Bears One Step Closer To Getting New Stadium In Indiana After Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Says No To Subsidies

The Chicago Bears received some good news regarding their proposed move to Indiana.

Indiana Senate Bill 27, which provides a state-owned stadium for the Bears to play in, has strong support from the state Legislature and Indiana Gov. Mike Braun. The bill passed 24-0 in the state House Ways and Means Committee. The Bears proposed their move to Indiana after Illinois Governor JB Pritzker wasn’t supportive of using tax dollars for a new stadium.

The Bears currently play in Soldier Field. The stadium first opened in 1924. It’s been the home of the Bears since 1971. Despite renovations in 2002, the Bears still feel the stadium is outdated and are looking for a change. 

The new proposed stadium would be in Hammond, Indiana. Despite moving out of state, Hammond is only a 40-minute drive from Chicago. The team plans to keep its name as the Chicago Bears. This is similar to how the New York Giants and New York Jets play in New Jersey but call themselves New York. 

The Bears are one of the NFL’s oldest franchises. They played their first season in the NFL in 1922. They won Super Bowl XX. The 1985 Bears are considered one of the greatest teams in NFL history due to their elite defense. The 1985 Bears have seven Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, including their head coach, Mike Ditka.

2025 was the Bears’ best season in a long time. They finished with an 11-6 record and won their first playoff game since 2010. They lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round, but still showed strong potential. 

Indiana Senate Bill 27 will be voted on by the state legislature on Feb. 27. From there it will reach the desk of Gov. Braun, who is expected to sign it.