The NFL team's future in Illinois is in jeopardy
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NEED TO KNOW
- The Chicago Bears could be on the move
- The NFL team is eying a location in Indiana for a new stadium for their team
- The deal is not yet done, and the exact site has not been officially determined
The Chicago Bears are one step closer to moving their stadium to Indiana.
On Friday, June 5, the team announced that its board of directors has green-lit a move across state lines — to Hammond, Ind., about 27 miles south of the team’s current home, Soldier Field.
The exact site has not yet been determined, ESPN reported.
"We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana and the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across the neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city," Bears chairman George H. McCaskey and CEO Kevin Warren said in a statement.
The deal is not done, however, according to Illinois authorities, who have been working towards building a new stadium for years.
"The Bears have built a storied legacy in Illinois for over 100 years but have spent the last six years, and especially the last few months, shifting their position on a stadium location. That has hindered their progress," Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s spokesman Matt Hill said in a statement.
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Hill continued, "Today appears to be another instance of that after Illinois leaders have been working with the Bears in good faith. Governor Pritzker has always been clear that he wants the Bears to stay in Illinois and still remains open to a sensible solution that protects taxpayers."
The Bears currently own a 326-acre property at the former site of the Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights, Ill., which the team purchased in 2021, per ESPN.
However, a proposal involving the Bears negotiating payments instead of paying property taxes died in the Illinois state senate last weekend.
Still, Indiana was happy to welcome the team to a new location on Friday.
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"We look forward to building a partnership as strong as the '85 Bears defense, creating opportunities and economic growth that will benefit our state and the Bears organization for decades to come," Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said in part in a statement.
Braun continued, "An NFL franchise in Northwest Indiana will be an economic boost to the entire region like we haven't seen before."
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