With the Illinois legislature ending its spring session without passing a bill that would lay the foundation for the Bears to build a new stadium at their in-state preference of Arlington Heights, Chicago sees an opening. And Chicago is trying to seize it.
Mayor Brandon Johnson has issued a statement that makes the case for the Bears to stay in Chicago.
“Chicago continues to offer the strongest opportunity to retain the Bears,” Johnson said. “We have a publicly owned site the team has already vetted and approved, an existing sports authority with a dedicated revenue stream, and a framework for moving a deal forward. . . . I look forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders to pursue a deal that keeps the [Bears] while protecting property taxpayers.”
The Bears repeatedly have said that their options are Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana. Unless and until an option materializes in Arlington Heights, and with the Indiana location seemingly nothing more than leverage to get a stadium in Illinois, maybe there’s a path for the Bears to stay in Chicago.
Where they belong.
