Chicago Bears release statement about latest stadium update

The Chicago Bears stadium saga has been ongoing for years, and there's still no indication that it's ending anytime soon. But after the team announced their commitment to building a stadium in Hammond, Indiana, it sounds like there's finally progress in Illinois making a push to keep the team in-state. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport , NFL Commissioner Rodger Goodell, along with Bears president/CEO Kevin Warren and Bears president George McCaskey, had a meeting with Illinois legislative leaders earlier this week in Chicago. The promise is to have continued conversations about a path forward to building a stadium in Arlington Heights or Chicago. Here's the statement released by the Bears: The Chicago Bears remain committed to building a world-class stadium and mixed-use district for our fans, the Chicagoland community and the team. We continue to work collaboratively with local and state leaders in Indiana to advance our stadium development plans in Hammond, where we are finalizing due diligence details across two sites in the Wolf Lake area. At the same time, we appreciate the recent engagement from Illinois leadership to explore legislation which has allowed us to share our feedback. We expect productive dialogue with both leadership teams in the coming weeks. We have a responsibility and obligation to explore every option available to the club, and we look forward to developing a transformational project that will attract global events and deliver jobs and economic growth to all of Chicagoland. Last week, Greg Hinz of Crain’s Chicago Business reported that the Bears are "close to a deal that would keep them in Illinois," where it's noted that a vote could come as soon as November among the Illinois legislature. The new stadium would "most likely" be built in Arlington Heights, where the organization bought land back in February 2023, rather than Chicago. While there are some that would love for the Bears to remain in Chicago, staying in Illinois is a win after discussions about building a new venue in Northwest Indiana. But, as we've experienced time and time again, nothing is official until shovels are in the ground. And, right now, there's no end in sight. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram