Bears $5B Stadium Plan Ramps Up As Indiana Pushes Ahead

A potential move of the Bears to Indiana is gathering steam, as state politicians are throwing even more weight behind a developing deal with the NFL team.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said Thursday that the state has “established a broad framework for negotiating a final deal” with the Bears, the most overt statement to date about its intent to complete an agreement for a domed facility for the team. 

Next up is a vote on an Indiana state senate bill that would provide significant public funding for a new stadium in Hammond, Ind. The team would contribute $2 billion, while the public sector would cover the rest of what could be a $5 billion project. That public contribution would be generated from bonding against a series of local taxes—similar to the structure used to finance Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. 

A full state legislative vote on the bill is anticipated in the coming days after it unanimously cleared a state House ways and means committee Thursday. A new amendment hones in on the Hammond location as the preferred site after others in nearby Gary were previously considered. The site almost directly abuts the state line between Indiana and Illinois.

“The state of Indiana moves at the speed of business, and we’ve demonstrated that through our quick coordination between state agencies, local government, and the legislature to set the stage for a huge win for all Hoosiers,” Braun said in a social media post. “We have built a strong relationship with the Bears organization that will serve as the foundation for a public-private partnership, leading to the construction of a world-class stadium and a win for taxpayers.”

The Bears concurred and said that if the bill passes, it would “mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date.”

“We appreciate the leadership shown” by Indiana leaders, the Bears said in a statement, adding it establishes “a critical framework and path forward to deliver a premier venue for all of Chicagoland and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from around the globe. We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to build our working relationship together.”

There has been serious intent already about creating a deal in Indiana, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell toured stadium sites in the state last month. 

Back in Illinois

The accelerating situation in Indiana is happening as the Bears have been unable to forge a deal in Illinois for nearly three years, even on land it owns in suburban Arlington Heights, Ill. 

As the Indiana situation has intensified, some Illinois leaders have shown a new willingness to work out a deal with the Bears. That pivot, however, could prove to be too little, too late. A state legislative committee canceled a scheduled Thursday hearing about legislation that would allow the Bears, or other large developers, to negotiate payments with local taxing authorities—a critical step toward getting an Illinois stadium deal done.

“Illinois was ready to move this bill forward,” said a spokesperson for Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. “After a productive three-hour meeting yesterday, Bears leaders requested the [committee] pause the hearing to make further tweaks to the bill. This morning, we were surprised to see a statement lauding Indiana and ignoring Illinois.”