While the Chicago Bears continue their search for a new stadium, Illinois appears to be back in the race after Indiana briefly emerged as the frontrunner for the franchise's next billion-dollar home.

Earlier this June, the Bears announced that they were considering Northwest Indiana for their new stadium. However, Illinois re-entered the conversation after reports emerged that state officials had been holding behind-the-scenes talks with the Bears.

On Monday, Politico reported that a plan to revive Arlington Heights as a potential stadium site is gaining serious momentum.

“After weeks of public posturing, the conversation is moving again. Discussions between the Bears and Illinois officials are continuing behind the scenes, with some expecting greater clarity as soon as Wednesday. The Bears are even working on legislation that could keep them in Illinois,” the report from Politico says.

Despite earlier criticism from Gov. J.B. Pritzker over the lack of clarity from the Bears management about their demands,  the team is now outlining its legislative priorities more directly, and the politico reports that the lawmakers are willing to listen to their demands this time.

“That’s something Gov J.B. Pritzker emphasized last week: that there would be no special legislative session addressing the Bears without a deal in place. Message received. Rather than waiting for lawmakers to craft a solution, the team has been asked to identify precisely what legislative language it wants,” Politico writes.

Just when Indiana appeared to have momentum over the next billion-dollar stadium race, fresh hurdles have emerged within the city boundaries.

Reports indicate that resistance is growing in Porter County to the proposed tax increase tied to the project, further complicating matters for the Bears.

According to Politico, the Bears are at least considering building a domed stadium on land they own at the old Arlington International Racecourse.

Illinois Fires Back in the Race for the Bears Stadium

While Indiana sits on the sidelines, Illinois is already making moves. Village of McCook officials recently visited the Bears' offices to pitch their area as the site for the team's next stadium.

“We’re going to Lake Forest this week to hand deliver two letters,” Mayor Terrance Carr said after the June 15 village board meeting, as per Displains Valley News.

According to reports, one letter is addressed to the Bears owner, George McCaskey, and the other is to the Bears President and CEO, Kevin Warren.

McCook officials expressed that the village’s stadium proposals in their letters detailed why the location would be an ideal fit for the Bears and how the financing framework could benefit both the team and community.

Where do you think will be a good place for the Bears?

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi