The Chicago Bears and Indiana officials announced a potential deal Thursday for the NFL franchise to cross the state line and build a new stadium in Hammond.
Indiana lawmakers released a package including new restaurant and hotel taxes in northwest Indiana to help finance infrastructure work connected to the project.
House Speaker Todd Huston said the Bears would invest $2 billion toward the stadium.
The Bears said in a statement that passage of Indiana’s Senate Bill 27 “would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date.”
“We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana,” the team’s statement said.
The Bears called the proposal a “critical framework and path forward to deliver a premier venue for all of Chicagoland and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from across the globe.”
Bears officials have for several years proposed a new stadium in the northwestern Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights and have remained in negotiations with Illinois state officials over the possible project. But talks had broken down there and Indiana officials saw an opportunity.
Huston told the Indiana House Ways and Means Committee that work remained to bring the Hammond stadium project “to fruition” but that the Bears have shown the franchise is ready to make a “significant investment.”
Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott called the project transformational for northwest Indiana.
“If this opportunity becomes a reality, Indiana will become one of the very few states in America with two National Football League franchises,” McDermott said. “Think about that, two NFL teams, Indianapolis and Hammond, two global brands, two engines of economic growth, two sources of pride.”
The bill passed unanimously out of committee and now moves to the floor.
Gov. Mike Braun said the measure puts forward the “essential framework to complete this agreement, contingent upon site due diligence proceeding smoothly.”
“The State of Indiana moves at the speed of business, and we’ve demonstrated that through our quick coordination between state agencies, local government, and the legislature to set the stage for a huge win for all Hoosiers,” he said. ” We have built a strong relationship with the Bears organization that will serve as the foundation for a public-private partnership, leading to the construction of a world-class stadium and a win for taxpayers.”
This story will be updated.
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