said back on April 1. “We would not be able to build a stadium without tax certainty. Fortunately we do have tax certainty in the state of Indiana, from that standpoint. There are no property-tax 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.”
The Bears Want to Make a Final Decision Soon
“We will finalize our evaluation of both Arlington Heights and Hammond, and remain on the late spring/early summer timeline that we have previously communicated,” the Bears said in a statement. “We will provide an update when we have a decision to share.”
The Bears have been consistent on wanting to resolve this, one way or another, by this summer at the latest. It’s already June 1 — a decision may be coming very soon indeed.
Chicago Bears Get Major Update on New Stadium From Illinois Legislature