Chicago Bears Consider Hammond as Indiana Lawmakers Unanimously Clear Stadium Bill

The chicago bears moved closer to a potential relocation when an Indiana House Ways and Means Committee voted 24-0 to approve an amendment to State Bill 27 that would clear a path for a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana. The unanimous vote created a legal framework that would let a new Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority issue bonds, acquire land and finance construction, a step the team characterized as the most meaningful forward motion in its stadium planning.

Chicago Bears signal shift to Hammond

The approved amendment would establish the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority with explicit powers to back a stadium project near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond. The Bears released a statement welcoming the passage and framed it as essential to finishing the remaining site-specific due diligence needed to support their vision for a domed, world-class stadium. The Wolf Lake area crosses the Illinois–Indiana border along Interstate 90 and sits near Chicago's southeast side and Hammond, about 25 minutes south of Soldier Field.

What the bill would enable

The legislative language moves beyond symbolic support: the authority could issue bonds, acquire land and finance construction costs for a stadium. Local proposals discussed in recent coverage include new food, beverage and innkeepers taxes in northwest Indiana counties to help fund stadium and infrastructure needs. The Bears have said they would invest $2 billion toward construction and had earlier sought roughly $850 million in public funding for local infrastructure tied to a separate Arlington Heights site the team purchased, a parcel of about 326 acres that had been central to prior Illinois planning discussions.

Politics and next steps

Illinois leaders said they were surprised by the Bears' public statement and by the timing of the Indiana move. An Illinois House panel hearing on proposed Illinois legislation that would permit the team to negotiate local tax arrangements was set for the same day but was canceled after the Bears requested additional tweaks; state a multi-hour meeting with the team had been productive the day before. The Bears’ lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033, and the amendment’s backers note the framework is contingent on site due diligence proceeding smoothly.

For now, the operational indicators to watch are clear and procedural: whether the Bears complete the site-specific due diligence the team cited, whether the Indiana measure advances beyond the committee vote, and whether Illinois legislators resume local negotiations. If the due diligence proceeds without major issues, the amendment provides an essential framework that could enable final negotiations; if not, the matter may remain in limbo. The canceled Illinois hearing and public expressions of surprise from Illinois officials underscore political friction that could affect any final agreement.

Key takeaways:

• The Indiana committee approved the amendment 24-0 to create a stadium authority for Hammond.
• The Bears say they would invest $2 billion in construction; they had sought about $850 million in public infrastructure funding tied to an Arlington Heights site they bought (roughly 326 acres).
• The Bears’ lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033; further steps hinge on site due diligence and subsequent legislative action.