Chicago Bears fans have been patiently waiting to hear what will happen with the new stadium update.
The proposed $5 billion dome stadium has been going back and forth between potentially being built in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and possibly relocating to Hammond, Indiana. While Indiana did its part by passing its bill to bring the Bears to the state, everyone has been waiting to see what Illinois will do with its bill, as the hope is that a decision will be made in the coming weeks.
Capital News Illinois reporter Brenden Moore first reported that the House Revenue Committee voted 15-5 to move the Bears' megaprojects bill forward. The good news continued on afterward as the Illinois House voted 78-32 to approve the bill, which will go to the Senate, where it is expected to be amended.
Breaking: The Illinois House votes 78-32 to approve a megaprojects bill that could clear the way for the Chicago Bears to build a new domed stadium in Arlington Heights. A major sign of progress, but hurdles remain. The bill goes to the Senate, where it will likely be amended. https://t.co/sLxOwniBPz
— Brenden Moore (@brendenmoore13) April 23, 2026
Bears fans get great news about stadium, but team squashes all the fun
After the excitement over news that the stadium bill was one step closer to being amended, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's office released a statement.
"Governor Pritzker has been clear and consistent for years that the Bears should remain in Illinois, and that any legislation needs to protect taxpayers. Throughout the past few months, the Governor's Office brought team leadership, local officials, and legislative partners to the table to craft a deal around public infrastructure improvements, property tax fairness, and affordability measures. Today is an important step, and the Governor's Office looks forward to working with the Illinois General Assembly to advance a bill that reflects our shared priorities."
This was great news for the Bears' fan base, who can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. That was until the Bears issued a statement on the situation, as it appears they are not 100% happy with what the bill has to offer.
"We welcome the progress made on the House's version of the mega project bill; however, additional amendments are necessary to make the Arlington Heights site feasible for our stadium project. We support Illinois leaders as they determine the path forward to making the essential changes to the mega project bill and aligning on infrastructure funding."
Statement from the Chicago Bears. They want more https://t.co/v0D9LUmYeq pic.twitter.com/RgY8NFXNfY
— Ben Szalinski (@BenSzalinski) April 23, 2026
This franchise certainly knows how to ruin the fun every step of the way. Now, there is a complication in the situation that might result in trouble brewing for Illinois as they try to work with the Bears to get the new stadium up and running.
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Many are seeing it as just another negotiation tactic from the Bears to get what they want. The fan base just wants something to happen, so the state and the team better figure out how to get this to the finish line quickly, as the NFL wants an update after the draft on what is going on.
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