AUGUST 16: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been “involved in discussions about where the Bears might relocate,” per Politico’s Shia Kapos. He met with Illinois lawmakers this week, presumably regarding their ongoing efforts to keep the Bears in the state.
AUGUST 13: The Bears shocked the NFL in June when they announced preliminary plans to leave Soldier Field in Chicago for a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana. Progress on the move has been slow with continuing efforts from Illinois to keep the historic franchise in its longtime home.
But president and CEO Kevin Warren reiterated (via The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones) the team’s “sole focus” is on building a new stadium in Hammond. The team is currently evaluating multiple sites in the area, both a few miles off the shore of Lake Michigan.
Due diligence is complete on the Lost Marsh site, which is considered “viable,” per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. That process also revealed a potential second site at Wolf Lake Terminal, which Warren said “can be as good or better,” pending further evaluation.
“We will make sure we take our time to get this right,” Warren added (via the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley).
Warren’s comments highlight the Bears’ gradual, painstaking process of leaving Chicago, which some have interpreted as a continuing game of brinksmanship with the Illinois legislature as they consider paths to keeping them in the state. The team previously explored a new stadium in Arlington Heights, about 30 miles northwest of Soldier Field, but legislation that would have enabled such a move failed.
The Bears have had “occasional” meetings since, Warren said, according to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic, though chairman and owner George McCaskey characterized them as “minimal.” Warren also praised the team’s discussions with Indiana and the city of Hammond, calling them “extremely productive.”
The Bears’ potential to leave Chicago raised concerns about the franchise changing its name, but Warren confirmed that would not be the case.
“We will be the Chicago Bears whether we’ll be in Arlington [Heights] or in Hammond,” he said (via Cronin).
The rest of today’s updates, though, will do little to reassure Bears fans who do not want to see the team to leave Illinois. Warren cited “property tax certainty” and “infrastructure certainty” as key needs to merit a stay in the state. As long as those factors remain unchanged, the Bears will move closer and closer to building a new stadium in Hammond.
