Bears declare intent to leave Chicago, target Arlington Heights or Hammond stadium

The Chicago Bears have formally declared their intention to leave the city of Chicago, stating that remaining within the city limits is no longer a viable option. In a statement issued Thursday, the NFL franchise said it has exhausted all opportunities to stay in Chicago and is now focused on two potential locations for a new, enclosed stadium: Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Hammond, Indiana.

Team president and CEO Kevin Warren said last month that the organization hopes to choose a site by late spring or early summer. The Bears have played at Soldier Field, the NFL’s oldest stadium, since 1971, but have never owned their home venue during their more than century-long history in Illinois.

The decision sets up a competition between the two states. In Illinois, the General Assembly has advanced legislation that would provide tax breaks for "mega-projects" costing at least $100 million, a category that would include the Bears' proposed stadium complex. The team already owns a 326-acre tract of land in Arlington Heights, a suburb approximately 25 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. The Illinois Senate must approve the legislation before the session adjourns on May 31.