Pritzker open to special session if Bears deliver viable stadium plan

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday he would consider calling a special session of the state legislature if the Chicago Bears submit a clear and workable proposal for a new stadium.

Pritzker said the team has been in contact with his office and with legislative leaders in recent days, even as the Bears have publicly emphasized a potential move to Indiana. Any special session, he said, would depend on whether the plan is specific, financially credible and able to attract political support in Springfield.

Pritzker said the Bears did not obtain legislative approval for a stadium package during the most recent regular session. He attributed that outcome to what he described as the absence of a detailed proposal while lawmakers were in session and a lack of consistency about a single preferred location. He said a renewed push would need clearer organization and tighter definitions around the project.

The governor also criticized the team’s absence on the final day of the session, saying it hindered efforts to build momentum. He said the Bears are now attempting to regroup after the session ended and would need to address lawmakers’ concerns if the issue is to return to the agenda.

What Illinois lawmakers would need to see

Pritzker said any proposal brought to Springfield would need to identify a specific site, outline a financing structure and demonstrate the project’s overall viability. He did not set a timeline for a possible special session and suggested that calling lawmakers back without a concrete, politically viable package would be unlikely to produce results.

A special session would allow legislators to consider stadium-related legislation outside the normal calendar. Pritzker said the scope of any agenda would be driven by what the Bears submit and whether there is sufficient support among state leaders to justify convening lawmakers.

Stadium search remains fluid despite Indiana messaging

Pritzker’s comments underscored that Illinois remains part of the stadium discussion even as the Bears have publicly highlighted Indiana. If a future plan includes public financing or other forms of state support, those elements are likely to become central to the legislative debate, given the need to win votes and address taxpayer concerns.

Next steps will depend on whether the Bears formally deliver a refined proposal and whether legislative leaders indicate there is enough clarity and backing to warrant a special session.