Indiana Gov. Mike Braun: Illinois ‘waffled’ while securing Bears stadium deal
Indiana Governor Mike Braun explains Indiana’s swift action in securing the Chicago Bears’ stadium project in Hammond. He contrasts this with the Illinois Legislature’s five years of indecision, saying, “We’re not wafflers.” Braun emphasizes Indiana’s business-friendly environment, touting the state’s economic growth and low unemployment.
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Former Chicago Cubs star Anthony Rizzo is reveling in the Windy City after retirement, but soon the city will be without a primary sport.
The Chicago Bears of the National Football League are set to leave Chicago for Hammond, Indiana, about 20 miles south of their current home.
The Bears have called Soldier Field home since 1971, and before that they played their home games at Rizzo’s old stomping ground, Wrigley Field, for 50 seasons.
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A general view inside Soldier Field during the national anthem before the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Ill., on Dec. 26, 2024. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
While the Bears have been pretty insistent on leaving, city officials have tried desperately to keep them, and Rizzo says they “refuse to leave.”
“I think they’re trying to deny it as long as they can until it’s official,” Rizzo told Pakinomist Digital.
“Soldier Field was, is, great, in my opinion. It’s hard to get in and out of, and it definitely needed some renovations, but the city of Chicago and the fan base, it’s crazy that they’re traveling to Indiana. I know it’s not too far; it’s not even 20 miles south, but the fact that it’s in Indiana is different,” he continued.
Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo celebrates during the team’s World Series victory rally at Grant Park in Chicago, Ill., on Nov. 4, 2016. (Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire)
CHICAGO BEARS TAKE BIG STEP TOWARDS LEAVING TOWN AFTER MORE THAN A CENTURY AS FRANCHISE MAKES INDIANA PLANS
“Then again, the New York Giants and the New York Jets play in New Jersey, then. The renderings of what they’re doing look amazing. If you build it, they will come, right?”
The Bears’ board of directors met late last week and voted to advance the stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana — with an exact stadium site to be chosen. The announcement came the next day.
“We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana and the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across neighborhoods and suburbs that stretch north of the city,” Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey and CEO Kevin Warren said in a statement.
“It will bring Chicagoland together and provide new opportunities for its residents and businesses.”
This is the first time the team’s board has voted on a stadium site. This development is notable and significant, but an NFL source told Pakinomist that there is a chance that Illinois may still be able to convince the team to stay in the state. These chances were characterized as demanding “a Hail Mary” political effort.
Chicago Bears helmets are shown before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nev., on Sept. 28, 2025. (Kiyoshi Mio/Imagn Images)
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But that Hail Mary, even if it were to work, would still move the club out of Chicago, with the only place in Illinois as a likely landing spot, Arlington Heights.
