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The latest chapter in the Chicago Bears stadium saga unfolded this week when an Indiana House panel unanimously approved legislation establishing a financial framework for a potential NFL facility.
Senate Bill 27 passed the House Ways and Means Committee and now heads to the full House for a vote. The House would have to pass the bill before the legislature adjourns in late February.
The bill would establish the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority, giving the new agency power to oversee land acquisition and coordinate financing for construction of a state-of-the-art facility near Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana.
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A general view of the exterior of Soldier Field is seen during a preseason game between the Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins on August 14, 2021 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Indiana Republican Gov. Mike Braun, House Speaker Todd Huston and Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott jointly announced Thursday’s 24-0 committee vote.
“Indiana is open for business,” Braun said. “We have identified a promising site near Wolf Lake in Hammond and established a broad framework to negotiate a final agreement.”
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The Bears reacted to the news and issued a statement describing the development in Indiana as “the most significant step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date.”
“We are committed to completing remaining site-specific due diligence to support our vision of building a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area of Hammond, Indiana,” the team’s statement added.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson underscored his position that the NFL franchise should remain in the city that bears the team’s name.
“The Bears belong to the city of Chicago,” he said at a news conference.
“I have said repeatedly that the door is always open for conversations. (Bears CEO) Kevin Warren called me yesterday, we didn’t have a chance to connect. I still firmly believe his best position is in Chicago and the evidence clearly speaks for itself.”
A general view during the US National Anthem before an NFL game between the Chicago Bears and the Arizona Cardinals at Soldier Field on December 24, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Jamie Sabau/USA TODAY Sports)
The Bears have alternated between developing land in Arlington Heights and rebuilding on Chicago’s lakefront at Soldier Field before returning to the suburb. The Bears have played at historic Soldier Field since 1971. The lakefront stadium first opened in 1924 and has undergone numerous renovations over the decades.
The Illinois House Committee on Revenue and Finance was scheduled to hold a hearing Thursday morning on a bill that would allow the Bears and any other developer of a large enough project to negotiate long-term property tax rates with local taxing bodies. But that was cancelled.
A general view of the Chicago Bears’ helmets before the start of the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Paradise, Nevada. (Kiyoshi Mio/Image Images)
“Illinois was ready to move this bill forward,” Matt Hill, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications, wrote in X. “After a productive three-hour meeting yesterday, Bears leaders asked the (Illinois General Assembly) to pause the hearing to make further adjustments to the bill. This morning, we were surprised to see a statement praising Indiana and ignoring Illinois.”
The Bears hosted two playoff games at Soldier Field in January, defeating division rival Green Bay in a wild-card round. The following week, the Los Angeles Rams outlasted the Bears in a frigid divisional round showdown in Chicago.
Bears inching closer to Indiana after House plan approves stadium measure, Gov. Braun declares state ‘open for business’
