The storied Chicago Bears NFL franchise has been playing in the Windy City since 1921, but on Thursday, the team shocked the sports world and Illinois leaders by taking a “meaningful step” toward building a new stadium across state lines in Hammond, Indiana.
After the Indiana House of Representatives unanimously passed a proposed amendment to make Indiana the Bears’ new home, the team said it is “committed to finishing” the process “to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana,” Chicago-based news outlet WGN 9 reported. The Bears thanked the Republican-led Indiana government for quickly working to open the door for the new stadium.
“We appreciate the leadership shown by Governor [Mike] Braun, Speaker [Todd] Huston, Senator [Ryan] Mishler and members of the Indiana General Assembly in establishing this critical framework and path forward to deliver a premier venue for all of Chicagoland and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from across the globe,” the Bears said. “We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to build our working relationship together.”
While a relocation to Hammond would keep the Bears in the Chicago metro area, it would mark a major loss for Illinois Democratic leaders, including Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. The Bears had planned to move to Arlington Heights, a village in Illinois northwest of downtown Chicago, but the plan has stalled in the Democrat-controlled state legislature.
A spokesman for Governor Pritzker said that state lawmakers had planned to hold a hearing on moving forward with the Bears’ Arlington Heights plans, but the franchise requested the meeting be called off at the last minute. The hearing, scheduled to be held by the Illinois Revenue and Finance Committee, was set to look into a proposal to provide up to $850 million in infrastructure support, according to WGN 9.
“This morning, we were surprised to see a statement lauding Indiana and ignoring Illinois,” Pritzker’s spokesman, Matt Hill, added.
Local property taxes in Illinois also remain a major issue. Illinois Republican state Rep. Mark Batinick published a document detailing how the 7% property tax rate in Arlington Heights would require the Bears to pay around $210 million annually, the Purdue Exponent reported.
Indiana Republican Governor Mike Braun released a statement on Thursday touting the state’s “pro-growth environment” that “continues to attract major opportunities like this partnership with the Chicago Bears.”
“The State of Indiana moves at the speed of business, and we’ve demonstrated that through our quick coordination between state agencies, local government, and the legislature to set the stage for a huge win for all Hoosiers,” Braun added. “We have built a strong relationship with the Bears organization that will serve as the foundation for a public-private partnership, leading to the construction of a world-class stadium and a win for taxpayers.”
Illinois businesses, especially businesses in Arlington Heights, could take the biggest losses if the proposal to move the Bears to Indiana goes through. Business owners and residents in Arlington Heights have largely supported bringing the NFL team to the village, as it would come with increased business and tourism opportunities.
A move to Republican-led Indiana, however, could ease the tax burdens of the franchise and its players. Indiana’s income tax currently sits at 2.95% and will be lowered to 2.9% beginning in 2027. The state’s corporate income tax rate is 4.9%. Illinois’ income tax, meanwhile, is 4.95% and its corporate tax sits at 7%.
The potential relocation to Indiana comes as the Bears have once again become a top contender in the NFC following an NFC North division title and playoff run last season with star quarterback Caleb Williams and new head coach Ben Johnson.
The Bears could be the second NFL team to move across state lines, as the Kansas City Chiefs are preparing to build a new stadium on the Kansas side of the border after playing in Missouri for decades. Last year, Missouri Republicans disagreed over whether they should try to keep the Chiefs in the state, with Republican Governor Mike Kehoe arguing that the team brings business and state revenue for Missouri. Conservative Republicans in the Missouri Freedom Caucus, however, didn’t want to use taxpayer dollars for the benefit of the billionaire Chiefs owners.
