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Bears Are Officially Done In Chicago, Announce Relocation Plans

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This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Chicago Bears helmet (Photo Via Imagn Images)

The Chicago Bears moved one step closer to building a new stadium for sure. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the team’s Board of Directors voted on June 4 to continue exploring a stadium project in Hammond.

Schefter reported that the board approved the next phase of the project, although the team has not yet chosen an exact location for the stadium. He also noted that this was the first time the Bears’ board had officially voted on a potential stadium site.

“This is the first time that the Bears’ board has voted on any stadium site,” Schefter wrote on X. He added that one source told him, “There is more work to do but barring anything very strange, it’s a done deal.”

If the project moves ahead as expected, the Bears would leave Chicago and relocate across state lines into Indiana. The move would end years of debate about where the franchise should build its next stadium.

Team Leaders Back Hammond Project

A general view outside the stadium (Photo By Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Following the board vote, Chairman George H. McCaskey and President and CEO Kevin Warren released a joint statement supporting the Hammond plan.

“Yesterday, the Chicago Bears Board of Directors met and voted to advance our stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana, with the exact site to be selected,” the statement said.

The team leaders said they believe the project could connect Northwest Indiana and Chicago while creating new opportunities for residents and businesses throughout the region.

The update disappointed many Bears fans. Some supporters wanted the team to remain in Chicago. Others preferred a move to Arlington Heights rather than Indiana.

One fan wrote on X, “Bad move. Bears leadership clearly looking at cost saves and not fan/revenue potential compared to an Arlington Heights/Chicago option.”

Another fan, “It’s pathetic they couldn’t figure something out with Chicago but it’s par for the course with Illinois politics. I still love this team and always will but this is a stain for all parties involved.”

A third fan expressed disappointment about losing the city’s iconic lakefront setting. “A new stadium will be amazing but I will definitely miss the lakefront view,” the fan wrote.

The latest development came after the Illinois General Assembly did not take up a stadium-related bill. According to Chicago Tribune reporter Robert McCoppin, several lawmakers said they lacked enough time to fully review the proposal.

McCoppin also reported that Indiana offered the Bears a taxpayer-financed stadium and a mixed-use entertainment district in Hammond near Wolf Lake, about 20 miles southeast of Chicago.

Despite the board vote, Bears officials cautioned that Hammond is not yet a finalized decision. Still, the vote signals the strongest step yet toward relocation.

A recent poll showed many fans still favor Arlington Heights. Fifty-six percent of respondents supported that option, while only 10% preferred a move to Indiana. Even so, the Bears now appear closer than ever to starting a new chapter outside Illinois.

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