Roger Goodell joins Bears leaders with Illinois lawmakers as Pritzker eyes a December stadium vote

Commissioner Roger Goodell joined Bears chairman George McCaskey and president Kevin Warren in a meeting with Illinois legislative leaders in Chicago earlier this week. Both sides promised to keep talking.

On Friday the Bears said they are still finalizing due diligence on two Hammond sites in the Wolf Lake area and also appreciate Illinois engagement on stadium legislation.

Gov. JB Pritzker said a bill could be ready for the fall veto session (Nov. 17-19 and Dec. 1-3) so the team can choose Arlington Heights or Chicago. He hopes for a vote in the second veto week.

Goodell met Illinois officials in August and again this fall. Moving a founding franchise across a state line would be a league-level decision, which is why he keeps showing up.

Indiana already passed a plan creating a Hammond stadium authority with higher local taxes and up to $1 billion in public bonding. The Bears pledged $2 billion and the board voted in June to move forward.

A spring Illinois proposal tied to Arlington Park stalled in the Senate. Lawmakers then looked at a publicly owned stadium authority. The next checkpoint is Nov. 17 in Springfield.