Chicago Bears Contributions
The Chicago Bears plan to build a world-class stadium in Arlington Heights and have committed over $2 billion towards the stadium development.
Jobs
The project will create more than 56,000 construction job years*, and over 9,000 permanent jobs.
Economic Engine
The fixed-roof stadium and mixed-use district are projected to generate $60M in new annual tax revenue at the local, county, and state levels. We are forecasting $10 billion in economic impact attributed to statewide construction, and $260 million in annual statewide new business and tourism impact.
World-Class Experience for Fans
Remaining in Cook County, the Arlington Heights site is within 25 miles for over 50 percent of the Bears season-ticket holders. The new stadium will elevate the fan experience with easy access, ample parking and tailgating space, as well as a Metra train stop directly on the site.
Home for Marquee Events
The 326-acre site will feature a fixed-roof stadium, be surrounded by a mixed-use development, and will be able to host year-round marquee global events like the Super Bowl, Final Four, global soccer games, concerts, community events, youth sporting events and more.
*A construction job year is defined as one employee working for one year.
The new world-class home of the Chicago Bears will feature a greater degree of enjoyment on game day for fans, with a layout to reduce crowding on concourses, increased fan-to-restroom ratios, and improved food options with state-of-the-art technology to reduce check-out times throughout the stadium. Before fans even enter the building, the dedicated tailgating spots, parking spots walkable to the entrances, and an on-site Metra stop will bring fans into the entertainment district, dramatically enhancing the experience before kickoff even happens.
More than just a stadium, this mixed-use entertainment district will be a year-round hub for dining, shopping, and live events. With 326 acres available for development, this site is primed for attracting a projected 800,000+ visitors annually from across Illinois and beyond.
Economic Impact | Jobs Created | Increased Wages
Everyday Benefits From Regional Improvements
The Chicago Bears plan to build a world-class stadium in Arlington Heights and have committed over $2 billion towards the stadium development. Traditional public infrastructure funding for regional improvements benefiting the entire community will be required. The ability for the club to negotiate property taxes for the stadium location with the taxing bodies impacted is also needed to move forward. The proposed property tax process is supported by the village and local school districts and will create predictable, stable payments each year that help the club, and the tax recipients, plan and operate effectively. Any negotiated outcome will generate more property tax revenue than the Arlington Park site ever generated at any point in its over 100-year history as an operating racetrack. That means more money flowing back into schools, roads, and communities.
The Bears invested significant time and resources evaluating multiple potential stadium sites within the City of Chicago. After extensive analysis, the only viable option was the Museum Campus.
However, rebuilding on the Museum Campus was not financially feasible, as it would have required some level of public funding and state support. In contrast, the Arlington Heights site, which the Bears already own, offers the opportunity for a stadium as part of a larger mixed-use development, making it a more sustainable long-term solution.
We are working with state and local leaders to develop an incredible project to serve all of Chicagoland.
Building a new stadium and mixed-use entertainment district will put thousands of Illinois residents to work. A recent economic impact study projected that it would create 56,500 construction job years and 9,000 permanent jobs.
The stadium development is projected to have $10 billion in economic impact during construction for the State of Illinois.
Economic impact includes components like job creation, local and tourist spending, increased tax revenues for local and state governments and catalytic development that sparks additional investment, activity and improvements in the community.
The Chicago Bears Football Club remains committed to making a meaningful impact in the Chicago community. We are dedicated to continued investments and partnerships in the local community to improve the quality of life, increase access and opportunity and positively utilize our platform and resources to grow the game, champion social justice and empower the next generation on and off the field. Click here to learn more.
The vast majority of our charitable contributions are to Chicago organizations - we have contributed more than $41 million to organizations in the city since 2011.
Chicago Bears and Bears Care pillars - community safety & revitalization, economic empowerment, education, health equity, and youth football - will remain our primary areas of focus.
To remain competitive in the NFL today—both on and off the field—the Chicago Bears must provide a world-class experience that meets the expectations of modern fans, players, and partners. Soldier Field, while iconic, no longer offers the infrastructure, accessibility, or amenities required to deliver that standard.
A new modern, fixed roof stadium with ample public transportation and parking would be great for our fans and yield long-term, 365-day a year economic benefits for the State of Illinois that Soldier Field cannot deliver.
A new fixed roof stadium would also allow Chicago and the State of Illinois to compete for mega events like the Super Bowl, Final Four, College Football Playoff games, and other global entertainment attractions. Chicagoland is currently unable to host any of these events without a large, world-class fixed-roof stadium.
The Chicago Bears do not own or operate Soldier Field. The team is a tenant that only plays up to 10 preseason and regular season games there each year, in addition to playoff games. The future of the stadium is entirely in the hands of the Chicago Park District.
Without the Bears, the Chicago Park District will no longer be restricted by the “five-day rule,” which currently limits event scheduling around home games. This change would give the Chicago Park District greater flexibility to host more concerts, festivals, and other events year-round, unlocking new opportunities for the venue and the community.
The Chicago Bears do not own or operate Soldier Field. The team is a tenant that only plays up to 10 preseason and regular season games there each year, in addition to playoff games. The stadium is owned by the Chicago Park District. As such, the responsibility for ongoing maintenance, operations, and any future planning for the venue remains with the Chicago Park District.
The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA) issued bonds backed by a 2% Chicago hotel tax to help pay for the Soldier Field renovation completed in 2003. The remaining cost of the Soldier Field renovations were paid by the Bears as the primary tenant (over $200M).
The remaining bond debt will continue to be paid by the Chicago hotel tax, with or without the Bears playing at Soldier Field, and currently is scheduled to be paid off in 2032.
No. The repayment of ISFA’s bonds is not dependent on stadium usage or team tenancy. The legal structure is designed to rely on hotel tax revenue. The Bears potential relocation to Arlington Heights, which still sits within Cook County, is unlikely to materially impact hotel tax revenues.
The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA) is a government entity created to finance and manage major sports facility projects in Illinois, including renovations to Soldier Field and Guaranteed Rate Field. It issues bonds to fund these projects and oversees their repayment. The Bears have no control or say in how ISFA’s debt is structured, managed, or paid.
At this time, no plans have been made to play Bears home games outside of Soldier Field.
Stadium projects are complex and take time. The one thing we know is that we have a strong sense of urgency because these projects get more expensive each year due to rising construction costs driven by inflation, geopolitical issues, the escalating expense of delays, and the need to be positioned to competitively bid for major events starting with Super Bowl LXV in 2031 and the College Football Playoff, which are awarded years in advance.
Metra conveniently stops at the Arlington Heights stadium site (Arlington Park Station).
The Metra UP-NW line that serves the station originates at Ogilvie station in downtown Chicago and takes 45- 50 minutes to reach the site, depending on the specific train and number of stops. However, we hope to work with Metra on an express route for game days and event days to reduce travel time.
The Chicago Bears are committed to exploring additional transportation opportunities to serve all Chicago residents to make the Arlington Heights site accessible for work or leisure.
We will always be the Chicago Bears.
Currently nine NFL teams play in stadiums located outside the cities they represent including:
•Buffalo Bills (Orchard Park, NY)
•Dallas Cowboys (Arlington, TX)
•Los Angeles Chargers (Inglewood, CA)
•Los Angeles Rams (Inglewood, CA)
•Miami Dolphins (Miami Gardens, FL)
•New York Giants (East Rutherford, NJ)
•New York Jets (East Rutherford, NJ)
•San Francisco 49ers (Santa Clara, CA)
•Washington Commanders (Landover, MD)
Tap to enlarge
