An Illinois House committee meeting scheduled for Thursday to discuss funding for a new stadium for the Chicago Bears has been canceled. This development makes the possibility of the Bears moving to Indiana feel like a very realistic proposition.
The Indiana House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved a revised version of Indiana Senate Bill 27 Thursday 24-0, which would allow the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to issue bonds to finance, build and lease the stadium. Illinois was ready to move forward after a three-hour meeting on Wednesday but was reportedly paused by Bears leadership to make adjustments to the Bills.
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Illinois lawmakers were surprised by the team’s statement in support of Indiana this morning.
“We are committed to completing the remaining necessary site-specific due diligence to support our vision of building a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area of Hammond, Indiana. We are grateful for the leadership shown by Governor Braun, Speaker Houston, Senator Mishler and members of the Indiana General Assembly in establishing this critical framework and path forward to provide a first-class venue for all of Chicago and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from around the world,” the team said. “We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to build our working relationship together.”
Indiana lawmakers have previously said they need the Bears to show serious interest in relocating to northwest Indiana. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has been outspoken in his support of the state’s pursuit of the Bears.
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“Indiana is open for business and our pro-growth environment continues to attract significant opportunities, such as this partnership with the Chicago Bears,” Braun said in a statement. “We have identified a promising site near Wolf Lake in Hammond and established a broad framework for negotiating a final agreement. If approved, the proposed amendments to Senate Bill 27 will lay out the basic framework for completing the agreement, subject to the smooth progress of site due diligence.”
Hammond is just the latest proposed location for the Bears’ new home, joining Gary and Portage, Indiana, and Des Moines, Iowa. The Bears are developing a new lakefront site near Soldier Field and a mixed-use development on land they purchased in suburban Arlington Heights. Both options would require more than $1 billion in taxpayer support.
The Bears have proposed lakefront sites near Soldier Field and development projects in suburban Arlington Heights, both of which would require more than a billion dollars in taxpayer support.
Indiana lawmakers see this as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for the state.
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“Hammond is in a unique position right now. We are part of the Chicago area. We are only 20 minutes from Soldier Field,” Sen. Ryan Mishler said Thursday. “We are ready to help write Indiana’s next great chapter.”
