Bears stadium – Indiana Gov. Mike Braun says he’s more optimistic than ever that the Chicago Bears will choose Hammond, pointing to state credit strength, the speed of state action, and the limited stadium options the NFL team is considering. He expects the Bears to finish du
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. — Indiana Gov. Mike Braun didn’t wait long to talk about the Bears. In the middle of his stop for Indiana Business Hall of Fame inductions. the governor leaned into a topic that keeps coming up in Northwest Indiana business circles and living rooms alike: where the Chicago Bears might build their next stadium.
Braun said he’s not counting his chickens before they hatch, but he sounded like a man who’s already imagining the finished project in Hammond. “Dare I say there might be a good, better, best stadium construction in Hammond,” he said. “Just saying.”
He described repeated conversations with the Bears ownership group. saying the McCaskeys have been to the governor’s mansion in Indianapolis on several occasions. Braun framed Indiana’s pitch around what he calls real value for the money—plus what he sees as the business momentum the team would tap by locating in Indiana rather than staying in Illinois.
One key point, Braun said, is Indiana’s AAA credit rating. “You’ll get a lot more stadium for the amount of money you invest. And with the vitality and business atmosphere of what you can get coming into Hammond,” he said.
Indiana lawmakers moved quickly, passing legislation in late February to pave the way for the Bears to build their new stadium in Hammond near Wolf Lake. The pace is something Braun believes the Bears will weigh, especially as Illinois lawmakers head toward the end of their legislative session.
At the NFL’s meetings Tuesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed the Bears are looking at only two stadium sites: Hammond and Arlington Heights.
Braun said his communications have been with the Bears ownership. adding that he believes they appreciate the “speed and efficiency of doing business in Indiana as opposed to Illinois.” “So often you get entangled where government is involved. ” Braun said. “Speed is not a word you associate with it.”.
That urgency lands in a tense moment for Illinois. With just over a week left in the Illinois legislative session. the Illinois Senate has not yet voted on the “mega-projects” bill the Bears say is essential to them staying in the state. The measure that would pave the way for an Arlington Heights stadium is opposed by Mayor Brandon Johnson and some Chicago legislators who want the team in the city.
Gov. JB Pritzker, for his part, said he’s hopeful opponents of the bill don’t succeed. “You know, I’m hopeful that the people who want to tank the bill are not successful,” he said.
Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia warned about what delay could mean if the legislation fails. “If it doesn’t happen… it will be a very dark day for Illinois, and I think that the Bears will be really, really challenged with staying in Illinois,” Tinaglia said.
The story here turns on timing and choices. Indiana has already cleared a path for Hammond, while Illinois still needs action for Arlington Heights—and the Bears are reportedly weighing just those two options.
Braun said he expects the Bears to complete their due diligence work on the Hammond site soon. “He’s expecting an announcement on where the team plans to build in the next three or four weeks. ” he said. keeping the focus on the window ahead as the debate over the stadium’s future narrows to one decision.
Indiana Mike Braun Hammond Chicago Bears stadium AAA credit rating Wolf Lake Roger Goodell Arlington Heights Illinois mega-projects bill JB Pritzker Brandon Johnson Jim Tinaglia NFL meetings