Bold move, big costs: Indiana moves forward with a stadium plan for the Chicago Bears while Illinois watches.
In a high-stakes push to lure the Bears, Indiana lawmakers approved a financial package on February 26, and Governor Mike Braun swiftly signed it into law. Senate Bill 27, which outlines incentives and the authority to construct a stadium in northwest Indiana, passed the Senate 45-4. Senator Rick Niemeyer (R-Lowell) framed the moment as a strong signal to the Bears: Indiana is a compelling option, especially for Lake County at this moment.
Across the border, Illinois’ legislature is racing to lock in property tax rates around the Bears’ current site, the former Arlington Racetrack, in an effort to keep the team in-state. Yet that effort still has a long road ahead and no binding agreement yet.
The Bears have given a verbal commitment to complete the remaining site-specific due diligence needed to support a vision for a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana. They also pledged about $2 billion toward construction. Still, Illinois officials insist they remain in the running, and no formal deal has been signed.
The Bears’ leadership called Indiana’s recent legislative progress meaningful and expressed appreciation for Braun’s signature. In their statement, they also noted ongoing due diligence and continued engagement with state and local leaders. They did not close the door on Illinois, acknowledging momentum there as well and signaling openness to next steps in Illinois’ legislative path.
The initial idea of relocating the Bears gained traction after the team’s president published an open letter in December, voicing frustration with Illinois negotiations and hinting at exploring alternate sites, including northwest Indiana.
Senate Bill 27 lays out a package of local taxes to be adopted in Lake and Porter counties and Hammond to repay state-backed bonds for stadium construction. Regional optimism runs high that the project could spur substantial economic development and infrastructure upgrades, potentially eclipsing the cost to taxpayers.
Representative Chuck Mosely (D-Portage) framed the project as one of the region’s largest in memory, comparing its potential impact to historic industrial milestones and suggesting it could revive Indiana’s status as an economic engine for decades to come.
Taxpayer costs hinge on the revenue generated by a proposed special taxing district and several new local taxes approved by governments in the area. These taxes would exist until the stadium bonds are fully repaid. Current projections from the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) estimate the following annual yields from these new/expanded taxes:
- A 1% food and beverage tax in Lake and Porter counties, producing $12–18 million per year
- A 5% increase to the Lake County innkeeper tax, producing about $5.4 million per year
- A 12% admissions tax on stadium tickets, generating roughly $12 million per year
LSA notes that it cannot yet quantify the complete yield of the special taxing district since its exact boundaries are still to be finalized, but the district’s revenue is expected to be lower than the roughly $16 million a year captured by the Lucas Oil Stadium district.
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