Gov. JB Pritzker believes a deal can be reached in November to keep the Bears in Illinois, and possibly even in Chicago, as the long-running Chicago Bears Soldier Field Relocation Plans debate takes another political turn.
The governor said the timing matters because the Nov. 3 election is approaching and lawmakers return to Springfield two weeks later. That means the stadium conversation could move quickly if there is real agreement to be reached, but Pritzker also made clear that any deal has to work for taxpayers.
“I believe that in November, we’re going to be able to get something done to keep the Bears in the state of Illinois,” Pritzker said. “But I’m not going to do it at the expense of the taxpayers.”
Why the Bears deal has become an election-year issue
The Bears have been pursuing a new home for years, and the debate has now stretched across about five years. The club’s first Hoosier threat came 11 months before the article’s publication, while Arlington Heights has been the main focus for about a year. But Chicago has been back in the conversation as a possible location.
That matters because the question is no longer only where the team will play. It is also about how much public money would be involved, and whether Illinois can keep one of its biggest sporting brands from leaving the state.
Last week, Pritzker appeared before a WTTW gubernatorial forum in Chicago. The renewed optimism is notable because it comes after years of uncertainty around the Bears’ search for a new home.
What changed in Pritzker’s stance?
The tone is more open than before. Pritzker is now saying a deal could be possible in November, rather than treating the process as something still far off. That does not mean a final agreement is close, but it does suggest the governor sees a real opening as the election approaches.
Darren Bailey also used the moment to frame the issue politically, saying: “I’m just glad I’m not going to be known as the governor that lost the Bears.”
Meanwhile, Collin Corbett argued that the Bears matter beyond football, saying: “If you’re ever going to turn around the reputation of a state like Illinois, the Bears are one business, but they’re a very public and a very loud business.” He added: “We need to show that we’re open for business, that we want to grow, and no, that doesn’t mean you’re going to get a big, sweetheart deal.”
The Bears’ path is still tied to the old Arlington International Racecourse property, which the McCaskeys agreed to acquire in 2021. Soldier Field’s 2003 renovation remains part of the wider stadium discussion, too, because it helped shape the case for why the team has continued to look elsewhere.
For now, the key point is simple: Pritzker has shifted toward cautious optimism. Whether that becomes a deal that keeps the Bears in Illinois, or even in Chicago, will depend on what happens in November and then in Springfield after lawmakers return.
