* Subscribers know more. Crain’s…

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Chicago Bears minority owner Pat Ryan met today with Gov. JB Pritzker and senior legislative leaders as the team considers its options for a new stadium.

“The governor’s office has remained in conversation with the Bears about their plans in Illinois throughout the summer,” Pritzker’s office said in a written statement released this afternoon. “The governor and General Assembly leadership were glad to participate in a productive meeting focused on keeping the Bears in Illinois and protecting taxpayers.”

Also included in the meeting were House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Rep. Kam Buckner and Sen. Bill Cunningham, who led negotiations on legislation related to the Bears during the spring session.

“The NFL appreciated the opportunity to meet with Gov. Pritzker and legislative leaders today,” an NFL spokesman told the Chicago Sun-Times and The Athletic. “Timely action is essential as the Bears work to find a long-term stadium solution for the club and their fans.”

* Sun-Times…

It was Goodell’s second meeting in as many months with Illinois officials, while Ryan — who bankrolled his namesake stadium opening later this week at Northwestern University — takes a more active role in negotiations with the state over Bears president Kevin Warren, who hasn’t made inroads in Springfield. […]

Sources familiar with Thursday’s discussion suggested there was no major breakthrough, but some optimism that common ground could be found before lawmakers return to Springfield in mid-November for the fall veto session. Further meetings are expected this month.

* Tribune…

The meeting also comes after the General Assembly was unable to advance legislation last spring that would create property tax incentives for the Bears to move to the site of the former Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights. In the meantime, the Indiana legislature passed legislation earlier this year to help incentivize a possible Bears move to the Hoosier state.

So far, Warren has said the team has focused on due diligence for two sites in Indiana that include a topographical, geological and environmental analysis of the land, as well as putting together a “capital stack” to finance the $2 billion the Bears proposed to build a new stadium and a surrounding multiuse development.

The two sites being considered in Hammond are the Lost Marsh Golf Course and the Wolf Lake Terminals. Warren has said due diligence has been completed on the Lost Marsh location and that it is viable for construction, while the process is ongoing at nearby Wolf Lake. But he also said a merger of the two sites is possible.

Pritzker and Goodell have been in regular communication about the Bears stadium negotiations since at least January, when the governor’s calendar showed he had two scheduled conversations while the commissioner was in Chicago for the Bears-Packers playoff game on Jan. 10.

* More…

* ABC Chicago | Illinois leaders, NFL commissioner hold ‘productive’ meeting to discuss Chicago Bears stadium future: Sources told ABC7 that Ryan, whose family developed Northwestern University’s new Ryan Field, has emerged in recent weeks as a facilitator of discussions between Illinois leaders and the NFL. The Bears declined to comment on the meeting. Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia said he was encouraged by Pritzker’s remarks and welcomed continued progress toward keeping the Bears in Illinois.

* NBC Chicago | Bears’ stadium update prompts responses from Arlington Heights, Hammond mayors: Now, the mayors of suburban Arlington Heights in Illinois and Hammond in Indiana are sharing their reactions to the news that the two sides met, with Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. saying the Bears informed him of the meeting before it took place. He conceded he wasn’t happy with the meeting taking place, but said he understood the decision during an online community meeting Thursday. […] Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia says the village remains in constant communication with state officials about the possibility of hosting the new Bears stadium. “We were aware of today’s meeting between Governor Pritzker, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and other state leaders, and we are encouraged by the Governor’s statement following that discussion,” he said in a statement. “We welcome continued progress toward keeping the Bears in Illinois and continue to believe that Arlington Heights offers the best opportunity for the Bears to build a state-of-the-art stadium and entertainment district.”

* Politico | Bears at the table with Pritzker: Lawmakers who have worked on stadium legislation say any eventual proposal would likely preserve a path for either Chicago or Arlington Heights, consistent with the previous Senate proposal that was designed to be location-neutral rather than favor one site over another. Looking at November: Whether the issue surfaces during the veto session will come down to a familiar Springfield calculation: having enough votes.