The Chicago Bears had an offseason to remember, as they hired one of the most sought-after head coaching candidates, Ben Johnson, and fortified the offensive line to provide better protection for quarterback Caleb Williams. Now, Bears fans get to see if these notable changes will result in the Bears making the playoffs and becoming legitimate contenders.
On Monday, the Bears host the rival Minnesota Vikings for Monday Night Football. But just before that, Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren sent out a letter to season-ticket holders announcing that the team plans on finalizing plans on building a fixed-roof stadium at Arlington Heights in hopes of earning a bid to host the Super Bowl in 2031. The team purchased land at Arlington Heights back in 2023.
"In evaluating options for a new stadium, the focus of the McCaskey family has been clear: build a world-class stadium that requires zero money from the State of Illinois for its construction," writes We are partnering with political, labor, business, and community leaders across Illinois to develop a plan for property tax certainty and a fair contribution toward essential infrastructure that will benefit the entire community. Arlington Heights is the only site within Cook County that meets that standard. It allows us to better serve our fan base and deliver a truly transformative and elevated gameday experience.
"Our new stadium, with a fixed-roof and the corresponding mixed-use development, will be worthy of the most passionate fan base in the NFL and capable of hosting marquee events year-round – from the Super Bowl to the Final Four to global soccer games to concerts to community events to youth sporting events. After purchasing 326 acres in Arlington Heights in 2023, we thoroughly evaluated other sites within Chicago's city limits, but none were viable."
Bears announce plans to build Arlington Heights stadium hours before 2025 season kickoff
That means the new stadium will be outside of Chicago, which has been the home for the Bears since 1921 when they played at Wrigley Field. They played at the home stadium of the Cubs until 1970, where they finally built Soldier Field. They've remained there ever since (not counting the 2002 season when the Bears played at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, the home field of the Illinois Fighting Illini due to Soldier Field renovations).
Warren discussed how moving out of Chicago stings for the organization.
"Moving outside of the city of Chicago is not a decision we reached easily," said Warren. "This project does not represent us leaving, it represents us expanding. The Bears draw fans from all over Illinois, and over 50 percent of our season-ticket holders live within 25 miles of the Arlington Heights site. The project provides us the opportunity to build a stadium and mixed-use development that will benefit our fans, our region, and our future together. Most importantly, the new stadium will elevate the fan experience with easy access, whether by Metra train directly to the site or a short drive with ample parking and tailgating, creating a vital connection between Chicago and the broader Cook County community, ensuring every fan feels at home."
There is nothing set in stone as to when they will begin breaking ground on a new stadium. But they say that the stadium won't require state money to build. Given that the team plans on placing a bid on a 2031 Super Bowl, they will need to get moving relatively soon. That way, there is time to get a feel for how it can handle the influx of fans and deal with traffic for the big game.
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The Bears faithful were focused on the start of a new season, which would lead to a win over a key division rival. But a couple of hours before kickoff, they were given the memo that the Bears will be moving out of Soldier Field soon.