UNTHINKABLE–ICONIC Ball Team EXITING Home State

Typewriter with Time to say goodbye text.

After over a century calling Chicago home, the Bears are now seriously eyeing a Hammond, Indiana stadium—and Illinois politicians are scrambling as their high-tax, stalled-legislative approach drives yet another iconic American institution toward the exit.

Story Snapshot

Chicago Bears announced active exploration of building a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana, marking potential end to 100+ year Chicago residency
Indiana House unanimously approved Senate Bill 27 amendment creating Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to facilitate $850+ million infrastructure funding
Illinois Governor Pritzker caught off-guard by Bears’ Indiana pivot despite claiming productive recent negotiations
Bears seeking 40-year property tax freeze while demanding massive public investment in roads and utilities despite claiming self-funding
Soldier Field renovation debt exceeds $500 million with lease extending through 2033, complicating Chicago’s retention efforts

Indiana Rolls Out Red Carpet While Illinois Fumbles

Indiana’s House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved an amendment to Senate Bill 27 on February 19, 2026, creating a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority with authority to issue bonds, acquire land, and finance construction. The Bears immediately praised the legislation, calling it “the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date.” Indiana Governor Mike Braun and legislative leaders positioned their state as “open for business,” offering the Bears what Illinois politicians repeatedly failed to deliver: decisive action and financial frameworks that facilitate economic development rather than obstruct it.

Financial Framework Reveals Public Subsidy Reality

Despite Bears’ claims of self-funding stadium construction, the franchise demands over $850 million in state funding for supporting infrastructure including roads and utilities. The proposal includes a 40-year property tax freeze on the Bears’ assessment, effectively shifting costs to taxpayers while ownership reaps revenue benefits. This mirrors typical stadium deals where billionaire owners socialize costs while privatizing profits. The Wolf Lake site straddles the Illinois-Indiana border along Interstate 90, positioning the Bears to leverage interstate competition. Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott pledged full partnership support, demonstrating Indiana’s willingness to negotiate aggressively where Illinois bureaucracy stalled.

Illinois Stagnation Drives Economic Flight

Governor Pritzker’s spokesman expressed surprise at the Bears’ public Indiana pivot, claiming Illinois was prepared to advance competing legislation following a three-hour productive meeting the previous day. This reaction epitomizes Illinois’ governance failure: endless meetings producing no results while competitors deliver actionable frameworks. Illinois legislative efforts to facilitate either Soldier Field renovation or Arlington Heights relocation have repeatedly stalled despite years of discussions. Meanwhile, over $500 million in debt from Soldier Field’s 2001-2003 renovation remains outstanding, demonstrating the consequences of government-managed projects. The Bears’ current lease extends through 2033, but obsolete facilities and revenue limitations make departure economically rational.

Historical Pattern Shows Broken Promises

The Bears previously explored a $482 million “Planet Park” stadium complex in Gary, Indiana in 1995, which collapsed when Lake County refused a 0.5% income tax to fund it. Between 2021 and 2026, the franchise proposed a $4.7 billion lakefront domed stadium requiring $2.4 billion in public funding and purchased the Arlington International Racecourse property for $197 million. Each proposal encountered Illinois legislative gridlock and political maneuvering. Soldier Field remains the NFL’s oldest stadium, lacking climate control and preventing year-round revenue operations that modern franchises require. Illinois politicians promised solutions for decades while delivering bureaucratic obstacles, creating the conditions driving this potential departure.

Chicago fans face uncertainty about their 100-year franchise’s future as Illinois governance failures create tangible consequences. Hammond would gain a major sports franchise and associated economic development while Chicago loses an iconic institution. The Bears’ Indiana exploration demonstrates how high-tax states with unresponsive legislatures lose economic competitions to states prioritizing business development. Whether this represents genuine relocation intent or negotiating leverage remains unclear, but Indiana’s legislative momentum versus Illinois’ stagnation reveals which governance model attracts investment. American taxpayers should question any stadium subsidy, but Illinois politicians cannot claim surprise when their policies drive businesses—even beloved sports franchises—across state lines seeking reasonable operating environments.