Bears potential move to Indiana gains steam after Illinois house committee meeting cancellation on Thursday
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The Illinois House committee meeting that was scheduled for Thursday to discuss funding a new stadium for the Chicago Bears has been cancelled. This cancellation makes a potential Bears move to Indiana feel like a very real proposition.
The notion of the #Bears moving to Indiana grows. Illinois House committee meeting that was scheduled for today to discuss funding for a stadium has been canceled. Indiana hitting the gas while Illinois is stalled. https://t.co/T3WYucdiYT— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 19, 2026
An amended version of Indiana Senate bill 27 was passed unanimously (24-0) by the Indiana House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, taking a huge step forward in the process. The state of Illinois was ready to move forward following a three hour meeting on Wednesday that was paused by Bears leadership for the purpose of making tweaks to the bill.
Illinois legislators were surprised to see the team's statement this morning in favor of Indiana.
"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," the team said. "We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to build our working relationship together."
Indiana lawmakers had previously expressed how they needed the Bears to show serious interest in moving to northwest Indiana. Governor of Indiana says the state is open for business.
"Indiana is open for business, and our pro-growth environment continues to attract major opportunities like this partnership with the Chicago Bears," Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said in a statement. "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."
With Hammond being the proposed location, Indiana lawmakers feel like this is a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for the state.
“Hammond is uniquely positioned for this moment. We're part of the Chicagoland region. We're only 20 minutes from Soldier Field," Rep. Ryan Mishler said Thursday. “We're ready to help write Indiana’s next great chapter.”
