Chicago Bears respond to statement from Indiana Governor about potential relocation

The Chicago Bears released a team statement on an important development in the search for a new stadium location, as major developments occurred in the state legislatures of both Illinois and Indiana on Thursday morning. It’s clear the team is serious about potentially relocating to Indiana.

According to a report from Adam Hoge, Indiana Speaker of the House Todd Huston stated that the Bears would commit $2 million to a stadium project near Wolf Lake in northwest Indiana pending the passage of a bill. The rest of the public funding for the project would be similar to that of Lucas Oil Stadium.

Meanwhile, in Illinois, a meeting of the Revenue and Finance Committee that was scheduled on Thursday morning to discuss the Bears has been canceled. That news comes per WGN.

“The passage of SB 27 would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date,” the Bears statement read, referring to the Indiana legislation. “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.

“We appreciate the leadership shown by Governor Braun, Speaker Huston, Senator Mishler and members of the Indiana General Assembly in establishing this 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. We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to build our working relationship together.”

The statements flew from all directions on Thursday morning regarding the Bears. Indiana governor Mike Braun added his.

“Indiana is open for business, and our pro-growth environment continues to attract major opportunities like this partnership with the Chicago Bears,” Braun wrote on Twitter. “We’ve identified a promising site near Wolf Lake in Hammond and established a broad framework for negotiating a final deal. If approved, the proposed amendment to Senate Bill 27 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. 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.”