Illinois Lawmakers Debate Bill To Keep Bears In State

The Chicago Bears are in a situation right now with Soldier Field.

Illinois lawmakers held a 2026 legislative session early Monday morning without passing a bill to keep the Chicago Bears from leaving the state.

The Chicago Bears have been preparing to play in Gary, Indiana, after Illinois refused to provide tax breaks to subsidize a new stadium in the state.

On Sunday, Illinois State Senator Bill Cunningham introduced new legislation that would allow county cities with more than 70,000 residents, like Arlington Heights and Chicago, to create their own sports stadium authority.

The Bears are still looking for a new stadium at a cost of $2 billion.

The Bears, losing in the divisional round to the Los Angeles Rams, have a really bright future ahead of them. Second-year head coach Ben Johnson and third-year quarterback Caleb Williams are looking to turn the franchise into a Super Bowl contender.

Under this proposal, the Bears would not be required to pay property taxes after paying to build the stadium, but would have to pay property taxes for the rest of the development.

When the stadium is complete, the team will turn it over to a new stadium authority, which will lease the building to the Bears.