Story perspectives

Bears Brief NFL on Two Stadium Options, Seek $855 Million Funding

5/19/2026

Summary

Bears Evaluate Sites

Chicago Bears will brief NFL on Tuesday in Orlando, Florida, about two stadium options.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker says Arlington Heights is a viable site and urges House Bill 910 by May 31 for $855 million.
The Bears own 326-acre Arlington Park bought Feb 2023.
Bears tested soil in Hammond, Indiana, where Senate Bill 27 would fund a stadium with 60% homeowner/40% state fee.
The Bears expect to announce a final location later this spring or early summer.

Summary

Pritzker Launches BUILD

Governor JB Pritzker announced the BUILD program, a $250 million housing initiative that would pre-empt local zoning and permit accessory dwelling units.
He underwent a urology procedure on May 1 and visited the ER at Springfield Memorial Hospital.
The Illinois Municipal League denounced BUILD as a one-size-fits-all plan that strips local zoning authority.
Statehouse insiders say BUILD’s zoning changes face steep opposition in both chambers, although grant funding enjoys bipartisan backing.

Summary

Pritzker Rebukes

Governor JB Pritzker rebuked Mayor Brandon Johnson for no plan to keep the Bears in Chicago.
Mayor Brandon Johnson is blocking a state tax break to fund a stadium in Arlington Heights, while the Bears say only Arlington Heights or Hammond are viable.
An NFL briefing is set for Orlando on May 19, 2026, with Soldier Field remaining the Bears’ home and fan frustration growing because proposed sites lie outside Chicago.

History

Historical Context

During 2003 the United States grappled with a weak economy—global growth was only 2.5%—and high-profile corporate scandals such as Parmalat that soured public confidence in large state-funded projects. That climate of fiscal caution set a precedent for later disputes over significant costly stadium financing, including today's contemporary stadium financing disputes.

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Bears Evaluate Sites

Chicago Bears will brief NFL on Tuesday in Orlando, Florida, about two stadium options.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker says Arlington Heights is a viable site and urges House Bill 910 by May 31 for $855 million.
The Bears own 326-acre Arlington Park bought Feb 2023.
Bears tested soil in Hammond, Indiana, where Senate Bill 27 would fund a stadium with 60% homeowner/40% state fee.
The Bears expect to announce a final location later this spring or early summer.

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