HAMMOND, Ind. (WOWO) — The Chicago Bears’ long-running stadium search may have crossed state lines, with Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. saying the NFL franchise is seriously considering relocating to Northwest Indiana amid mounting frustration with Illinois officials.
In an interview with Inside Indiana Business, McDermott said discussions about a potential new stadium in Hammond are not merely a negotiating tactic, pointing instead to what he called “property tax certainty” as a driving factor behind the Bears’ interest.
“It could be a leverage play, but I think it’s for real,” McDermott said. “There’s three words that make me think that — property tax certainty. We’re talking about a $2 billion to $3 billion deal, and when you look at the type of property taxes that are going to be generated off a proposal like that, they could save hundreds of millions of dollars relocating to Indiana.”
The Bears have been exploring alternatives to Soldier Field for several years, including a stalled plan to build a stadium and entertainment district in Arlington Heights on the site of the former Arlington Park racetrack. McDermott said the team has grown increasingly frustrated with that process, as well as with its relationship with Chicago.
“I think they’re very frustrated with what’s going on in Arlington Heights,” he said. “I think they’re very frustrated with the treatment they’re getting in Chicago, and I think that they seriously are considering Indiana.”
McDermott emphasized that any potential deal would require leadership beyond the local level, crediting Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and state officials for stepping forward.
“This issue is much bigger than any power I could bring to the table as mayor,” McDermott said. “You need state government leadership on board, and the governor and state leadership have taken a key role in this.”
Hammond sits just across the Illinois-Indiana border, roughly 20 miles southeast of downtown Chicago. McDermott said the proximity could allow the Bears to remain close to their existing fan base while benefiting from Indiana’s tax structure.
“I’m a bike ride from Soldier Field,” McDermott said. “I could ride from my house to Soldier Field and back in a day. For the Bears to move that close to the current stadium and at the same time get all the benefits of being a Hoosier company — because they would be a Hoosier company at that point — they could save hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Over the projected 50-year life of a stadium development, McDermott said those savings could reach into the billions in reduced government-related costs.
