Chicago Construction News staff writer
The Chicago Bears took a major step toward leaving Illinois on Friday, with the board of directors approving plans for a new stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana, marking a shift in a yearslong search for a permanent home.
A specific site within the northwestern Indiana city has not yet been selected.
“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 and CEO Kevin Warren said in a joint statement. “It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses.”
The decision comes after Illinois lawmakers concluded their spring legislative session without approving a measure that would have allowed Arlington Heights and Chicago to establish local stadium authorities. Team officials viewed the proposal as a key mechanism for reducing the property tax burden on a potential stadium project in Illinois.
The Bears had long focused on Arlington Heights as the leading candidate for a new stadium. In September 2021, the franchise announced it had signed a purchase agreement for 326 acres at the former Arlington International Racecourse site, roughly 30 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. The team finalized the $197 million acquisition from Churchill Downs Incorporated in 2023.
A year after announcing the land deal, the Bears unveiled a $5 billion development proposal centered on an enclosed stadium capable of hosting major events such as the Super Bowl and the NCAA Final Four.
As recently as May 21, team officials said Hammond and Arlington Heights were the only locations under active consideration. Meanwhile, some Illinois lawmakers continued to advocate for plans that could revive Chicago’s chances of retaining the franchise within city limits.
The Bears have played in Illinois since the franchise’s founding in 1920.
