Indiana lawmakers say they have reached a tentative deal with the Chicago Bears to build an NFL stadium in Hammond.

Why it matters: It would be a historic move — for both the Bears and Northwest Indiana.

Driving the news: Hoosier lawmakers moved bipartisan legislation Thursday that would help fund the construction of a new stadium for the Bears with state bonds.

• Under the deal in Senate Bill 27, the bonds would be paid primarily by local taxes.
• The Bears would invest around $2 billion toward construction, while Indiana would kick in upwards of $1 billion toward the project and infrastructure to support it, said Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers).

What they're saying: State and local leaders from The Region (or Da Region, as it'll surely be known) were effusive in their excitement and praise Thursday.

• Huston called the potential stadium a "transformational investment."
• "What a day for Northwest Indiana," he said. "What a day for Indiana."

Reality check: It's not a done deal.

• The Bears released a statement in strong support of the Hammond project, but left some wiggle room.
• "The passage of SB 27 would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date," the Bears said in a statement. "We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana."

Zoom in: The project, which would essentially hug the state line abutting southern Chicago, is envisioned as more than a stadium.

• Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott, Jr., described the planned entertainment district with hotels, restaurants and other amenities as "a separate city within the city of Hammond."

The other side: Illinois leaders are throwing cold water on the hype.

Keep reading

The Bears are coming to Indiana! Or ... are they?

Zoom in: Whether or not the tentative deal Indiana lawmakers say they have for a new Bears stadium in Hammond is real depends on who you ask.

• We want to ask you!

State of play: Our friends at Axios Chicago are asking their readers, too.

• We'll compare the results next week.

We have three questions for you to consider:

• Are the Bears really Indiana-bound or is this just their latest gambit to secure a better offer from Illinois?
• Should the team be called the Chicago Bears if they move to Hammond?
• Can the Bears still use their fight song "Bear Down" because of its references to Illinois?

Log your answers here!

🎧 Zedd will headline the 2026 Snake Pit, the giant party and EDM concert held in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway infield during the Indy 500. (WTHR)

🗳️ Leaders of both House caucuses threw cold water on a Senate move to shorten the early voting window from 28 days to 16 days.

• The move was added in committee earlier this week without public testimony.
• House Speaker Todd Huston said he hadn't heard the Senate's reasoning yet but said Thursday, "giving people a longer opportunity to vote strikes me as a good thing."

🪧 The latest data center fight in Indianapolis will get a hearing next week. Sabey wants to build a 130-acre facility in Decatur Township, on the city's southside. (Mirror Indy)

⛺️ The bill that would ban camping, sleeping or living on public streets and grounds is nearing passage. Proponents say the goal is connect people in need with services, but critics say it would criminalize homelessness. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Lent began this week, which means it's officially fish fry season.

The big picture: During the 40 days of Lent, observers abstain from meat on Fridays.

• Catholic rules disallow meat from warm-blooded animals (think chicken, cows, etc.), but cold-blooded animals (fish and other seafood) are OK.
• This practice gave rise to the fish fry, a delicious tradition.

Yes, but: There are more (and more interesting) ways to abstain from meat.

Here are seven meat-free meals in the city:

🍤 Orange shrimp from Asian Harbor

• The shrimp come lightly breaded, à la orange chicken, in the same tangy sauce and with a bit of broccoli.
• It scratches the itch for Chinese takeout and reheats well.

🍗 "Chicken" tenders from Baby's

• The fake chicken is so perfectly breaded and fried, I did a double-take, making sure it wasn't the real thing. They're crispy, juicy and so, so good.
• The fries they come with don't hurt, either.
• Plus: Baby's offers an Impossible patty option for its beloved burgers and a very enticing chili mac with vegan chili.

🥦 Broccolini taco from Julieta Taco Shop

• Perfectly roasted broccolini is tossed in a chipotle sauce and tucked into a soft tortilla with onions and herbs.
• It is one of the best things I've eaten. I think about it all the time.

Sandwiches, sushi bowls and more

GEOfest is back to bring another weekend of crystals, fossils and fun to the Indiana State Museum.

What's happening: The all-ages educational bash has been one of the museum's most popular annual events for the past 23 years.

• It features three floors of hands-on learning experiences, shopping and the chance to explore the museum's natural history galleries.

The intrigue: As part of the museum's celebration of America's 250th birthday, GEOfest 2026 will unearth our state's geological history and highlight which past U.S. presidents were fascinated with fossils.

Plus: Kids will be able to dig into the history of Indiana's Ice Age and put their construction skills to the test in an earthquake simulator.

If you go: GEOfest runs Friday through Sunday at the Indiana State Museum, open 10am-5pm daily.

• Admission is $23 for adults, $17 for children and $21 for seniors.

More weekend picks