Bears Keep Hammond as Leading Contender for Future Stadium
HAMMOND, Ind. — It hasn’t been confirmed where the Chicago Bears will build their new stadium yet, but the team said their focus moving forward will be putting the project in Hammond, Indiana.
On Thursday, Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren and Bears Chairman George McCaskey held a news conference at Halas Hall to talk about the team’s stadium plans. Warren said the team is still doing its “due diligence” on a new stadium site, but Hammond is their preferred location.
“Our sole focus at this point is working on a world-class development in Northwest Indiana,” Warren said.
On June 5, the Bears’ Board of Directors voted to move forward with a stadium development project in Hammond near Wolf Lake. On Thursday, Warren said the team has also discovered a new site that could be as good or better than the Lost Marsh site.
“We will make sure that we take our time to get this right,” said Warren. “Not only are we building a world-class stadium, we’re also building a world-class mixed-use development.”
The Bears had previously considered a site for a new stadium in Arlington Heights, which is northwest of Chicago, but plans for that have stalled.
McCaskey reiterated that the franchise will not be changing the name to the “Indiana Bears” if they relocate across state lines.
“We’re going to be the Chicago Bears, whether we’re in Arlington Heights or Hammond,” McCaskey said.
The Bears have played at Soldier Field in Downtown Chicago since 1971.
Bears Keep Hammond as Leading Contender for Future Stadium was originally published on wibc.com
