Report: Chicago Bears dropped the ball on Arlington Heights duty

Jan 17, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, US; New Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren poses for a picture during the press conference at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Chicago Bears dropped the ball on Arlington Heights duty

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Jordan Sigler | Last updated May 19, 2026 11:56 AM ET

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The Chicago Bears only have two viable options for the new stadium project, per the NFL Stadium Council.

The Bears are set to decide between locations at Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana. The choice is expected to come sometime this summer.

The team is anxiously awaiting the Illinois Senate to add amendments to and pass a megaprojects bill that passed the House earlier this spring. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wants to keep the Bears in the city, but Illinois JB Pritzker suggested there is no feasible plan for the team to stay.

But is there a good plan for the Bears to move to Arlington Heights?

Local leaders have their skepticism about the Bears’ infrastructure plans.

Per Chris Placek of the Daily Herald, Jim Schwantz of Palatine, Lara Sanoica of Rolling Meadows, and Tom Dailly of Schaumburg have asked state leaders to be in on discussions regarding infrastructure upgrades to areas around the new stadium in Arlington Heights.

Those leaders are “expressing frustration” that the Bears have not concluded and released a transportation/traffic study the team has been working on. The analysis has not been completed despite the Bears having purchased the property at Arlington Heights in 2023.

The Chicago Bears haven’t finished their traffic study

The mayors addressed their concerns to Pritzker, Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch.

“Our main concern is that state decision makers are relying on the Chicago Bears Football Club to determine what infrastructure needs to be included,” the mayors wrote in a letter dated April 2.

“The team likely will focus on a ‘range ring’ of one mile or less and we believe state leaders must see the larger picture, including improvements needed two to three miles from the stadium site.”

The mayors are understandably worried that the traffic will jam in surrounding cities. If the stadium hosts the Super Bowl and other large market events, supporting infrastructure will be critical for local citizens to go about their daily lives.

It’s curious why the Bears haven’t finished their traffic studies at this point. The team is set to provide an update on their plans at the league meeting in Orlando on Tuesday, but the Bears are lagging behind in the basics for state and local leaders.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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