HAMMOND, Ind. — The Chicago Bears’ Board of Directors has voted to advance plans to relocate the NFL franchise from Chicago to Hammond, Indiana, marking a major step in a years‑long stadium saga that has spanned two states and multiple proposed sites.
The team confirmed the vote in a statement Friday, saying the board had agreed to move forward with a stadium development project in Hammond, with the exact site still to be selected. Team leadership said they believe a “world‑class stadium project” in Northwest Indiana would help connect the region to Chicago’s South Side and surrounding suburbs while creating new economic opportunities.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun welcomed the development, urging Hoosiers to “help me welcome the Chicago Bears to our great state.” Braun said the move would create long-term economic growth and described the potential partnership as “as strong as the ’85 Bears defense.”
The relocation push gained momentum after Illinois lawmakers failed to pass an incentive package aimed at keeping the team in the state. Indiana, meanwhile, approved a financing framework earlier this year to help support a new stadium.
While the vote is not the final step in the relocation process, one source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that “barring anything very strange, it’s a done deal.”
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