The Bears have reiterated their plans to leave the city of Chicago and relocate to the suburbs after more than 100 years of playing in the city.

Chicago Bears tell the NFL that Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Hammond, Indiana are the only two viable new stadium locations even as local politicians are trying other options.

It turns out Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson didn’t just come out of left field to renew focus on the city keeping the Chicago Bears. Per Justin Laurence of Crain’s Chicago Business, the Bears and Chicago’s top attorneys had “several” meetings in April and May about staying in the city.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker indicated on Friday that he is optimistic that lawmakers will pass the so-called mega projects bill that could keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois.

After a messy week that included vague, revived hopes for a Chicago stadium, Gov. JB Pritzker said he still sees a deal emerging that could keep the Bears in Illinois but in Arlington Heights.

“The Chicago Bears have exhausted every opportunity to stay in Chicago, which was our initial goal,” the team announced in a statement. “There is not a viable site in the city. As a result, the only sites under consideration are in Arlington Heights and Hammond [Indiana].”

The saga over where the Chicago Bears will build their stadium could finally come to a head next week, the final week of the spring legislative session in Springfield. But why has the process taken so long?

There are just 10 days left before state legislators are scheduled to adjourn for the spring session, with May 31 marking a crucial deadline for a bill the Bears say they absolutely need to consider keeping the franchise from crossing state lines into Hammond,

The Chicago Bears made it crystal clear about where they stand on the whole dilemma about finding a new stadium.