The Chicago Bears are continuing to evaluate a potential stadium move to Hammond while holding discussions with Illinois leaders about legislation. In a statement released Friday, the team said it was nearing completion of due diligence on two sites in the Wolf Lake area, even as it considers options on both sides of the state line.
The statement followed media questions about a meeting in Chicago earlier in the week. The Bears acknowledged the discussions and said recent engagement with Illinois leadership had given the franchise an opportunity to provide feedback as officials explore legislation. The team also said it anticipated further productive discussions with leaders in both states in the coming weeks.
Illinois lawmakers are scheduled to return to Springfield for sessions on Nov. 17 through Nov. 19 and Dec. 1 through Dec. 3. During those meetings, legislators could consider a revised stadium bill after failing to advance a proposal in the spring. The Bears' engagement with Illinois officials comes ahead of those scheduled legislative sessions.
Indiana lawmakers have already finalized a plan intended to bring the franchise to the state's northwest corner. Approved in March, Senate Enrolled Act 27 would create a stadium authority in Hammond responsible for building and operating a new stadium for the Bears. The facility would be publicly owned under that plan.
The Indiana measure would also permit increases in county taxes on restaurants, hotels and admissions to help finance the project. Those provisions form part of the state's effort to attract the Bears as the team works with local and state officials on its potential development in Hammond.
The Bears said that cooperation in Indiana remains active, with the remaining due diligence focused on the two Wolf Lake area locations. The club reiterated that its development plans include both a stadium and a mixed-use district.
In explaining its consideration of alternatives, the franchise said it has a responsibility to examine every available option. It described its goal as a project that would draw global events and bring jobs and economic growth to the broader Chicagoland region.
The stadium search is aimed at replacing Soldier Field, the Bears' aging home on Chicago's Lake Michigan shoreline. For now, the team's stated work includes both the site review in Hammond and continued dialogue over what Illinois lawmakers might offer through stadium legislation.
