The Chicago Bears’ board of directors have voted to “advance” the team’s new stadium project in Hammond, Indiana, the team announced Friday.
The exact site has not yet been determined, according to the announcement, but the Bears said the vote was made Thursday.
“We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana to the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city. It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses,” a joint statement from Bears Chairman George McCaskey and President and CEO Kevin Warren read.
The vote comes just days after Illinois lawmakers failed to approve legislation aimed at keeping the team in Illinois.
The battle between Hammond and the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights has been ongoing for months, but the team had said after Illinois’ spring legislative session ended that they would finalize their evaluations of both sites “and remain on the late spring/early summer timeline” for a decision.
With Illinois lawmakers failing to pass legislation on a Bears stadium, Indiana leaders are emphasizing their doors are still open to the team, as Rose Schmidt reports.
Indiana had already offered the Bears up to $1 billion in incentives to relocate to the site in Hammond.
“Hoosiers, help me welcome the Chicago Bears to our great state!” Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said in a statement shortly after the announcement. “We look forward to building a partnership as strong as the ’85 Bears defense, creating opportunities and economic growth that will benefit our state and the Bears organization for decades to come. An NFL franchise in Northwest Indiana will be an economic boost to the entire region like we haven’t seen before.”
