CHICAGO, IL — The Chicago Bears announced Friday that their board of directors has voted to advance a stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana, though a specific site has not yet been finalized.
"We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana to the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city," Bears chairman George H. McCaskey and president & CEO Kevin Warren said in a statement. "It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses."
The move comes after the Illinois House adjourned its spring legislative session without advancing a measure that would have helped create local stadium authorities in Arlington Heights and Chicago, potentially easing the Bears’ path to a new stadium in Illinois.
The franchise has been evaluating potential sites in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Hammond, Indiana, as part of a long-running effort to secure a new home.
The Bears reached an agreement in 2021 to purchase 326 acres in Arlington Heights, a deal finalized in 2023, and later unveiled a nearly $5 billion stadium and entertainment district proposal. The team also explored a plan to build a new stadium near Soldier Field in Chicago before revisiting Arlington Heights and expanding its search to Northwest Indiana.
Indiana officials, including Gov. Mike Braun, have supported efforts to bring the team to the state, with lawmakers approving measures to establish a stadium authority to finance and develop a potential site near Hammond.
The Bears, a founding NFL franchise, have played in Illinois since 1920 and have never owned their home stadium, including stints at Wrigley Field and Soldier Field.
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