Are the Chicago Bears critically contemplating shifting to Indiana?
The amended Indiana Senate Invoice 27 handed by means of the Methods and Means committee by a vote of 24-0 on Thursday morning. The laws founds the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to situation bonds to finance, construct and lease a stadium. That paves the way in which for the Bears to construct a stadium in Hammond, Ind., roughly half-hour south of Chicago, the place the workforce presently performs at Soldier Discipline.
How does this impression Bears’ future in Chicago?
“The passage of SB 27 would mark probably the most significant step ahead in our stadium planning efforts to this point,” the Bears said in a press release (h/t The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain, Dan Wiederer and Jon Greenberg). “We’re dedicated to ending the remaining site-specific mandatory due diligence to help our imaginative and prescient to construct a world-class stadium close to the Wolf Lake space in Hammond, Indiana.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, in the meantime, wrote on X that the state is “open for enterprise, and our pro-growth atmosphere continues to draw main alternatives like this partnership with the Chicago Bears.”
The Bears had lengthy deliberate to construct their new stadium in Arlington Heights, Ailing., roughly 25 miles northwest of Chicago. The team purchased a 326-acre property in Arlington Heights for $197.2M in September 2021. It additionally pledged $2B to the challenge.
In December 2025, nevertheless, Bears president Kevin Warren mentioned the workforce was contemplating different websites after the challenge’s momentum stalled. The Illinois legislature and franchise had made some progress since.
One of many sticking factors in negotiations was the Bears’ means to barter tax funds with native governing our bodies as a substitute of paying full property taxes. The Illinois Home Income and Finance committee had scheduled a gathering on Thursday morning to debate such a invoice, however the listening to was cancelled.
Matt Hill, a spokesman for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, mentioned the Bears requested that the assembly be scratched.
“Illinois was prepared to maneuver this invoice ahead,” Hill posted on X. “After a productive three hour assembly yesterday, the Bears leaders requested the ILGA pause the listening to to make additional tweaks to the invoice. This morning, we had been stunned to see a press release lauding Indiana and ignoring Illinois.”
The Bears could also be taking part in the states in opposition to one another to land one of the best deal. With the groundwork for one more stadium in place, they now maintain much more leverage.
