December 20, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Aerial photo shows Soldier Field before the game between the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-Imagn Image The Chicago Bears’ quest to find a more favorable stadium situation made progress at two different stadiums on Thursday as both Indiana and Illinois advanced plans in favor of stadium proposals.
Indiana, which has continued to pursue the team since the Bears’ attempts to land a new stadium deal in their longtime hometown of Chicago were initially rejected, has seen the state Senate approve a financing deal for stadium construction and a mixed-use development in Hammond, Indiana, located in the northwest corner of the state and part of the Chicago metropolitan area.
Indiana Governor Mike Brown signed a bill establishing the stadium authority.
“We’ve been clear from the beginning that Indiana is open for business,” Brown said on social media. “I am thrilled to sign Senate Bill 27 into law, which creates the framework for building a new world-class stadium in Northwest Indiana. Now let’s get this across the goal line.”
The same day, an Illinois House committee passed a bill that would keep property taxes low for potential complexes in suburban Arlington Heights. This marks a big change for Illinois, as earlier efforts on so-called “mega project” legislation had trouble getting out of committee.
The Bears already own land in the Arlington Heights area, and property taxes are a major obstacle to building a new stadium there.
It’s unclear whether the bill will get enough votes to pass a full House vote when Congress reconvenes March 18.
But environmental findings at the Hammond site, located near Wolf Lake, are still outstanding, so Indiana, too, isn’t entirely clear.
Nonetheless, progress in both areas is a positive development for the team.
“Indiana has taken important steps over the past few months and we are grateful for Governor Brown’s leadership in signing SB27,” the club said in a statement. “We continue to do the necessary due diligence and appreciate our continued engagement with Indiana state and local leaders.”
Hammond, Indiana, is approximately 26 miles southeast of Soldier Field, and Arlington Heights is approximately 30 miles northwest of the Bears’ current home.
Earlier this year, the Kansas City Chiefs made a similar move, ending their long-standing contract with Missouri and planning to move across the border to a new stadium in Kansas. The new contract provides the Chiefs with an additional revenue stream and is consistent with the franchise’s financial goals for shared funds, which Missouri declined to consider.
The Bears have called Soldier Field home since 1971. The team played the 2002 season at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois, on the University of Illinois campus, while Soldier Field underwent extensive renovations.
–Field level media
