Chicago Bears Moving to Indiana: Wolf Lake Hammond Stadium Bill Passes 24-0 as Bears Signal Historic Shift

One of the most seismic franchise relocations in NFL history is now firmly in motion. The Chicago Bears are moving to Indiana — or at least that is what Thursday's rapid sequence of events strongly suggests. In a dramatic turn that blindsided Illinois officials and set off celebrations across Northwest Indiana, the Bears publicly embraced a new stadium near Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana, as Indiana lawmakers unanimously advanced landmark stadium legislation by a 24-0 vote on February 20, 2025 ET.

Indiana Bears Stadium Bill Passes 24-0 — What It Means

The Indiana House Ways and Means Committee voted 24-0 to advance an amendment to Indiana Senate Bill 27, creating the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority — a new government body empowered to issue bonds, acquire land, and finance construction of a Bears stadium. The vote came Thursday morning ET and immediately set off a chain reaction of statements from the Bears, Indiana's governor, and Hammond's mayor.

The Bears — who have been hunting for a new stadium home for years, bouncing between Arlington Heights, the Chicago lakefront, and now Indiana — made their most declarative statement yet: the passage of SB 27 would be "the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date." The full Indiana House must vote on the bill before the legislative session ends February 27, 2026 ET, creating an urgent deadline.

Wolf Lake Hammond Indiana: The Proposed Chicago Bears Stadium Site

The proposed Bears stadium site sits near Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana, approximately 19 miles from downtown Chicago and less than a half-hour drive via Interstate 90. The lake itself straddles the Illinois-Indiana state line, placing the stadium within striking distance of the city the Bears have called home since 1920.

The specific parcel under consideration includes the Lost Marsh Golf Course near 129th Street and Calumet Avenue — a site built over an old industrial landfill, steps from an oil refinery and residential neighborhoods. Site surveyors were recently observed conducting ground work on behalf of the Bears, though no official renderings have been released. Indiana officials indicated the state could contribute up to $1 billion toward construction, with the Bears committing $2 billion in private funding. The stadium would be owned by the state of Indiana.

Key figures on the proposed deal:

Hammond Mayor and Indiana Officials React

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. could barely contain his enthusiasm, choking up at times during testimony before the House committee. "Hammond's ready to partner with the State of Indiana. Hammond's ready to partner with the Chicago Bears — basically, Hammond will do whatever it takes to help make this project a success," McDermott said. He also reminded skeptics of geography: the Wolf Lake Hammond Indiana site is actually closer to Chicago's South Side than a stadium in Arlington Heights would be, making it a viable option for the urban Bears fan base.

Indiana Governor Mike Braun framed the move as a showcase of the state's business-friendly environment. Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston, after reading a statement directly from the Bears organization, called it "a historic day" and said the two sides share a commitment to make a Bears stadium in Indiana happen.

The city of Hammond also noted a piece of trivia with enormous symbolic weight: the Hammond Pros, the Bears' NFL ancestor in spirit, were a charter member of the NFL in 1920. The Bears are not the first NFL team to call Hammond home — they would simply be the most famous.

Illinois Reacts — Governor Pritzker and Springfield Left in the Cold

While Hammond celebrated, Illinois was left flat-footed. A scheduled Illinois House committee meeting where a Bears-related stadium bill was expected to be discussed was abruptly canceled on the same morning Indiana advanced SB 27. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker expressed frustration, noting that his staff had held a three-hour negotiating session with Bears representatives just one day prior to the Indiana announcement.

"It's very disappointing to hear that they would put that statement out, but not say anything about the advancement that's been made in the state of Illinois," Pritzker said. The Bears had sought $855 million in public infrastructure funding from Illinois for their Arlington Heights site — money for roads, sewers, and commuter rail upgrades — but years of legislative stalling in Springfield appear to have broken the team's patience.

Illinois sources insisted talks were still alive. But the optics were damaging: Indiana moved at lightning speed, and Illinois canceled its own hearing on the same day.

Are the Chicago Bears Moving to Indiana? What Comes Next

The Bears are moving to Indiana in everything but the signed contract. The franchise has not formally executed a relocation agreement, and there are still significant hurdles: site due diligence must be completed, the full Indiana House must pass SB 27 before February 27 ET, financial terms between the Bears and the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority must be negotiated, and the NFL must ultimately approve any move.

The Bears also still hold their lease at Soldier Field through 2033, meaning a new stadium would need to be ready — and a lease-breaking arrangement negotiated — before the team could physically play in Hammond. Nevertheless, the direction is unmistakable. A franchise that entered the NFL in 1920 and has played in Chicago for more than a century is on the verge of crossing a state line for a new Bears stadium on the shores of Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana — and this time, the countdown clock appears to be real.