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Hammond Today
By the People, for the People
Bears Surprise Illinois Governor with Indiana Stadium Plans
The NFL team appears to be playing Illinois and Indiana against each other for stadium funding.
Published on Feb. 25, 2026
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The Chicago Bears have surprised Illinois Governor JB Pritzker by announcing progress on a potential new stadium deal in Hammond, Indiana, just 20 miles from their current home at Soldier Field. This comes after the Bears had been representing to Illinois that they were heading in the right direction to pass a bill keeping the team in the state, according to the governor's office.
Why it matters
The Bears' apparent shift towards Indiana raises questions about the team's commitment to staying in Illinois, where they have played since 1971. It also highlights the high-stakes competition between states to attract or retain professional sports franchises, often through taxpayer-funded stadium deals.
The details
According to the Illinois governor's office, as recently as yesterday the Bears were telling state officials that things were progressing well on a bill to keep the team in Illinois, either at their current Soldier Field location or in the nearby suburb of Arlington Heights. However, this morning the Bears issued a statement praising progress on a potential stadium deal in Hammond, Indiana, about 20 miles from Soldier Field.
- On February 18, 2026, the Bears met for 3 hours with Illinois officials and requested a pause on a hearing to make further changes to a bill that would have kept the team in the state.
- On February 19, 2026, the Bears issued a statement touting progress on a potential stadium deal in Hammond, Indiana.
The players
JB Pritzker
The governor of Illinois, who expressed surprise at the Bears' apparent shift towards Indiana for a new stadium.
Chicago Bears
The NFL team that has played in Illinois since 1971 but is now exploring a potential stadium deal in neighboring Indiana.
What they’re saying
“Illinois was ready to move this bill forward. After a productive three hour meeting yesterday, the Bears leaders requested the ILGA pause the hearing to make further tweaks to the bill. This morning, we were surprised to see a statement lauding Indiana and ignoring Illinois.”
— Matt Hill, Spokesman for Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (Twitter)
What’s next
The Illinois General Assembly will likely continue to negotiate with the Bears in an effort to keep the team in the state, while Indiana will likely work to finalize a stadium deal in Hammond.
The takeaway
The Bears' apparent shift towards Indiana highlights the intense competition between states to attract and retain professional sports franchises, often through lucrative taxpayer-funded stadium deals. This case raises questions about the Bears' long-term commitment to Illinois and the willingness of state and local governments to provide the necessary financial support to keep the team.
