NFL's Goodell meets with Illinois governor as the Bears continue pursuit of new stadium
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and the leadership of the state's General Assembly on Thursday, adding another wrinkle to the Chicago Bears' long-running pursuit of a new home.
The Bears said in August that the franchise's “sole focus” for the construction of a new stadium and mixed-use development was on Hammond, Indiana. But the public confirmation of the conversation between Goodell and Pritzker indicates that Illinois remains in the mix.
The Bears also had been considering Arlington Heights — about 30 miles northwest of Chicago — as a potential location for an enclosed stadium.
Illinois Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, state Sen. Bill Cunningham and state Rep. Kam Buckner joined Pritzker at the meeting. As the president pro tempore of the Illinois Senate, Cunningham frequently serves as the body's presiding officer, and Buckner's district includes Soldier Field — the current home for the Bears.
Pat Ryan, a billionaire minority investor in the Bears and a member of the team's board of directors, also attended.
“The Governor’s Office has remained in conversation with the Bears about their plans in Illinois throughout the summer,” Pritzker's office said in a statement.
“The Governor and General Assembly leadership were glad to participate in a productive meeting focused on keeping the Bears in Illinois and protecting taxpayers.”
The NFL said in a release that it appreciated the opportunity to meet with Pritzker and the state legislators.
“Timely action is essential as the Bears work to find a long-term stadium solution for the club and their fans,” the league said.
A message was left by The Associated Press seeking comment from the team.
The Bears, a charter NFL franchise, have played in Illinois since the team’s founding in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys. They moved to Chicago in 1921 and called Wrigley Field home before they started playing at Soldier Field in September 1971.
The Bears’ lease runs through 2033, but they can pay a fee to break the lease early. Soldier Field is about 40 miles south of Halas Hall — the team’s headquarters in Lake Forest, Illinois — and Hammond is about 20 miles south of the team’s lakefront stadium.
The Bears ramped up their focus on Indiana after a proposal to provide financial incentives for the team to build its new home in Illinois stalled in the state legislature. A committee in the Indiana House of Representatives passed a bill in February that established a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to finance, construct and lease a stadium.
The Illinois Senate passed a bill that would have cleared the way for Arlington Heights and Chicago to create local stadium authorities, creating a pathway for the Bears to avoid paying property taxes on a new stadium. But the House adjourned without taking up the measure on the last day of the state’s spring legislative session.
The Bears have been pursuing a new home for years, but the process has been hampered by repeated twists and turns.
The team announced in September 2021 that it had signed a purchase agreement for 326 acres of land in Arlington Heights. The $197 million deal with Churchill Downs Inc. was finalized in 2023.
In September 2022, the team unveiled a nearly $5 billion plan for Arlington Heights that called for an enclosed stadium that could host Super Bowls and Final Fours. The conceptual illustrations also provided for a year-round entertainment district with restaurants and shopping.
But the Bears shifted their focus toward building a new stadium next to Soldier Field after Kevin Warren was hired as team president in January 2023. The plan to transform Chicago’s Museum Campus got an enthusiastic endorsement from Mayor Brandon Johnson but a tepid reception from Pritzker and state legislators when it was announced in April 2024.
The team switched gears again in May 2025, announcing it had made “significant progress” with local leaders in Arlington Heights.
Amid lingering efforts to secure tax incentives in Illinois, along with as much as $855 million in public money for infrastructure at the Arlington Heights site, the Bears began to take a closer look at possible options in northwest Indiana.
Warren said in August that the team was “in regular, almost daily communication with the state of Indiana working on” the project. He called it “an excellent deal, a win-win partnership together.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.
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