Chicago Bears move forward with Indiana stadium plans
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Halas Hall in Lake Forest, IL. Photo: Ben Hsu/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Chicago Bears confirmed Thursday they are moving forward with two sites in Indiana for a new stadium.
Why it matters: After 106 years in Illinois, the Bears are inching closer to becoming Indiana's team.
The latest: Bears President Kevin Warren said the team is evaluating two sites in Hammond for a potential stadium and surrounding mixed-use development.
- He said he is in regular communication with Indiana lawmakers, while saying talks with Illinois leaders have been "minimal."
What they're saying: "We're reaching that point where we have to make a determination and decision," Warren said at Thursday's press conference.
- "The representatives from the state of Indiana, all the way from the governor's office to representatives in Northwest Indiana, have been phenomenal partners."
Context: The move would create an unusual reality for one of Chicago's most iconic institutions: The Bears would still carry the city's name, but play their home games in a neighboring state.
Flashback: In June, the Bears board of directors voted to explore sites in Indiana after the Illinois legislature failed to pass a proposed stadium tax incentive package in its spring session.
- Indiana had already passed tax breaks to lure the Bears across the state border.
- Pritzker said he was open to calling lawmakers back for a special summer session, but only if the Bears clearly laid out what they wanted from the state.
Reality check: Illinois and the Bears remain stuck in a chicken-and-egg dispute: Pritzker says the team needs to spell out what it wants; Warren says there’s nothing to negotiate until lawmakers produce legislation.
Details: The team is looking at two sites near Wolf Lake in Hammond. They say the Lost Marsh area is suitable for a stadium and are also looking at the Wolf Lake terminal area, possibly merging the two sites to create more space for mixed-use development including retail, hotels and housing.
Catch up quick: What a long, strange stadium trip it's been. It started in 2021, when the Bears said they wanted to leave Soldier Field when its lease expired.
- Rebuffing the city's plans to renovate the museum campus, the Bears secured the old Arlington Park racetrack, signaling their intent to build a stadium there.
- In 2023, the Bears hired a new president, and Chicago elected a new mayor. Both collaborated on a new plan to keep the team on the city's lakefront.
- A year later, the team gave up on the Museum Campus (again), returned to Arlington Heights and, this year, turned its attention to Indiana.
By the numbers: In a recent Axios Chicago poll, 74% of readers said they'd hold a grudge against the team if it moved.
Yes, but: NFL teams often play outside their namesake cities. The biggest example is MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the New York Giants and Jets play.
- "We're focusing on the importance of building this relationship with the fans," Warren added. "I can understand frustration. Hopefully, when we finish the stadium and they get a chance to experience it, that they'll be grateful for what we have done."
The bottom line: Indiana has viable sites and legislation; Illinois and the Bears can't even agree on who should make the next move.