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The Chicago Bears are expanding their search for a new stadium location to include northwest Indiana, the team’s CEO said Wednesday, and Indiana’s governor says he’s willing to work with the team to make it happen.
In an open letter on the team’s website, Kevin Warren said the move is the result of the state of Illinois indicating it is not planning to consider financial assistance for a new stadium project in 2026.
Warren said the team is ready to invest more than $2 billion to build a new stadium, which until now had been eyed for Arlington Heights in suburban Chicago. Bloomberg reported in late October that the team had sought $862 million in public infrastructure funding and a freeze on the property tax assessment on the site.
However, the request did not receive approval from state legislators.
“We have not asked for state taxpayer dollars to build the stadium at Arlington Park. We asked only for a commitment to essential local infrastructure (roads, utilities, and site improvements) which is more than typical for projects of this size,” Warren said. “Additionally, we sought reasonable property tax certainty to secure financing. We listened to state leadership and relied on their direction and guidance, yet our efforts have been met with no legislative partnership.”
As a result, Warren said the team now plans to evaluate opportunities in the greater Chicagoland region, including northwest Indiana.
“Our fans deserve a world-class stadium. Our players and coaches deserve a venue that matches the championship standard they strive for every day,” he said. “With that in mind, our organization must keep every credible pathway open to deliver that future.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun issued a statement on the Bears’ decision Wednesday evening.
“The Chicago Bears recognize Indiana’s pro-business climate, and I am ready to work with them to build a new stadium in Northwest Indiana,” Braun said. “This move would deliver a major economic boost, create jobs, and bring another premier NFL franchise to the Hoosier State. Let’s get it done.”
When asked last week about whether the state should make a bid to bring the Bears to Indiana, Braun said, “Why wouldn’t you want to be discussing it?”
But the governor wouldn’t say whether he’d had conversations about the idea. “I have had discussions on a lot of different things,” Braun told IBJ Editor Lesley Weidenbener, who asked about the Bears during IBJ Media’s Innovate Central Indiana event at the Westin hotel in downtown Indianapolis.
“I’m never going to think small on any of it, but if I do it, it’s going to work,” he said about the Bears.
Braun told IBJ that sports is an important industry for Indiana. “It’s a winner economically,” he said.
And the governor, who played football in high school, said he supports state involvement in stadium and other sports-related projects. But, Braun added, the finances “have to be doable.”
He said he supports projects that help Indiana “remain a hub of athletics.”
Marc Ganis, owner of Chicago-based sports agency Sportscorp Ltd., says the influx of new tax revenue that a major stadium project would bring to Indiana could help offset concerns regarding public financing.
“All of the taxes that that are being generated—income taxes, property taxes, ticket taxes, parking taxes, concessions and merchandise taxes, all the money they spend in the community—all of those are brand new taxes that otherwise would not be in the state,” he said. “Those can be identified and aggregated, and so you could create financing against new tax money that would never have otherwise been in the state.”
Ganis said he believes the Bears are serious in their consideration to move the team out of Illinois because of the time and money the team has invested in trying to do a deal in Chicago and Arlington Heights.
“The key phrase, I think, in the letter is, ‘We have been told directly by state leadership, our project will not be a priority in 2026.’ That’s an extraordinary statement,” Ganis said. “That means that there’s another wasted year, which means there’s an opportunity for the state of Indiana to come up with a package deal that could take the Bears out of Chicago and bring it to northwest Indiana if the state acts decisively and puts an attractive package together.”
Ganis said the news might be another example of Illinois demonstrating “a level of arrogance that has benefited the state of Indiana many times over the years in attracting businesses and people.”
Matt Hill, spokesperson for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, issued the following statement to Inside INdiana Business on Wednesday:
“Suggesting the Bears would move to Indiana is a startling slap in the face to all the beloved and loyal fans who have been rallying around the team during this strong season,” Hill said. “The Governor’s a Bears fan who has always wanted them to stay in Chicago. He has also said that ultimately they are a private business that makes their own decisions, but the Governor has also been clear that the bottom line for any private business development should not come at the full expense of taxpayers.”
Toni Preckwinkle, president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners in Illinois, also expressed her disappointment in the move.
“We’re proud to have recently hosted a productive meeting between the State, City and County and the Bears,” Preckwinkle said in written remarks. “It was important for us to bring everyone to the table and have a conversation around making a serious commitment to keeping the Bears in Cook County and Illinois. We’re shocked and disappointed that the Bears would discuss moving to Indiana at this time.”
The Indiana Sports Corp declined to comment about Warren’s announcement. The Bears did not offer a timeline for making a decision on a new stadium site. However, Indiana lawmakers will return to the Statehouse in just a few weeks and could consider legislation to help pay for a stadium or the infrastructure to support it.
Earlier this year, Gov. Braun signed into law House Enrolled Act 1292, which established the Northwest Indiana Sports Development Commission. The law, authored by Rep. Earl Harris, R-East Chicago, seeks to develop a plan to attract a professional sports franchise to the region.
When the bill was going through the Indiana Legislature, Harris told Inside INdiana Business he was holding out hope that the Bears would consider northwest Indiana for a potential relocation.
It’s not uncommon for an NFL franchise to play in a location outside of the city or state of the team’s name. The New York Giants and New York Jets both play at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, while the San Francisco 49ers play in Santa Clara, California, for example.
The Cleveland Browns are also planning to begin construction next year on a $2.4 billion stadium in Brook Park, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland.
Ganis said if the Bears did move to northwest Indiana, there could be some backlash from fans, but he believes it would be temporary. He added that bringing the Bears to Indiana could have a similar impact that the Colts had when they moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984.
“The state of Indiana reacted decisively some years ago to attract [the Colts], and the Colts have become one of the main economic and cultural drivers of the community since then,” he said. “[The Bears] might do the same thing.”
In an email Wednesday evening, Colts spokesperson Steve Campbell said, “We wish the Bears all the best with their stadium initiative.”
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It’s something to see a news headline and think to yourself, what are the allowable reasons for impeaching a governor in Indiana?
Turns out it’s crime, incapacity, or negligence.
This idea was floated years before Braun became the gov. Plus it could help get a gop congresswoman elected. Ha!
So the voters of the 1st District will be a big fan of transferring millions of their tax dollars to the McCaskey Family … in exchange for a bunch of seasonal and low wage jobs?
It’s like a data center but worse.
https://theweek.com/sports/taxpayer-subsidized-stadiums
So they would be The Gary Bears?
The New York Giants and New York Jets play in New Jersey. They can keep the name Chicago Bears and play in Indiana.
Interesting! I wasn’t aware that the Jets or the Giants played football anywhere.
Michael wins.
And the Los Angeles Angels actually play in Anaheim.
And the San Francisco 49ers are 45 miles from San Francisco
Negotiating ploy by the Bears and our poor little governor bit. Now, what about that MLS pitch in Indy?!
If he can poop on a neighboring blue state, he’ll go for it. If it’s going to help a blue city in Indiana, forget about it. So no soccer stadium.
Dan, last I checked, Gary has elected Democrats as mayors for a long time. And Democrats in Congress forever. Da Region is pretty blue…
Michael M +1
That’s true. Braun is just a pawn for the Bears to get a better deal in Illinois. And he’s doing it with a big smile.
Exactly. This governor is such a tool.
Did Braun get permission from his Master Trump?
New Chicago Bear Stadium next to the Hard Rock Casino of Northern Indiana and new Lake County Convention Center/Hotel would be perfect.
https://chicagoyimby.com/2025/05/new-convention-center-and-hotel-coming-to-gary.html
Sounds like corporate welfare. The colts revitalize e Indianapolis. So what about the Bears? What are we gonna call them? The “Gary“ bears. ? that’s a city that cannot be revitalized..
Ironically, Indy would be a third or fourth rate City without sports. Had the Pacers left in the 70’s we would never have lured the Colts. Downtown would be dead and Indy would be a one day sports place for the 500 and nothing more. The same could happen for NW Indiana.
It could … but there were a lot of other factors at play, including the city having a number of civic leaders at the time willing to invest in a strategy of making Indianapolis a sports hub or capital. Does NW Indiana have the same civic leadership, plan, and how does a pro football stadium contribute?
I would think that the deal the Bears is after will be similar to the Cowboys, the Rams, or the 49ers where they are the primary beneficiaries of all the development around the stadium. And they will ask for large property tax enhancements from Indiana, as they have from Illinois. For a governor claiming that we should all be wanting data centers because they add to the property tax base (even though many are largely exempted from property taxes for many years), the math still doesn’t make sense to me if the primary jobs that this brings will be more service jobs.
I would agree with Michael M. that Indiana is being used by the Bears … but if we are willing to make a bad financial deal for Indiana taxpayers, we may “win” on this matter.
The Colts didn’t solely revitalize Indy. That’s impossible to do with 8-9 games a year. Indy has the convention center and Pacers to attract many other events that drive activity downtown. Regardless, most of the state and local taxes within the PSDA, which includes most of downtown, were/are used to pay for LOS,, Gainbridge and the ICC.
He can’t figure out how to finance a soccer stadium in Indianapolis for a locally owned sports franchise but he can figure out how to finance a stadium for the benefit of an out of state sports franchise?
There is no franchise for soccer and that’s, IMO, the hang-up along with the half-billion dollar franchise fee.
Indianapolis got lucky building a football stadium first and landing a team second. It didn’t work for everyone, ask the folks in San Antonio.
Fugitaboutit. Da Bears will not play football in Indiana. Too many fans lives on the Illinois side and won’t drive to that far to see the games. And there are not enough Hoosiers on our side of the state line to make up the difference. Braun should focus on education, child care, and business development that benefits the entire state, not just a small corner that boarders Illinois and Michigan.
Bears fans will drive to hell and back to watch their team, da bears
NW Indiana is comprised of all Bears fans!! The team would sell out there for sure. Again, if we can pull it off, it’d be a great move because that would be a second Super Bowl for the State of Indiana and it would allow for much, much more. It’d be competition for Indy but at least it’d be in state and it would help revitalize an area that needs it.
I agree that this is nothing but a negotiating ploy by the Bears. Most libs in Illinois HATE Indiana and wouldn’t stoop to coming here for a Bears game.
However, If it comes to fruition, it would come with a Super Bowl and many other opportunities for Gary and NW Indiana so I support it ….just don’t spend a lot of money to be left at the altar.
Come all in….but with severe financial penalties when they pull a Democrat move and PULL OUT TOO LATE!
Here is a link to a video of the new stadium they are building in Cleveland.
What strikes me is the amount of additional development that is going to happen around the stadium.
If something similar would happen in NW Ind it would have a bigger impact than just building a stadium.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RL_wAgWmPc
That’s because it’s part of a larger plan to redevelop the entire area and improve it. No way that’s what Braun is after here; he doesn’t have the patience nor the vision for such a plan.
Cleveland’s problem (besides having football team ownership that is clueless) is that they’re not re-routing the highways and rail lines that disconnect the city from the lake. Same issue that Louisville has with I-64 running along the Ohio River.
https://www.ideastream.org/community/2025-12-18/cleveland-announces-master-developer-for-downtown-lakefront-transformation
“The Beary McBearfaces” could be another name option if they move to Indiana.
Braun isn’t happy enough to rob Hoosiers, he has to give the tax breaks to Chicagoans?! Impeach him.
The Governor has enough on his plate and should concentrate on Indiana citizens. Unbelievable!