Indiana Committee Unanimously Advances Stadium Authority, Signaling Possible Move for Chicago Bears to Hammond

The Chicago Bears signaled renewed momentum toward a possible relocation after an Indiana legislative committee unanimously approved an amendment that would clear a path for a new stadium in Hammond. The development shifts a high-profile stadium fight into a new jurisdiction and raises immediate political and financial questions for both states and local governments.

What happened and what’s new

Lawmakers on the Indiana House Ways and Means Committee voted 24-0 to advance an amendment to Senate Bill 27 that would establish the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority. The authority would be empowered to issue bonds, acquire land and finance construction for a stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, a site that crosses the Illinois-Indiana border and sits near Chicago’s southeast side.

, the Bears described the committee vote as the most meaningful step forward in their stadium planning to date and said they remain committed to completing site-specific due diligence to support their vision for a domed venue in Hammond. Indiana leaders, including the governor and legislative leadership, welcomed the move as the foundation for public-private negotiations.

Separately, Illinois legislative action on stadium-related measures was paused when a scheduled hearing was canceled. Illinois officials have said they believed progress had been made in talks with the team and expressed surprise at the Bears’ new statement favoring the Indiana framework.

Public details released in the course of hearings include the Bears’ prior public planning numbers and requests: the organization previously signaled a $2 billion investment toward construction and had sought an estimated $850 million in public funding to cover infrastructure around a different site the team purchased in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Behind the headline: Chicago Bears and the Indiana push

Context and recent actions that led here: the Bears had pursued a legislative path in Illinois to negotiate tax arrangements related to a planned stadium at a site the team bought in Arlington Heights. That effort stalled while Indiana lawmakers moved to create a statutory vehicle that would allow state and local authorities in Northwest Indiana to partner on a stadium project.

Incentives and constraints: Indiana leaders frame the initiative as an economic development opportunity that would be supported by a stadium authority able to raise debt and finance infrastructure. Local revenue tools referenced during proceedings include proposals for new food, beverage and innkeepers taxes in northwest Indiana to help cover stadium costs and adjacent infrastructure. Illinois leaders and local officials have constrained options: any relocation would require successful due diligence by the team, negotiation of financial terms, and political approvals in one or more legislatures.

Stakeholders and who gains or loses: Hammond and nearby Indiana jurisdictions stand to gain development activity, new tax revenue streams and regional visibility if a project proceeds. The Bears would gain an alternative negotiating venue and a site that leaders say is near key interstate access. Illinois officials, Arlington Heights-area plans and local taxpayers face potential losses or sunk planning costs if the team moves the locus of negotiations out of state. Fans and civic leaders in both states have expressed strong reactions that could influence political choices.

What we still don’t know and what happens next

• Missing pieces: Whether site-specific due diligence will validate the Hammond location and what the findings will reveal.
• Missing pieces: The timeline for completing due diligence and any required approvals within the Indiana legislature, local governments, or by the new stadium authority.
• Missing pieces: Final financing details, including the scale and structure of public contributions in Indiana and whether previously discussed Illinois commitments will change.
• Missing pieces: How Illinois officials will respond legislatively or through negotiation after the Indiana committee action and the canceled Illinois hearing.

Potential next-step scenarios:

• Due diligence validates the Hammond site: negotiations progress to final agreements, the stadium authority issues bonds, and construction planning moves forward.
• Due diligence raises feasibility or environmental concerns: plans are delayed or redirected, prompting renewed talks in Illinois or an extended search for alternatives.
• Illinois and the Bears reach an agreement: Illinois legislation or local arrangements could be revived, potentially keeping the project within the state and halting the Indiana effort.
• Political pushback escalates: vocal opposition from stakeholders or elected officials in either state complicates approvals and financing, producing prolonged uncertainty.

Why it matters: Near-term, the committee vote changes the negotiating landscape by creating an explicit legal mechanism in Indiana to pursue a stadium project and signaling to the Chicago Bears that an interstate option is viable. For taxpayers and local governments, the move raises questions about who will bear infrastructure costs and how new taxes may be used. For the team and regional economies, the decision will shape long-term venue strategy, fan access and local development patterns.