Bears Near Agreement to Remain in Illinois

The Chicago Bears are reportedly nearing an agreement that would allow them to remain in Illinois, moving away from previous claims of focusing on a new stadium in Indiana.

According to Greg Hinz of Crain’s Chicago Business, a vote in the Illinois legislature could occur as early as November. The proposed new stadium is expected to be located in Arlington Heights rather than Chicago, although it will still be within Illinois.

The new legislation would enable any municipality, including Chicago, to create an authority to own and manage the stadium, exempting it from property taxes. Taxpayers would only be responsible for funding new roads and infrastructure. Recent developments have been aided by Bears minority owner Pat Ryan, with involvement from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, while majority owner George McCaskey and president/CEO Kevin Warren have taken a less prominent role.