The Chicago Bears are all-in on Hammond, Indiana.
Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren declared at Halas Hall on Thursday, Aug. 13, that Hammond is the franchise's "sole focus" for a new stadium and mixed-use development, naming two specific sites and confirming the McCaskey family has committed $2 billion in private money toward the project.
"Even though we've had occasional meetings with the state of Illinois, our sole focus at this point in time is working on a world-class stadium and mixed-use development in Hammond, Indiana," Warren told reporters at the team's Lake Forest headquarters, according to Patch.
As we reported Aug. 13, Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. had signaled an announcement was coming.
Warren identified two Hammond properties under consideration: the Lost Marsh Golf Course, where due diligence is complete and the land has been confirmed viable for construction, and the Wolf Lake Terminal site, where environmental and other studies continue. He said the team may merge both into a single larger development rather than choosing between them.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has personally visited the Lost Marsh property, Warren said.
Illinois talks stall
Bears Chairman George McCaskey called discussions with Illinois lawmakers since the board's June 5 vote to focus on Hammond "minimal." The Bears have no written proposal before the state, McCaskey said, and no deal in place.
Gov. JB Pritzker, speaking at the Illinois State Fair the same morning, confirmed the Bears have not presented bill language to his administration.
Warren said the team's requirements for an Illinois project have never changed: property tax certainty and infrastructure certainty. Neither has materialized.
Indiana, meanwhile, has authorized up to $1 billion in public funding through a combination of food-and-beverage, hotel and admissions taxes in Lake and Porter counties, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Warren said stadium development costs are rising by nearly $150 million per year, adding urgency. He declined to set a timeline for a final decision but said the team is approaching a point where it can "bring this to some closure."
What it means locally
The Bears have been headquartered at Halas Hall on Football Drive in Lake Forest since 1997, and Warren is a Lake Forest resident. The franchise will remain the "Chicago Bears" regardless of where the stadium lands, McCaskey said.
McCaskey acknowledged fan anxiety about crossing state lines but argued Hammond's proximity makes the adjustment manageable. He pointed to the Kansas City Chiefs, whose own stadium talks have included a possible state-line move.
The Bears' current lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033. The Illinois General Assembly's fall veto session, scheduled Nov. 17–19 and Dec. 1–3, represents the next window for any Illinois stadium legislation.
On the field, the Bears host the Cleveland Browns at noon Saturday, Aug. 15, at Soldier Field in their preseason opener. Quarterback Caleb Williams will sit; backup Tyson Bagent starts and plays the first half.
