Short answer as of October 30, 2026: not yet. No government body has approved a Chicago Bears stadium at the former Arlington Park, and the team’s official position still points to Hammond, Indiana. But a deal to bring the project back to Arlington Heights has been reported as close, and the Illinois General Assembly’s veto session in November and December is widely seen as the moment that decides it.
This is the page I’ll keep current. Every time something official happens — a bill is filed, a vote is taken, the Bears make a statement, the village acts — I’ll update the tables below and note the date at the top.
Where each option stands right now
| Option | Status | Last official action |
|---|---|---|
| Arlington Heights (Arlington Park) | Bears own the cleared 326-acre site. No stadium bill has passed, no development agreement exists, and the Bears have not filed a site plan with the village. A deal to land the stadium here has been reported but not announced. | Village tax agreement with the Bears and three school districts, December 2024 |
| Hammond, Indiana | The Bears’ declared “sole focus.” Indiana created a state stadium authority with about $1 billion in public money. No lease, final site or cost estimate has been announced. | Bears statement, August 13, 2026 |
| Chicago (lakefront and other city sites) | The Bears said in May 2026 that no viable site exists in the city. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office has continued to push city options. | Bears statement, May 21, 2026 |
| Soldier Field | The Bears’ current home under a lease that runs through 2033. The team can leave early by paying a termination fee. | Lease in force |
Reported vs. confirmed
A lot of what you’ll read about the Bears right now is based on unnamed sources. Here is how I’m sorting it.
| Claim | Status | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| The Bears’ board voted to advance a stadium in Hammond | Confirmed | Team statement, June 5, 2026 |
| Hammond is the Bears’ “sole focus” | Confirmed (as the team’s stated position) | Team press conference, August 13, 2026 |
| A deal to keep the Bears in Illinois is “close,” most likely in Arlington Heights | Reported | Crain’s Chicago Business, October 29, 2026, citing unnamed sources |
| The deal would use a public authority to own a property-tax-exempt stadium, with the state paying for roads | Reported | Same Crain’s report; no bill text filed |
| Minority owner Pat Ryan and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell are driving the talks | Reported | Same Crain’s report |
| Goodell met Gov. JB Pritzker and legislative leaders on October 1 | Confirmed | Multiple outlets; NFL statement |
| A vote could come in the veto session | Possible | Reported; depends on a bill being filed |
| Indiana’s governor “assured” a candidate the Indiana deal is done | Unverified | Claim made during the October 14 governor’s debate |
What has to happen for Arlington Heights to become official
Even if a deal is announced tomorrow, four separate things have to line up before a stadium in Arlington Heights is real:
- Springfield passes a bill. Both the Illinois House and Senate have to pass stadium legislation. Bills passed after May 31 generally need a three-fifths majority unless their effective date is pushed into the following year.
- The governor signs it. Pritzker has said he expects something to pass in the veto session, while saying taxpayers shouldn’t pay to build a private stadium.
- The Bears change course. The team’s board would have to formally reverse or amend its June 5 vote to advance Hammond.
- Arlington Heights does its part. That likely means forming or joining a stadium authority, negotiating a development agreement, holding zoning and planned-development hearings, and reviewing the Bears’ traffic study, which the village had still not received as of March 2026.
Key dates to watch
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Nov. 3, 2026 | General election, including the governor’s race and the state House and Senate seats covering Arlington Park |
| Nov. 17–19, 2026 | Veto session, week one |
| Dec. 1–3, 2026 | Veto session, week two |
| Spring 2027 | Regular legislative session (adjourns May 31) — a fallback window if the veto session doesn’t produce a deal |
| June 2027 | Indiana’s next $200 million payment into its stadium fund |
| Tax year 2027 | The guaranteed property value in the Bears’ Arlington Park tax agreement runs out |
| 2033 | The Bears’ Soldier Field lease ends |
What would change this page
I’ll update this tracker when any of these happen: a stadium bill is filed or voted on; the Bears, the NFL or the governor’s office make a formal announcement; the Arlington Heights village board takes action on the site; or Indiana’s stadium authority signs a lease. If you see something I’ve missed, send it my way.
Sources
- NBC Sports/Pro Football Talk: Report says Bears are close to a deal to stay in Illinois
- Patch: Bears near Illinois stadium deal, Arlington Heights favored (summarizing Crain’s)
- ChicagoBears.com: Bears reiterate stadium focus remains solely on Hammond
- Shaw Local: Bears choose to advance stadium project in Indiana (June 5, 2026)
- The Illinoize: Leaders hope for Arlington Heights deal in veto session
- Chicago Sun-Times: Bears stadium bill in Springfield, May 31, 2026
- ABC7: Bears held meetings on lakefront terms, mayor’s office says
- AP via WTOP: Bears moving forward with Northwest Indiana location
- 963xke: Stadium authority funding for Bears bid
- WBEZ: Goodell’s Illinois visit and Bears stadium talks
- Village of Arlington Heights: Arlington Park redevelopment
- Patch: Bears would pay $3.6M in property taxes under Arlington Park agreement