The Chicago Bears have called Soldier Field home since 1971, but they have recently been seeking out other options. How soon will the Bears leave Soldier Field and potentially build another stadium?
Are the Bears Building a New Stadium?
Back in February, the Bears closed on the purchase of a 326-acre plot of land in Arlington Heights and the Arlington Park property “to secure the potential of beginning a new and exciting chapter for the Bears, our fans, the Chicagoland community, and the State of Illinois.”
While things looked promising for the new location, the situation is now supposedly at a stalemate, due to a tax issue.
In June, the Bears announced in a statement that building on the site in Arlington Heights, Illinois, is “no longer our singular focus.”
MORE: NFL Stadiums Ranked From Best to Worst
Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren said over the summer that the team is looking to relocate, but they are unsure if Arlington Heights is a viable option, due to the high tax bill.
“We were singularly focused on this development at Arlington Park,” Warren said in June. “Since that time has come and passed, and we’ve had a stalemate and a lack of communication — and it sounds like it’s a little bit more convoluted at this point in time than I thought it would be — well, then we’re in a position to start exploring other places and opportunities. As any good business person would do, that’s what you need to do.”
The team is now looking elsewhere in the region for other options to construct a new stadium, and there are several prospects.
Although the team is looking to leave Chicago, the city has pitched plans for a $2.2 billion domed stadium at Soldier Field. The team shot down that idea, as they were hoping to build in Arlington. But after recent developments, it would be intriguing to see if they are now interested in staying in the city.
Other options for relocation include Aurora, Naperville, and Waukegan, which have all shown interest in being the new home of the team.
The team’s lease at Soldier Field runs through the 2033 season, but they can break the lease as soon as 2026 if they find a suitable new location.
From the current NFL standings to team depth charts to coverage of every game in the 18-week NFL schedule, we have all the news from around the league to keep you up to speed!
