Chicago Bears Signal Shift Toward Hammond as Indiana Panel Advances Stadium Bill
The Chicago Bears said Hammond, Indiana — near the Wolf Lake area — is now the site they are focused on as state legislators in Indiana moved a stadium financing measure forward, a development that has surprised and frustrated officials in Illinois.
Chicago Bears name Hammond focus after unanimous committee vote
An Indiana House committee unanimously advanced legislation to create a stadium finance authority designed to help the team build a domed venue in northwest Indiana. The Ways and Means panel passed the measure 24-0 during a hearing that featured visible enthusiasm from local officials. The team issued a statement describing the bill’s passage as “the most meaningful step forward” in their stadium planning, and said the club is committed to completing site-specific due diligence for a potential stadium near Wolf Lake in Hammond. A team spokesman added that “Hammond is the site we are focused on. ”
Lawmakers at the hearing outlined components of the proposal that would help fund the project, including new food, beverage and innkeepers taxes in northwest Indiana counties to support stadium construction and related infrastructure. Legislators also said the team would put forward $2 billion toward construction costs as part of the financing picture.
Illinois officials express surprise; Arlington Heights renderings remain in the background
News of the Hammond-focused move came as a surprise to Illinois leadership. Illinois representatives had held a multi-hour negotiating session with team representatives the day before the Hammond announcement and had expressed optimism about a path forward for a different site. Illinois they were disappointed by the Bears’ public statement about Indiana progress and sought clarity on the team’s intentions.
The team has not closed the door on its previously discussed options. Renderings of a proposed stadium in Arlington Heights have been released in prior planning rounds, and the Bears have alternated their stated focus among Chicago, Arlington Heights and Hammond in recent years. But the latest public remarks from the club and the Indiana legislative action mark a clear new emphasis on the Wolf Lake area in Hammond as the current priority.
Local leaders push Hammond as ready partner
Local leaders in northwest Indiana made their pitch publicly during the hearing. Hammond’s mayor expressed the city’s willingness to partner with the team and the state, saying Hammond would “do whatever it takes” to make the project succeed. The Indiana Speaker of the House characterized the vote as historic and said the state had found a strong partner in the Chicago Bears. Governor leadership also weighed in, noting a promising Hammond site and the framework the bill would create to negotiate a final deal, contingent on smooth site due diligence.
While the club has called Hammond the site it is focused on and lawmakers in Indiana advanced the stadium authority measure, team officials have not finalized an exact stadium location within Hammond and did not provide renderings tied to that site. Officials were evaluating potential locations near residential neighborhoods and industrial areas close to Wolf Lake, but specific plans remain subject to the due-diligence process the team outlined.
The combination of the Indiana committee’s unanimous vote, the proposed local tax framework, the cited $2 billion team contribution and the Chicago Bears’ public statement crystallizing Hammond as their present focus represent the most significant recent developments in the multi-year stadium planning saga. Illinois leaders continue to seek clarity on whether the team will ultimately proceed with a move across the state line or remain committed to the Illinois options that have long been discussed.
