Bears Focus on Hammond Stadium Site, No Final Decision

The Chicago Bears are moving forward with plans for a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana, team officials announced Thursday, though they stopped short of making a final decision on leaving Illinois. The announcement, which followed months of speculation, left many fans and observers feeling the franchise had delivered another update without a concrete resolution.

At a press conference at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren stated the team's "sole focus" is now on developing a world-class stadium and mixed-use project in Hammond. He confirmed the team has completed due diligence on a site at Lost Marsh and is also evaluating a nearby site at Wolf Lake, suggesting the two could potentially be combined. Warren emphasized urgency, citing rising construction costs, but did not provide a new timeline for a decision or groundbreaking.

"We're reaching that point where we have to make a determination and a decision," Warren said. "The longer this goes on, it creates complications."

The update comes after the Illinois legislature failed to pass a stadium bill earlier this year, prompting the Bears' board to vote to pursue options in Indiana. Indiana officials have...