INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (104.3 The Score) – Two blocks removed from the the NFL Combine, the Indiana State Senate passed a bill Thursday to establish the framework to fund a potential stadium for the Bears in Hammond.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun then signed Senate Bill 27, which passed the senate by a 45-4 vote with bipartisan support. The passage of that bill in Indiana coincided with the Illinois House Revenue and Finance Committee voting Thursday to pass House Bill 910, legislation that would permit mega-projects of more $500 million to negotiate property taxes with local governments. That vote passed by a 13-7 margin but hasn’t been sent to the full house yet for a vote.
“We recognize and appreciate the advancement of mega project legislation by the Illinois House Revenue and Finance Committee, and we look forward to continued engagement as the lawmakers determine the legislative path forward,” the Bears said in a statement.
The Bears also released a statement about Indiana’s efforts and progress.
"Indiana has taken important steps over the last few months, and we are grateful for the leadership reflected by Governor Braun signing SB 27, establishing the framework for a stadium development in Northwest Indiana,” the team said. “We continue to work on the necessary due diligence and appreciate the ongoing engagement with Indiana state and local leaders.”
Indiana state senator Ryan Mishler, a Republican from Mishawaka, has engaged in conversation with Bears president Kevin Warren and the team this week, he said. Last week, the Bears released a statement that said the Indiana bill “would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date.” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker was “surprised, dismayed and very disappointed” by the statement, he said.
The Illinois House of Representatives didn’t call to vote on the mega-projects bill Thursday. The earliest that vote could be called is March 18. Legislatures in Springfield haven’t yet introduced a bill for $855 million in state-funded infrastructure costs around the 326-acre Arlington Park property, a significant step in the Bears’ exploration.
Sen. Mishler wasn’t following the Illinois vote Thursday as he stood confident that Indiana’s offer to lure the Bears would prove to be more attractive.
“To me, this isn’t a competition with (Indiana) and Illinois,” Mishler said. “I mean, for us, the way we look at it or me personally, this is something we worked out with them. We know what we have. If it’s something (the Bears) want, then they’ll do it.
“We got a really good final product out there. For what I understand about this mega-projects bills, it’s basically about property taxes. In Indiana, they wouldn’t even pay property taxes. So, I don’t know where the comparison is there.”
The Bears first expressed interest in exploring their options in northwest Indiana in December after state officials in Illinois indicated that the Bears’ hopes to get funding for a stadium in Arlington Heights wouldn’t be a priority.
Officials in Springfield have recently begun discussing such bills after three years of efforts by the Bears. Source involved with the stadium saga in Illinois have expressed optimism that the project will ultimately come to fruition in Arlington Heights.
As progress has been slow in Illinois, Indiana officials – notably Gov. Braun – have moved quickly to support their stadium bill.
The Indiana bill would be funded by a 1% food and beverage tax in Lake and Porter counties along with a 5% increase in the Lake County innkeeper tax. Those taxes would generate around $20 million annually. The Bears have pledged $2 billion privately for construction of the stadium, and the team could purchase the stadium once bonds are paid in full to the state.
Indiana state senator Dan Dernulc, a Republican out of Highland, was among the officials to speak in favor of the bill while acknowledging the political struggles across state lines.
“Illinois doesn’t have the money,” Dernulc said to the floor. “We do.
“I look forward to the Bears coming in. Go Bears.”
The Bears could begin construction on their new stadium in Hammond by 2027, Sen. Mishler said, and initial work on the property could begin this year.
The chosen site in Hammond is near Wolf Lake, which is just over the state line and located 16 miles southeast of Soldier Field.
The Bears have played their games at Soldier Field since 1971 and operate under a lease for the stadium that runs through 2033. The team closed on its purchase of Arlington Park in February 2023.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for TheScoreChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.