Overview
- The Chicago Bears' board formally voted to advance a stadium development focused on Hammond, Indiana, a move that state leaders and local officials say concentrates the team's current negotiations.
- Indiana lawmakers passed a framework that would direct roughly $1 billion toward infrastructure for a Hammond project, but county resistance and unclear revenue sources have already produced fractures in that plan.
- Illinois officials have renewed competing pitches this week, including McCook's offer of 150 acres with a public-ownership leaseback and a Southeast Side lakefront parcel promoted to Halas Hall, both delivered to team leaders.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says he will call a special legislative session only if the Bears present a specific bill that spells out tax treatment and infrastructure terms, and the team is reported to be working on draft language.
- No final site has been chosen and the Bears continue due diligence, leaving open major hurdles such as property-tax certainty, local approvals, environmental cleanup and NFL sign-off that will determine where construction and public costs land.