The already-slim chances of the Bears resurrecting a stadium deal in Illinois are essentially dead as the NFL team said its developing plans in neighboring Indiana are its “sole focus.”
The Bears had already been gravitating heavily toward building a $5 billion domed stadium and mixed-use development in Hammond, Indiana, and the team’s board of directors voted in June to advance the plans there. As Indiana Gov. Mike Braun subsequently said the state’s deal with the Bears was “in the red zone,” franchise leaders confirmed Thursday that only “minimal” conversations with Illinois officials have happened since the Prairie State failed to advance stadium legislation more than two months ago.
“I don’t know why it hit a dead end in Springfield but we’ve been very clear the last couple of years the things that we’ve always needed is property tax certainty, we need infrastructure certainty, that’s what we need. So that has not changed,” said Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren.
The Bears are now evaluating two different stadium site options in Hammond, though there is a possibility that both locations will be used in some way.
“Our sole focus at this point in time is working on a world-class stadium and mixed-use development in Hammond, Indiana,” Warren said.
