Report: Bears, Illinois near agreement to keep team in Chicagoland

By Field Level Media Oct 30 (Field Level Media) Illinois is close to a deal with the Bears that would keep the franchise close to Chicago and out of Indiana according to a report in Crain s Chicago Business. The Bears all but bid ​farewell to Chicago in August when president Kevin Warren declared a new stadium in ‌Indiana had become the sole focus of the franchise, a turn he said was necessary due to a stalemate in negotiations over taxation of a new stadium in Illinois. But with commissioner Roger Goodell and Bears minority owner Pat Ryan in the mix, progress was reportedly made to bring the franchise-owned property in Arlington Heights, Ill., back into ‌play. According ​to Crain s, the shift would be made possible by the ⁠legislature in Illinois approving a new ⁠law to potentially grant a municipality the right to establish a stadium authority to own and operate a stadium without being responsible for the entire property tax bill. Speculation on the reported progress includes