Any shred of hope the Chicago Bears fan base had in the team staying in Illinois might not have it as much anymore.
104.3 The Score's David Haugh reported the horrible news regarding the Bears that the fan base was hoping wouldn't happen.
"The Bears are expected to announce today their board of directors have voted and they will be focused on Hammond moving forward as the future site of their stadium, two legislative sources said."
Another source shared a comment regarding the news to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.
“There is more work to do but barring anything very strange, it’s a done deal.”
The Bears’ Board of Directors voted Thursday to advance the stadium development in Hammond, Indiana, with the exact to be selected. This is this first time that the Bears’ board has voted on any stadium site.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 5, 2026
As one source said, “There is more work to do but barring anything… pic.twitter.com/4TQTbeJKrL
Bears look poised to move to Hammond, Indiana for new stadium
This comes after three years of debate over whether the stadium would be built in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Hammond came into the picture just a few months ago and has gained momentum since then.
Illinois tried to vote on the stadium before the beginning of June, but the bill did not pass all the way through. The state would have to call a special session to resume voting, or wait until November to get it done.
Shortly after the news broke, Bears chairman George H. McCaskey and team president & CEO Kevin Warren released a joint statement.
"Yesterday, the Chicago Bears Board of Directors met and voted to advance our stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana, with the exact site to be selected. We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana to the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city. It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses."
This is a mess that seems to have hit its conclusion in the worst way possible. First, it was not going to be built in Chicago, and then Illinois couldn't even get it across the finish line to stay. The Bears deserve their fair share of the blame, as they could have worked more effectively with the state and made a greater effort to remain in Illinois.
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There is still a shot that Illinois will get to work right now to pass the bill and save the Bears from leaving. If they don't, it appears it might be game over for Illinois.
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