Chicago Bears Consider New Stadium in Northwest Indiana

The Chicago Bears have taken a step toward building a new stadium in Northwest Indiana after a proposal to secure financial incentives for a stadium in Illinois hit a roadblock in the state legislature. On Thursday, the Bears’ board of directors decided to advance with a stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana. While exploring a site near Wolf Lake, the exact location remains undecided.

“We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana with the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and into northern suburbs,” stated the Bears in a report attributed to chairman George McCaskey and team president Kevin Warren. “It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to residents and businesses.”

Indiana Governor Mike Braun expressed support for this announcement. A committee in the Indiana House of Representatives approved a bill in February to establish a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority dedicated to financing, constructing, and leasing the stadium. Braun optimistically noted that the project’s economic impact on the region would mirror the success of the ’85 Bears defense.

Since their founding as the Decatur Staleys in 1920, the Bears have been rooted in Illinois. Moving to Chicago in 1921, they initially played at Wrigley Field before switching to Soldier Field in 1971. Although their lease at Soldier Field extends to 2033, the team could opt out early with a fee. Soldier Field sits approximately 40 miles south of Halas Hall, the team headquarters in Lake Forest, Illinois, while Hammond is about 20 miles from the lakefront stadium.

Matt Hill, spokesperson for Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, stated the governor remains amenable to a plan that safeguards taxpayers. Hill remarked on the Bears’ shifting stance on stadium locations over recent years, noting this indecision had impeded progress.

The team also deliberated moving to Arlington Heights, 30 miles northwest of Chicago. The Illinois Senate passed a bill facilitating local stadium authorities in Arlington Heights and Chicago to help the Bears sidestep property taxes on a new stadium. However, the House adjourned without addressing this measure.

State Representative Kam Buckner, representing the area that includes Soldier Field, conversed with Warren and confirmed continuing discussions regarding an Illinois stadium. Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson remains actively engaged in encouraging the Bears to stay within city limits, confirming ongoing conversations in the community’s best interests.

The Bears need NFL approval before finalizing a stadium location. NFL representative Brian McCarthy confirmed the team’s ongoing updates to the league.

For years, the Bears have sought a new stadium amid a turbulent decision-making process. In September 2021, they signed a deal for 326 acres in Arlington Heights for $197 million, completed in 2023. Their $5 billion plan for this location included an enclosed stadium fit for events such as Super Bowls. Yet following Warren’s appointment as president in January 2023, attention veered back to Chicago’s Soldier Field.

By May 2025, progress was noted with Arlington Heights leaders, despite ongoing efforts to secure public funding and tax incentives. Consequently, possibilities for development in Northwest Indiana began gaining traction. Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. lauded the Bears’ potential move, highlighting Hammond as the perfect setting for significant investment.