Indiana passes bill to lure Bears from Chicago

The Chicago Bears' endeavor for a new stadium took a "meaningful step" forward Thursday, opening the door for the storied franchise to leave Illinois to potentially build a new, domed stadium in Northwest Indiana.

Indiana lawmakers in the state House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved an amendment to Indiana State Bill 27 by a vote of 24-0 on Thursday that would clear a path for the Bears to build a stadium in Hammond, Indiana.

The bill would create the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority with the power to issue bonds, acquire land and finance construction for the stadium.

"The passage of SB 27 would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date," the Bears said in statement obtained by ESPN. "We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana.

"We appreciate the leadership shown by Governor Braun, Speaker Huston, Senator Mishler and members of the Indiana General Assembly in establishing this critical framework and path forward to deliver a premier venue for all of Chicagoland and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from across the globe. We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to build our working relationship together."

The area of Wolf Lake, which crosses the Illinois-Indiana border along Interstate 90, is located on Chicago's southeast side and in Hammond in Northwest, Indiana, which is around 25 minutes south of Soldier Field.

On his X account, Indiana governor Mike Braun wrote "Indiana is open for business, and our pro-growth environment continues to attract major opportunities like this partnership with the Chicago Bears. We've identified a promising site near Wolf Lake in Hammond and established a broad framework for negotiating a final deal. If approved, the proposed amendment to Senate Bill 27 puts forward the essential framework to complete this agreement, contingent upon site due diligence proceeding smoothly.

"The State of Indiana moves at the speed of business, and we've demonstrated that through our quick coordination between state agencies, local government, and the legislature to set the stage for a huge win for all Hoosiers. We have built a strong relationship with the Bears organization that will serve as the foundation for a public-private partnership, leading to the construction of a world-class stadium and a win for taxpayers."

The Bears had been seeking legislation in the state of Illinois that would allow the team to negotiate tax payments with local governing bodies instead of paying full property taxes. The team had previously announced that it would invest $2 billion into the construction of a stadium but was seeking an estimated $850 million in public funding to cover "essential local infrastructure," including roads, sewers and improvements to adjacent commuter rail lines around the 326-acre property the team purchased in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

An Illinois House panel had been set for a hearing on such legislation on Thursday morning, but the committee canceled the meeting.

A spokesperson for Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker said that "Illinois was ready to move this bill forward. After a productive three-hour meeting yesterday, the Bears leaders requested the ILGA pause the hearing to make further tweaks to the bill. This morning, we were surprised to see a statement lauding Indiana and ignoring Illinois."

The Bears' current lease at Soldier Field -- the stadium where they play but which is owned by the City of Chicago -- runs through 2033.