A detail of the Chicago Bears logo on a helmet prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, in Chicago. The Bears won 27-3. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Aaron M. Sprecher/AP
The Chicago Bears announced Friday the team’s board of directors “voted to advance” plans for a relocation across state lines to Indiana.
In a statement published on social media, the team said:
Yesterday, the Chicago Bears Board of Directors met and voted to advance our stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana, with the exact site to be selected. We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana to the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city. It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses.
The city has long fought for the Bears to remain in Chicago, even as team officials have remained adamant on moving. Potential locations included Hammond and Arlington Suburbs, a suburb outside Chicago.
Asked about the idea of the Bears leaving the state, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D)recently criticized Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) for having “no plan” to keep the team.
“We would like them to stay in the state of Illinois,” Pritzker told the press, “and so I’m fighting hard to make sure that they can do that.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) praised the move and declared it would provide “economic boost to the entire region.”
“We look forward to building a partnership as strong as the ’85 Bears defense,” Braun added, “creating opportunities and economic growth that will benefit our state and the Bears organization for decades to come.”
Hoosiers, help me welcome the Chicago Bears to our great state!
We look forward to building a partnership as strong as the '85 Bears defense, creating opportunities and economic growth that will benefit our state and the Bears organization for decades to come.
An NFL franchise… https://t.co/l3eUHzUrCk
— Governor Mike Braun (@GovBraun) June 5, 2026
In response to the team announcement, Johnson made it clear that nothing had been finalized. The statement read:
Over the last several years the Bears have stated their intentions in multiple jurisdictions, today’s announcement is not surprising.
It’s also not surprising that Bears officials have stated this vote does not mean a move to Hammond is a done deal.
Without a final site selection, until we see shovels in the ground in Hammond, the City will continue to engage in discussions grounded in the interests of our residents.
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