Latest on Illinois' push to keep Bears in-state with new stadium - Bears Wire
The latest update involving the Chicago Bears and their new stadium took an intriguing shift, where the state of Illinois is making a push to keep the team in-state amid intentions to focus on building a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana.
In a statement released by the governor's office, Governor Pritzker met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Pat Ryan, Speaker Welch and the top legislative negotiators on the Bears stadium issue on Thursday.
Most notable was that Bears president/CEO Kevin Warren, who has led the stadium project, was not present at the meeting. In his place was Ryan, who owns a large minority interest in the organization.
According to Brenden Moore, Ryan's involvement has been beneficial for the team: "While itβs been conveyed to me by multiple sources that Illinois talks post-May havenβt resulted in any breakthroughs or agreements, the involvement of Ryan, which began this summer, has been viewed as helpful."
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy shared the following statement: "The NFL appreciated the opportunity to meet with Governor Pritzker and legislative leaders today. Timely action is essential as the Bears work to find a long-term stadium solution for the club and their fans."
In the most recent stadium development back in August, which was essentially nothing new compared to the previous one, Warren shared that the Bears had completed their due diligence for a possible stadium site at the Lost Marsh location while looking to add a second site at Wolf Lake in Hammond, which remains the team's sole focus for a move as of Aug. 2026.
But this wouldn't be the first time the organization has announced their intentions. They did the same thing with Arlington Heights and even the Chicago lakefront. Now, the state of Illinois continues to make a push to keep the Bears in-state. But, for now or until told otherwise, Hammond remains the focus.
