The Clock is Running out.

The Chicago Bears could soon be calling Indiana home — and a decision on where the NFL franchise will build its new domed stadium may come before the end of June, with Hammond, Indiana, emerging as a serious contender against a suburban Chicago alternative.

The Bears officially confirmed in May 2026 that Chicago is no longer under consideration. The franchise issued a statement saying the team had “pursued every possibility to remain in Chicago” and concluded there is “no suitable site within the city limits.” That leaves just two locations still in play: Hammond, Indiana — situated near Wolf Lake in Lake County — and Arlington Heights, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago where the team already owns the former Arlington Park Racetrack property.

Indiana Has Made a Powerful Pitch

Indiana moved quickly to position itself as a front-runner. State lawmakers passed legislation in February 2026 creating a framework to attract the Bears, and Indiana’s offer is substantial.

Under Senate Enrolled Act No. 27, Indiana is offering $1 billion in state funding toward stadium construction, with the requirement that at least 50 percent of construction costs come from private investment. The funding would be generated through a 1 percent food and beverage tax in Lake and Porter counties, a 5 percent hotel tax increase in Lake County, and a 12 percent admissions tax on tickets at the new stadium.

Indiana also passed Senate Enrolled Act One during the 2025 legislative session, capping property taxes in a way that would make a new stadium in Hammond significantly less expensive to operate than one built in Illinois. In April 2026, Indiana’s State Budget Committee approved toll road increases throughout the state, with proceeds earmarked for infrastructure improvements in Lake, Porter, and nearby counties — a move widely seen as sweetening the deal for the Bears.

Indiana Governor Mike Braun told ABC7 Chicago in an exclusive interview on May 21, 2026, that he is “more confident than ever” the Bears will choose Hammond. “I believe they appreciate the speed and efficiency of doing business in Indiana,” Braun said.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed at NFL meetings that Hammond and Arlington Heights are the only two viable sites remaining.

Illinois in a Race Against the Clock

Illinois lawmakers have been scrambling to counter Indiana’s offer, but time is running out. The Illinois General Assembly’s session was set to adjourn tomorrow, May 31, 2026, and as of that Saturday afternoon May 30th, no stadium legislation had passed.

A “Megaprojects Bill” was advancing in the Illinois House that would give the Bears a property tax cap for the Arlington Heights site — the same financial incentive Indiana has already locked in. However, Illinois Senate President Don Harmon and Governor JB Pritzker both signaled in the final days of the session that their focus had shifted entirely to the state budget. Pritzker stated plainly, “We’re focused on the budget. That is the number one thing we’re going to get done,” offering no update on stadium negotiations.

If Illinois does not act before adjourning, Indiana’s offer stands alone on the table.

What It Would Mean for Indiana Fans

For sports fans in Clinton, Carroll, and Boone counties, a Bears move to Hammond would place one of the NFL’s oldest franchises — founded in 1920 — within a roughly 90-minute drive of north-central Indiana communities like Frankfort, Delphi, and Lebanon.

Hammond sits on the Illinois-Indiana border, just south of Chicago’s skyline, making it geographically closer to downtown Chicago than Arlington Heights in some respects. The Bears have expressed a goal of opening a new domed stadium by 2030, meaning groundbreaking would need to begin soon.

Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren said earlier in May that the franchise expects to announce a decision by late spring or early summer 2026.

State Representative Kam Buckner of Illinois, a Bears supporter, told a Chicago radio station that he does not believe the McCaskey family — the Bears’ ownership group — will ultimately relocate to Indiana, and that he believes Illinois will find a way to keep the team. But with session adjourned and no deal in hand, the pressure has shifted decisively toward Indianapolis — and Hammond.

The Illinois General Assembly’s spring session is scheduled to adjourn on Sunday, May 31, 2026 — tomorrow. The Senate gavel is set for 1:00 PM and the House until 5:00 PM, with action potentially continuing until midnight.

The big item still in play is the Chicago Bears stadium megaprojects bill, which passed the House but is still in Senate negotiations. If it doesn’t clear by 11:59 PM tomorrow, it would require a special session or face a higher vote threshold if taken up later. As of today (Saturday May 30), there’s reportedly not a strong appetite for a special session among legislators.