The Governor of Indiana remains optimistic about a potential move by the Bears to Hammond.
This, after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met with key Illinois legislative leaders who have, so far, been unable to get legislation across the goal line that would assist the team with a new stadium development in Arlington Heights.
“They’re looking at due diligence items, like you’d look, still moving faster than normal for a deal of that magnitude,” Gov. Mike Braun said during an appearance in Gary where he discussed disaster recovery. “By the way,” he added, “were talking to them (the Bears) twice a week in my office.”
Braun touted the business climate in Indiana.
“We're growing twice as fast as Illinois, twice as fast as Ohio, three times as fast as Kentucky, six times as fast as Michigan," he said. "And we're running state government more efficiently, giving us more options than any other place in the country."
Braun does not believe the team should have any concerns about the slow pace of recovery from the August 11th storm.
“You know what I think the Bears are going to think?" he said. "When you're moving at the speed of business to address a crisis like this, thank goodness you're going to be in Indiana, hopefully, not in a place that's slower footed."
Governor JB Pritzker recently suggested people should not read too much into the NFL Commissioner’s meeting with state lawmakers.
“I have not had the sense that Commissioner Goodell has a dog in the hunt, as they say, and that he’s chosen one state or another for a place for the Bears” Gov. Pritzker said. “I think what he trying to do is get the best outcome for the Bears.”
