SouthernWorldwide.com – The Chicago Bears have officially stated their intention to depart the city, as they continue to explore options for constructing a new stadium in either the Illinois suburbs or Hammond, Indiana.
The team released a statement on Thursday, emphasizing that all avenues to remain in Chicago have been exhausted. “The Chicago Bears have exhausted every opportunity to stay in Chicago, which was our initial goal,” the statement read. “There is not a viable site in the city. As a result, the only sites under consideration are in Arlington Heights and Hammond.”
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This declaration appears to definitively close the chapter on the Bears’ presence in Chicago. The sentiment was echoed by team president Kevin Warren last month at the NFL meetings in Arizona. Warren indicated that the Bears were aiming to select a new location for an enclosed stadium in either Illinois or Indiana by late spring or early summer.
The Bears have a long-standing history at Soldier Field, having played there for over fifty years. Lawmakers in Indiana are actively trying to attract the team away from Chicago. Their strategy involves a plan to finance and construct a domed stadium in Hammond, a location situated approximately 25 miles from their current home on the shores of Lake Michigan.
In response, the Illinois General Assembly has introduced legislation designed to offer tax incentives for major projects exceeding $100 million. This proposed legislation would accommodate the Bears’ ambitious plan to develop a complex on a significant 326-acre parcel of land they own in Arlington Heights.
Warren had previously commented on the potential locations last month, stating, “Both of the sites are excellent sites.” This suggests a positive outlook on the prospects offered by both Arlington Heights and Hammond.
The Chicago Bears hold the distinction of being a charter NFL franchise, with a continuous presence in Illinois since their inception in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys. Since relocating to Chicago in 1921, the team has never owned its own stadium. This has been the case throughout their tenancies at Wrigley Field, from 1921 to 1970, and at Soldier Field, which they have occupied since.
Reporting by the Associated Press.
