Bears board of directors votes to advance stadium project in Hammond, Indiana

The Bears are bound for Indiana.

For now. 

The team released a statement on Friday declaring its intention to focus on Hammond, Indiana for its new stadium. 

“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,”  the statement read. “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.”

Nothing is final. Shovels aren’t in the ground. And cranes aren’t in the sky. But this is a major development – and a win for the state of Indiana. 

CHGO’s staff weighs in here.

Adam Hoge: I’ve maintained this entire time that I won’t believe this saga is over until dirt is actually moved. That said, I’ve repeatedly reported that Indiana is more than a bluff. It’s a real backup option. Unfortunately, without legislation passed in Illinois, it’s currently the Bears’ only option. There’s a lot of pressure — especially financial pressure — to get this project moving. Unless Illinois suddenly mobilizes and calls a special session to get Arlington Heights or Chicago back in the game, there’s a real chance a stadium is built in Indiana.

Adam Jahns: Honestly, it’s not surprising it’s reached this point, especially after legislation in Springfield failed to pass over the weekend. We’ve tried to be consistent in our messaging. The McCaskey family is frustrated with Illinois – and Hammond, Indiana emerged as a viable, nearby option. The stadium site in Indiana is closer to Soldier Field than Arlington Park. This isn’t final. But Illinois will need a miraculous comeback – and they don’t have Caleb Williams to lead it.

Greg Braggs Jr: As profound as this announcement is. This still feels like a play to get Illinois to call a special session in a month. I think we’re all in a “I’ll believe it when I see a shovel” mode. At least I am.

That being said, Bears just said the train is leaving for Hammond. And that’s the Southshore train for those of you who have never taken it. Can Illinois stop it in its tracks?

Mark Carman: Sometimes you have to play your bluff, and the Bears just did. With no deal on the table from Illinois, the Hammond Bears have won out. For now. I am still at least somewhat skeptical that the build will actually happen after the site is fully vetted and Illinois seemingly tries to put one last gasp together out of the public eye. But the Bears are clearly comfortable enough that they will spend the money to see if their new home in Indiana is the way of the Bears’ future. Pride and joy of …

Patrick Norton: The Bears still own the land in Arlington Heights. That’s why, ultimately, just about everybody understands that nothing is a done deal until shovels are in the ground and structural steel is en route to Hammond. It will feel like Illinois has a fighting chance until the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Regardless of how it feels, we’ve long passed the “is this legitimate” phase. It is. Maybe we’re even further along than the half-yard line. So I checked traffic as soon as the news broke on Friday. It’d take 25 minutes to get from Soldier Field to Lost Marsh Golf Course just off I-90. That’s just seven full listens to the Jackson 5’s “Goin’ Back to Indiana.”

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