Chicago Bears evaluate two potential stadium sites in northwest Indiana

The Chicago Bears are narrowing down options for a new stadium, focusing on two sites in Hammond, Indiana. The team has completed its assessment of the Lost Marsh property and is conducting due-diligence on the Wolf Lake Terminal parcel, with the possibility of combining the two locations.

"Even though we’ve had occasional meetings with the state of Illinois, our sole focus at this point in time is working on a world-class stadium and mixed-use development in Hammond, Indiana," team president Kevin Warren said.

The franchise also continues to consider a 326-acre site in Arlington Heights, about 30 miles northwest of Chicago, as a backup location. Bears chairman George McCaskey emphasized that the team’s name will not change regardless of the venue.

"We will be the Chicago Bears whether we’re in Arlington or whether we’re in Hammond," McCaskey said.

Illinois lawmakers have not advanced a tax-incentive package for a stadium in the state, and a proposed bill to create a local stadium authority stalled in the state Senate. In contrast, Indiana legislators passed a bill in February establishing a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to finance, build, and lease a stadium.

"We’re working hard to make sure that there’s an opportunity for the Bears to stay in the state of Illinois, whether it’s in Chicago or in Arlington Heights," Governor J.B. Pritzker said.

The Bears’ current lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033, but the team can pay a fee to exit early. With the Hammond sites roughly 20 miles from the team’s headquarters in Lake Forest, the move would shorten the distance compared with the current stadium.

"Hope is not a strategy," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told the organization, a sentiment echoed by McCaskey.

The franchise says it is in daily contact with Indiana officials and aims to finalize a deal that balances financial and community considerations.