CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears seem to have shifted their attention for a new enclosed stadium back to the suburbs from the city's lakefront, citing “significant progress” with local leaders to build on a tract of land they own in Arlington Heights.

“Over the last few months, we have made significant progress with the leaders in Arlington Heights, and look forward to continuing to work with state and local leaders on making a transformative economic development project for the region a reality," the team said in a statement on Friday.

Bears President Kevin Warren said six weeks ago at the NFL meetings that the team was turning at least some of its focus from the Chicago lakefront to the suburbs. The latest statement seemed to take it a step farther.

Though the Bears finalized the purchase of a 326-acre property in Arlington Heights in February 2023, their main focus the past year had been on building an enclosed stadium next to their longtime home at Soldier Field. Their plan to transform Chicago’s Museum Campus got a full endorsement from Mayor Brandon Johnson but a tepid reception from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and state legislators when it was announced in April 2024.

In September 2022, the Bears unveiled a nearly $5 billion plan for Arlington Heights that also called for restaurants, retail and more, when they were finalizing the purchase of that site 30 miles from Soldier Field. Their focus shifted toward the Chicago lakefront after Warren was hired as president two years ago to replace the retiring Ted Phillips.

“Arlington Heights, I keep going back to it, it’s an absolutely fantastic piece of land,” Warren said at the league meetings. “To be able to have 326 acres that close to a wonderful city is difficult to do. I don’t know if it exists anywhere in the country.”

There have also been talks with developers of a tract of land on the South Side about building a stadium and mixed-use development on the site of the old Michael Reese Hospital. But the team has rejected the 48.6-acre site in the past, saying it was too narrow and that commuter train tracks presented engineering challenges.

Since moving to Chicago in 1921, the Bears have never owned their stadium, whether playing at Wrigley Field from 1921 to 1970 or Soldier Field since then. The team hopes to start construction this year.

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