Are the Chicago Bears leaving Illinois? Indiana makes play for the team in interstate stadium showdown

A potential battle is emerging between two Midwestern states over the future home of a major NFL franchise.

The Chicago Bears are considering leaving Soldier Field, the historic stadium where they have played for the past 50 years. Lawmakers in Indiana are trying to attract the team away from Chicago with a proposal to fund and construct a domed stadium in Hammond, Indiana, roughly 25 miles (40 kilometres) from the Bears’ current home along Lake Michigan.

Chicago Bears at centre of Illinois–Indiana turf war over new stadium

In response, the Illinois General Assembly has introduced legislation offering tax incentives for large-scale projects worth at least $100 million. The move could support the Bears’ proposed development in Arlington Heights, a suburb northwest of Chicago located about the same distance from Soldier Field as Hammond.

However, critics argue the proposal would place an unnecessary financial burden on Illinois residents, who already face some of the highest property taxes in the United States. They also point out that taxpayers are still paying off hundreds of millions of dollars from a major renovation of Soldier Field completed two decades ago.

Why does it matter?

The Bears are one of the NFL’s most historic franchises and one of only two remaining founding members of the league. The team has won nine championships, including one Super Bowl title, second only to their longtime rivals, the Green Bay Packers. According to Forbes, the franchise is valued at about $8.9 billion, making it one of the league’s most valuable teams.

Founded in 1920 in Decatur, Illinois, the Bears have been based in Chicago for more than a century. A move to neighbouring Indiana would therefore be seen as a significant loss for the city.

What are the issues with Soldier Field?

Soldier Field currently holds about 61,500 spectators, making it the smallest stadium in the NFL. Unlike many other teams, the Bears do not own their stadium. They previously played at Wrigley Field from 1921 to 1970 and have rented Soldier Field from the Chicago Park District ever since.

Owning their own stadium would allow the team to control scheduling, operations and additional revenue sources such as ticketing, concessions, parking and naming rights.

Another drawback is that Soldier Field is an open-air venue. A domed stadium would enable the city to host major events like the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four or WrestleMania.

Why are Illinois and Indiana competing?

The rivalry reflects long-standing cultural and political differences between the two states. The divide between heavily Democratic Chicago and more conservative Indiana has grown sharper in recent years.

Tensions increased last year when Indiana formed a commission to explore expanding its borders to include several central Illinois counties that have voted in favour of separating from the Chicago metropolitan region.

The stadium plans

The Bears have previously threatened to relocate. In 1975, when the idea surfaced, Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley famously dismissed it, saying the team would never leave.

But concerns resurfaced in 2023 when the franchise spent about $200 million to purchase a 326-acre former horse racing track in Arlington Heights. The team has proposed a $5 billion development there, featuring a domed stadium along with housing, hotels, entertainment venues and retail space.

In 2024, the Bears also floated a separate $5 billion proposal to build a new enclosed stadium near Soldier Field, with partial taxpayer funding. That plan gained little support from Illinois lawmakers in Springfield. By late last year, the franchise had begun exploring the possibility of relocating to Indiana instead.

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