Indiana vs Illinois: Who is Going to Win the Bears Over?

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, left, talks with Chicago Bears Chairman George McCasky, right, during the 2025 annual meetings in 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Phelan M. Edenhack/AP Content Services for the NFL).

There has been some confusion online about where the Chicago Bears are building their stadium. A lot of what has been heard in various press conferences indicates that Hammond, IN, is going to be the site. However, Roger Goodell recently stepped in and said that Illinois is not off the table after meeting with lawmakers.

The last piece of information that we heard before the NFL Commissioner was that the focus in Hammond was on two sites. Those sites are the Lost Marsh and Wolf Lake Terminals, and the possibility of combining them into a huge year-round entertainment district. So which is it?

Let's break down each state's current position in negotiations:

Illinois Still in Negotiations

Illinois is still a part of the negotiations, and there is still an opportunity for the Bears to stay in Illinois. There is something that the state of Illinois has an edge on Indiana in the negotiations: land.

Right now the Bears own land in Arlington Heights, in Illinois. The Bears have not bought any land in Indiana, putting them behind in that aspect of negotiations.

Illinois also seems to have some kind of backing from the NFL Commissioner. At the very least, this meeting shows that there is interest from the league to keep the Bears in Illinois.

Having purchased land and having the head of the NFL interested in Illinois are two critical advantages. You also have an established fan base in the state as well. But where Illinois may have miscalculated in negotiations is that the Bears have shown they are willing to leave the state.

Crossing State Lines

Even though the Bears have not purchased land in Indiana yet, there is still a chance they land in Hammond. Illinois has the land, but Indiana approved $1 billion in tax incentives for the Bears to make the move.

Right now, Indiana is making its case that the Bears moving there is a win win for both the state and the team.

The Bears have not only talked about building a stadium on the land, but a year-round entertainment district. Both IN and Illinois would be able to accommodate both a stadium and entertainment district. But more land allows greater versatility for the layout of both, including increased size of public parking.

The Bears would be able to have both the stadium and the entertainment district fairly easily if they were able to combine the two Hammond sites. The two sites combined total 413 acres (Lost Marsh is 330, and Wolf Lake Terminals is 83). That is almost 100 more acres than Arlington Heights they would be able to work with.

Reality of Indiana vs Illinois Negotiations

Both states have around the same chance of landing the Bears at this point in time. Being skeptical about whether Indiana is being used as a bargaining chip to leverage Illinois or whether the possibility is genuine is understandable. There is a lot that goes into a negotiation like this.

The meeting between Illinois lawmakers and Roger Goodell gave hope to people wanting the Bears to stay in Illinois. But Mike Braun and Indiana lawmakers are still optimistic on Bears Stadium bid despite the previously mentioned meeting.

One thing is certain, though, the Chicago Bears have Indiana and Illinois right where they want them. Both states are doing everything possible to keep the Bears interested. That is a win for the franchise; they are in control of the negotiations.

In the battle of Indiana vs Illinois, no matter who you want to be the victor, the real winner will be the Bears.