There’s been nothing more frustrating than the Chicago Bears stadium saga, which has been endless and without significant movement for quite a while. But a new report indicates that might be changing as soon as next month.
According to Greg Hinz of Crain’s Chicago Business, the Bears are “close to a deal that would keep them in Illinois,” where it’s noted that a vote could come as soon as November among the Illinois legislature.
The new stadium would “most likely” be built in Arlington Heights, where the organization bought land back in February 2023, rather than Chicago. While there are some that would love for the Bears to remain in Chicago, staying in Illinois is a win after discussions about building a new venue in Northwest Indiana.
This new law would ensure that the stadium be owned and operated by a newly formed municipal authority and would remain exempt from property taxes. Taxpayers would have no financial liability for the venue and only be responsible for supporting infrastructure, such as new roads.
Following the Bears’ commitment to Hammond, Indiana, there’s been a push to keep the team in Illinois, which included a meeting involving Governor Pritzker, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Pat Ryan, Speaker Welch and the top legislative negotiators on the Bears stadium issue earlier this month, with Bears president/CEO Kevin Warren taking a backseat.
But it’s worth noting that this is far from a done deal, and we’ve seen declarations and announcements before that have amounted to nothing. Still, a shift back to Illinois is encouraging after all the Hammond discussion over the last few months.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Report: Bears close to deal to build new stadium in Illinois
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