'Big Things': NFL Bears Get Bullish On New $3B Domed Stadium, Ill. Gov. Not On-Board

NYSJ Sports-Entertainment Business News Service

UPDATED May 1, 2024: Top aides to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said they met with Chicago Bears officials today.

The Governor’s office then released a statement saying it still does not support the Bears’ proposal. Pritzker has already spoken out against the Bears' plan to use taxpayer money to help build the new stadium.

“As the Governor has said, the current proposal is a non-starter for the state,” press secretary Alex Gough said in a statement after the meeting.

“In order to subsidize a brand new stadium for a privately owned sports team, the Governor would need to see a demonstrable and tangible benefit to the taxpayers of Illinois. The Governor’s office remains open to conversations with the Bears, lawmakers, and other stakeholders with the understanding that responsible fiscal stewardship of tax-payer dollars remains the foremost priority.”

April 24, 2024: During a public and media presentation at Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears unveiled their plans to build a state-of-the-art fixed-roof stadium along Chicago's lakefront.

The Bears said they are seeking to break ground in Summer 2025, to open in Summer 2028 in time for the NFL season.

The team is asking for the cost to be covered by a combination of public and private funding.

The plan calls for $3.2 billion for the new stadium plus $1.5 billion in infrastructure. The Bears said the project would generate $8 billion in economic impact for the region.

The Bears said they would provide more than $2 billion for the project, which they said would cover 70% -plus of the costs. The club will apply for a $300 million NFL loan as part of the private investment plan.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he is against the Bears' plan to use taxpayer money to help build the new stadium.

"We are excited to invest in the greatest city in the world to a stadium project and site improvements that will benefit Chicagoans and visitors," Bears chairman George McCaskey said during the event.

A domed stadium would help the Bears to apply for hosting a Super Bowl, which is played in February. The Bears have played in Soldier Field since 1971.

The plan features a three-acre promenade and plaza area which could include year-round food and beverage outlets, retail shops, a cultural attraction focused on sports and Soldier Field history.

A publicly-owned hotel could also be included on the recreation and cultural campus.

"In this city, we have the vision to do big things," Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren said at the event.

"This Museum Campus is the most attractive footprint in the world. We have a beautiful lake you can swim in. We have beaches, the architecture downtown. All of those different things are what make Chicago special."

According to Warren, “When we complete this investment, Chicago will be able to bid for the Super Bowl, the Final Four, college events, concerts, and other mega events that could be hosted in our city.

"This means billions of tourism dollars that Chicago currently cannot capture — helping our city regain its reputation for hosting global events.”

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