Bears’ Hammond stadium push accelerates as Illinois runs out of options to offer
The Bears’ long search for a new stadium took a major turn when the Illinois House ended its session for the summer on June 2 without voting on a property tax bill the franchise needed to stay in the state. The Illinois Senate passed the bill at 3:39 a.m., but the House never acted, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The door for a stadium in Illinois closed when the session ended.
Within hours, all attention shifted to the state line. ESPN’s Adam Schefter mentioned Friday afternoon that if the Bears move to Hammond, Indiana would then have two NFL teams, with Chicago joining the Indianapolis Colts in the state.
What Indiana has offered and why the Bears’ Hammond deal makes financial sense
Indiana’s offer to the Bears has been strong from the start. According to a proposal from the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority, the Bears would pay no property taxes, no rent for at least 30 years, keep all event revenue from the facility, and have the option to buy the stadium for $1 after 40 years, as reported by the Associated Press.
If the Bears ultimately move to Hammond, Indiana would become home to two NFL franchises, with the Bears joining the Indianapolis Colts in the state. pic.twitter.com/kr78YPYjFW
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 5, 2026
Regardless of location, the Bears have committed at least $2 billion to the project.
Sports marketing consultant Marc Ganis, who has worked with teams on stadium projects for decades, was clear about the situation after Monday night’s failure in Springfield.
“There is no option in Illinois,” Ganis said. “The focus will now be on Hammond, Indiana.”
The Bears’ proposed site is near Wolf Lake, about 25 miles from Soldier Field. This location is still within the Chicago metropolitan area, even though it’s across the state line.
Statement from Chairman George H. McCaskey and President & CEO Kevin Warren: pic.twitter.com/U4lHzSV8Zv
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) June 5, 2026
The team has said Arlington Heights is still a possibility, but it needs the same Illinois property tax legislation that just failed to pass. Without that bill, Arlington Heights is no longer an option.
The Bears have played in Illinois since 1920 as the Decatur Staleys and have been in Chicago since 1921. If Hammond gets a new domed stadium, the franchise’s move would mark one of the biggest changes in NFL history, even though the stadium would be just 25 miles from their current home. Illinois had five years to act and ran out of time on Monday night.
