Chicago Bears: New Stadium in Indiana?
The Chicago Bears’ new stadium project has taken a significant step. The franchise could leave Illinois to build a new indoor stadium in Northwest Indiana. On Thursday, Indiana lawmakers approved an amendment to state law 27 in the House of Representatives, with a unanimous vote of 24-0. This amendment would pave the way for the Bears to build a stadium in Hammond, Indiana. The law would create the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority, with the ability to issue bonds, acquire land, and finance the construction of the stadium.The Wolf Lake area, which stretches along the border between Illinois and Indiana, is located on the southeast side of Chicago and in Hammond, in northwest Indiana, about 25 minutes south of Soldier Field. The Governor of Indiana, Mike Braun, expressed his enthusiasm on his X account:The Bears had been seeking legislation in Illinois that would allow them to negotiate tax payments with local governments instead of paying full property taxes. The team previously announced that it would invest $2 billion in the construction of a stadium, but was seeking an estimated $850 million in public funding to cover “essential local infrastructure”. A panel of the Illinois House of Representatives had scheduled a hearing on such legislation for Thursday morning, but the committee canceled the meeting. The Bears’ current lease at Soldier Field, owned by the city of Chicago, expires in 2033.“The approval of SB 27 would mark the most significant step in our stadium planning efforts to date. We are committed to finalizing the necessary site-specific due diligence to support our vision of building a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana.”
Chicago Bears
