One of the NFL’s oldest franchises could be leaving Illinois for good, with the Chicago Bears inching closer to a deal that would move their home games to neighboring Indiana.
In a Thursday morning social media post, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun announced that the Bears and the state had agreed on a proposed new stadium location.
“We’ve identified a promising site near Wolf Lake in Hammond and established a broad framework for negotiating a final deal,” Braun said. “If approved, the proposed amendment to Senate Bill 27 puts forward the essential framework to complete this agreement, contingent upon site due diligence proceeding smoothly.”
The proposed stadium location would be approximately a 30-minute drive from Soldier Field. It would also mean Indiana would be home to two NFL teams, with the Indianapolis Colts being the other. The Bears also released a statement confirming Braun’s announcement.
“The passage of SB 27 would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date,” the Bears said in a statement via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. “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.”
The Bears also said they hoped the new stadium would “deliver a premier venue for all of Chicagoland and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from across the globe.”
The Bears have been seeking a new stadium since 2023, hoping to leave Soldier Field. The team bought land at the former Arlington Park racetrack in nearby Arlington Heights. However, the Bears have not moved forward with building a venue because Illinois has not agreed to provide public funding for a stadium. According to the Chicago Tribune, the Bears’ lease with Soldier Field expires in 2033.
Indiana entered the competition after state senators proposed attracting the Bears by creating a “stadium authority” in northwest Indiana as a way to help fund the new stadium.
Although the deal has not been finalized, Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr says it’s almost a foregone conclusion.
“In speaking to sources close to the situation, this Bears moving to Indiana thing is not just gaining momentum, it feels like an inevitability barring a major change of course from the state of Illinois. This is wild.”