First look: Gary pitches three sites for Bears stadium
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
A generic rendering of a potential Bears stadium in Gary, Indiana. Photo: Courtesy of the city of Gary
The city of Gary, Indiana, has released renderings of three potential sites for a new Chicago Bears stadium.
Why it matters: Indiana is moving fast to lure the Bears away from the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois.
The big picture: The renderings are the latest move signaling the state of Indiana is serious about a Bears stadium.
- A state bill for funding construction was introduced in Indianapolis after Gov. Mike Braun talked about poaching the Bears away from Illinois in his State of the State speech this week.
Zoom in: Gary's proposal boasts a 30-minute ride from downtown and similar commutes from Southwest Michigan. It focuses on three possible sites:
- Gary West End: This location is near the Hard Rock Casino, which is Indiana's highest-grossing gaming location.
- Buffington Harbor: This is a lakefront location, which would place the new stadium along the shores of Lake Michigan, just like Soldier Field in Chicago. It is also closer to the Indiana Toll Road and the South Shore train.
- Miller Beach: Chicagoans know Miller Beach well, since it is right near the Indiana Dunes. This potential location already handles millions of visitors annually.
Flashback: This isn't the first time the city of Gary has tried to get the Bears to relocate. The team and the city flirted with a potential new stadium site in 1994 before the team decided to stay put and renovate Soldier Field.
- "Thirty years later, Gary is even better positioned," Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said in a statement. "Gary's proposal gives the Bears the tax certainty and stability that the organization says is key to success."
The intrigue: The tax certainty and stability that Melton is referring to is a shot across the bow to lawmakers in Illinois, who have stopped short of offering up taxpayer money to fund any new stadium or stadium district.
Yes, but: As the new spring session gets underway in Springfield, state lawmakers may be softening their position, including Gov. JB Pritzker, who has said he's open to discussing infrastructure improvements around the Arlington Heights site where the Bears want to build a stadium district.
- On Friday, Arlington Heights officials and some Illinois lawmakers urged Springfield to consider passing a massive infrastructure bill.
- "We cannot fumble this opportunity," Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia said.