The exodus of the Chicago Bears from Illinois to Indiana has moved closer to reality, with news reports that the team’s relocation is nearly a done deal.
According to combined media coverage, the Indiana House Ways and Means Committee voted unanimously to pass SB 27, which would create the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority that would coordinate the creation of a multibillion-dollar stadium and a 35-year lease deal for an NFL franchise that was unnamed in the bill but was obviously meant for the Bears. The state will own the stadium and provide up to $1 billion for its construction and infrastructure, with the Bears invest around $2 billion.
The stadium would be built in Hammond, an Indiana city that borders Chicago. While the Bears have not formally accepted Indiana’s invitation, the team issued a statement that said, “The passage of SB 27 would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date. We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana.”
However, the team is still in talks with Illinois lawmakers over the creation of a new stadium in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights. Those talks have been stalemated over disagreements on public financing for the project. An Illinois House panel was scheduled to consider a new bill that would have enabled the team to negotiate payments with local taxing bodies in lieu of paying full property taxes, but that meeting was canceled.
A spokesperson for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker released a statement that said, “Illinois was ready to move this bill forward. After a productive three hour meeting yesterday, the Bears leaders requested the ILGA pause the hearing to make further tweaks to the bill. This morning, we were surprised to see a statement lauding Indiana and ignoring Illinois.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun hailed his state’s efforts to attract the team, posting on social media: “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. 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.”
Photo by Mark Goebel / Wikimedia Commons
