Discussions about a new location for the Chicago Bears stadium have been ongoing for some time. The proposal to build a stadium in Aurora, a western suburb of Chicago, is gaining popularity, with local officials arguing that the team should invest in its future there.

Arguments in favour of Aurora

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, along with other local officials, has made the case for their city as the ideal site for a new Chicago Bears stadium. In an article published in the Chicago Tribune, it was highlighted that Aurora has many advantages that make it a natural choice. The most important is that the city is the second largest in the state of Illinois and has a rapidly growing economy.

In addition, Aurora offers an extensive entertainment infrastructure and plans for further investment that could support the stadium development. All of this makes Aurora more attractive than other locations, including Arlington Heights, where the Bears have faced difficulties with taxes and property values, according to officials.

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Chicago Bears don't want to sell land in Arlington Heights

Originally, the Chicago Bears planned to build a stadium on land on Lake Michigan, next to Soldier Field. However, this plan would have required significant infrastructure funding and support from public funds, which Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and other state officials do not agree with.

Arlington Heights, where the team bought the $197.2 million site in February 2023, also faces obstacles. The main problem is disputes over the valuation of the property and the associated tax burden, which has turned out to be higher than expected. The Bears own almost 132 hectares of land, and at this point it seems that plans to sell the land are nevertheless out of the question. The Bears authorities are adamant: the stadium will be built on Lake Michigan.

Bears chief operating officer and executive vice-president of stadium development Karen Murphy said in April that the entire stadium project would likely cost $4.7 billion: $3.2 billion for the stadium itself, just over $300 million for the infrastructure required to open it, and $1.2 billion for the two phases of development.

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