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Naperville Bears? Team exploring move to the western suburb, fearing potential Arlington Heights stadium is ‘at risk’

Matt Marton/AP file

Fans wait before an NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and New York Jets at Soldier Field in 2018.

The city of Naperville is launching its own bid to try to lure the Chicago Bears to the sprawling western suburb — with the team on Friday admitting a stadium in Arlington Heights is no longer its “singular focus.”

The new competing proposal comes as talks with Arlington Heights have stalled amid disagreements between the team and surrounding suburbs about taxing and school districts.

Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli on May 24 sent the Bears a letter, asking the team to meet and discuss available properties in the west suburb, according to a copy of the letter provided to the Sun-Times by the city of Naperville.