Illinois is close to an agreement with the Bears that could keep the NFL franchise at its Arlington Heights property instead of moving to Hammond, Indiana, Crain’s Chicago Business reported. The reported progress follows Bears president Kevin Warren’s August statement that a new Indiana stadium had become the team’s sole focus after negotiations over Illinois taxation stalled. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Bears minority owner Pat Ryan were involved in efforts to revive Arlington Heights. A proposed Illinois law could allow a municipality to establish a stadium authority, a public body able to own and operate a stadium without assuming the entire property-tax bill. The Bears envision a fixed-roof stadium that could host the Super Bowl, Final Four and other major events. Indiana has approved tax guarantees and a package that could provide roughly $1 billion in public support for a Hammond project. The Bears have an existing lease at Chicago’s Soldier Field through the 2033 season and have said the franchise would retain the Chicago Bears name regardless of its future address.