Full Breakdown
Bears Stadium Site Debate: South Works vs. Arlington Heights and Hammond
6/22/2026, 11:08:47 PM
Core Event: Bears Identify Arlington Heights and Hammond as Viable Sites
The Chicago Bears say only Arlington Heights and Hammond meet stadium criteria, while Chicago officials continue to promote a lakefront site anchored by the Museum Campus.
Funding Landscape: State, Private, and Municipal Commitments
State and partners have pledged resources to the Southeast Side. Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly allocated $500 million for quantum-technology development, with $300 million earmarked for the South Works campus where PsiQuantum is building a facility. Advocate Health Care announced a $1 billion investment, including a $300 million hospital on the former U.S. Steel site. City Hall contributed $5 million from a housing-bond program. The city generated $1.01 billion in tax-increment financing (TIF) revenue, retained about 23 % and authorized $1.25 billion in borrowing projected to cost $2.4 billion over 37 years. TIF also funded Foundry Park ($201.6 million) and the 1901 Project ($54.7 million).
Official Statements & Responses
The Bears say only Arlington Heights and Hammond meet stadium criteria. Mayor Brandon Johnson pledged $5 million from a city bond for a lakefront plan. Governor Pritzker cited the $500 million quantum investment as state backing for South Works. Officials point to TIF inflow and borrowing authority as financing tools.
Criticism & Opposition: City Hall’s Limited Southeast Side Support
Rep. Curtis Tarver argues Chicago has offered no concrete plan to link the Bears to the lakefront while directing state funds to South Works. He says the Southeast Side, which bore the steel industry’s costs, should not be expected to fund citywide development with only a $5 million municipal contribution.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I want the Bears at South Works on the South Lakefront.” — Curtis Tarver, State Representative, Illinois 25th District
- “I cannot support an Arlington Heights outcome that offers little meaningful benefit to the people I represent.” — Curtis Tarver, State Representative, Illinois 25th District
- “A development anchored by the Bears in the South Works corridor could create a year-round destination, strengthen transit and infrastructure, support hotels, restaurants and small businesses, expand the local tax base and create accessible jobs for South Chicago and nearby communities.” — Curtis Tarver, State Representative, Illinois 25th District
- “Any proposal must require significant private money, taxpayer protection, union jobs, strong minority and local hiring, workforce training, environmental safeguards, public lakefront access, neighborhood infrastructure and measurable economic returns for nearby residents.” — Curtis Tarver, State Representative, Illinois 25th District
Why It Matters: Potential Economic Impact
A Bears-anchored district at South Works could connect the Obama Presidential Center, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, and the Advocate hospital, creating a hub that generates jobs, expands the tax base, and improves lakefront access for neighborhoods.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The Bears claim only two viable sites, while Rep. Tarver calls for a full feasibility review of South Works and the South Lakefront; no independent study is cited.
What’s Next: Feasibility Review and Decision Timeline
Tarver urges the Bears and city officials to commission a full feasibility study of South Works; its findings and franchise negotiations will shape the stadium’s location decision later in 2026.
