Who owns Soldier Field? Why do taxpayers still owe millions? What would a move mean for Chicago’s budget? Answers about a potential Bears move.
The Chicago Bears’ stadium debate is heating up like the football team’s final minutes of a fourth quarter, so here are seven big things you need to know about the Bears’ relationship with Chicago.
1.) The Bears don’t own Soldier Field. They rent it.
Soldier Field is owned by the Chicago Park District, and the Bears play there as a tenant. That limits the team’s control and long-term revenue potential compared to teams that fully own their stadiums.
The team wants to build what they have referred to as a “world-class stadium,” which will require major investment from the local government in the city where they choose to settle.
2.) The Bears’ Soldier Field lease runs through 2033, but they can leave early.
Even though the Bears have a lease that runs through 2033, they have been talking about leaving for several years now. Just like someone can pay a fee to get out of an apartment lease before their move-out date, the Bears could pay a fee to exit their lease early.
The fee for the Bears to leave could be around $90 million based on their current contract, but that’s not enough to discourage the team from considering an exit.
3.) Chicago taxpayers are still paying for the last Soldier Field renovation.
As the Bears pursue a new stadium, Chicago taxpayers are still paying off the last round of renovations. Renovations on the stadium in 2003 were supposed to be paid off with a tax on hotel stays, but the pandemic limited that revenue. The city has paid nearly $52 million since 2022 to cover the costs and $356 million in debt still remains. When considering the interest and total amount to be paid over the life of the bonds, it is closer to $534 million.
The Bears team already paid their share, so the rest is entirely on Chicago taxpayers. Chicagoans could be paying millions each year through 2033 for a team no longer in their city. State Rep. Kam Buckner called the team’s move a dine-and-dash on the city and stadium, which has provided them a home for over 50 years.
4.) If the Bears leave Chicago, the city could lose rental income adding to future budget headaches.
Not only would taxpayers be responsible for the remaining money owed on renovations, but they could also be making up the lost rental income in the city’s annual budget.
The Bears rent comes out to around $7 million per year, but Soldier Field is expected to generate another $50 million in revenue on top of that this year. If the Bears leave and concert revenue shifts to a new stadium, that means yet another hole in the Chicago city budget. The city would have to look for ways to replace that activity and revenue, but the tax increases the city had to pull this year just to make things balanced means more taxes might be on the way.
5.) The Bears keep key gameday revenue streams.
Under the current Soldier Field lease, reporting indicates the Bears “pocket” gameday revenue from tickets, concessions, merchandise and also revenue tied to a portion of parking spaces.
So even if the city is getting rent, the team still gets access to lucrative game-day spending.
6.) The Bears already bought land in Arlington Heights for $197.2 million.
In February 2023, the Bears finalized the purchase of the former Arlington Park Racetrack property in Arlington Heights for $197.2 million, a major step toward a potential new stadium complex. But construction and a timeline remain uncertain as financing negotiations continue.
7.) The tax environment plays a huge part in the fight.
Beyond their $855 million ask in infrastructure support from the local government where they relocate, the Bears are asking for tax incentives to help with construction and property taxes.
First, the Bears are asking for legislation that would exempt construction materials from the sales tax. In both Illinois and Indiana – another potential location the Bears have discussed – construction materials are subject to sales tax. They might not get the exemption in either state if lawmakers refuse, but crossing state lines would still save the Bears considerable money. Indiana has a flat state sales tax of 7%, while Chicago boasts the highest sales tax rate in the nation at 10.5%, up from 10.25% in 2025. Arlington Heights would be marginally lower at 10%. The high cost of labor in Illinois also adds friction.
Then there’s the issue of commercial property taxes. In Chicago, commercial properties are subject to a higher tax rate than residential properties and Chicago’s commercial tax rate is about double the average for other U.S. cities. So even if lawmakers agreed to a hefty property tax discount, it would need to be pretty significant to compete with what’s possible in northwestern Indiana, which has a much lower property tax rate.
The taxes and costs in Chicago are not helping the city keep the Bears. If the team were to leave, they would be following a path well-worn by thousands of Illinoisans.
When politicians refuse to control taxation, families, businesses and even football teams may have no choice but to look for a way out.
