Bobref Posted January 16 Posted January 16 There’s enough smoke coming off this that I think it deserves its own thread, separately from the Bears’ on-field performance discussions. Here’s the most recent story I’ve seen. Some people are putting a lot of thought into this. https://www.fox32chicago.com/sports/gary-indiana-renderings-chicago-bears-stadium-sites Gary, Indiana, releases 3 renderings for potential Chicago Bears stadium sites By Chris Kwiecinski Published January 16, 2026 1:16pm CST Gary: A city once written off is now back in play for Chicago Bears Gary, Indiana is now back in the conversation as the Bears search for a new stadium site. GARY, Ind. - The city of Gary, Indiana, has furthered its efforts to bring the Chicago Bears to the Hoosier state. The city, as it continues "aggressively pursuing the franchise," has identified three sites where the Bears could build a new stadium. "Back in 1994, the Chicago Bears saw potential in Gary, and we have never forgotten that vote of confidence," Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said in a statement. "Thirty years later, Gary is even better positioned. Gary’s proposal gives the Bears the tax certainty and stability that the organization says is key to success." What they're saying: According to a press release, the city of Gary's Stadium Authority has identified three sites they call "Plug-and-Play sites" the city considers ready for immediate development. These sites are: Gary West End Entertainment District: This space is adjacent to Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana. The release notes this is the state of Indiana's highest-grossing gaming location and offers "immediate synergy with a proven entertainment hub." Buffington Harbor: Like Soldier Field, the Buffington Harbor offers the Bears a stadium on the waterfront. The release describes it as "a premier waterfront opportunity with established infrastructure and quick access to multiple modes of transportation." Miller Beach: This site is adjacent to the Indiana Dunes National Park landmark, which garners three million annual visitors and will give the Bears a "stadium experience unlike any other in the NFL." These renderings come after sources told FOX Chicago that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was seen visiting potential stadium sites in Northwest Indiana the same weekend the Bears hosted the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card round at Soldier Field. Goodell was also seen touring the Arlington Heights site. The Bears have pledged not to use Illinois taxpayer money on a new stadium, but the franchise said it still needs public funds for infrastructure improvements around the site. On Friday, the Village of Arlington Heights and Illinois state leaders held a press conference that urged the approval of a Mega Project Bill aimed at supporting large-scale developments, which includes the Bears’ proposed stadium project at Arlington Park. In the release, the City of Gary calls these three sites a "natural habitat" for the Bears. "A move to Gary isn’t just about a building; it’s about building a dynasty," Melton said in a written statement. "There’s a reason we call this region Chicagoland. Gary is just 30 minutes from downtown Chicago—closer than Arlington Heights—minutes from the Gary Chicago International Airport and uniquely positioned with waterfront views straight to Chicago’s skyline. No other location offers this combination of proximity, identity alignment, and iconic visual connection to Chicago". Unlike Arlington Heights, we have support of local, county and state leaders." 1 Quote
Muda69 Posted January 17 Posted January 17 Gregg Doyel's take, and some interesting information I didn't know beforehand: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/columnists/gregg-doyel/2026/01/16/colts-chicago-bears-move-northwest-indiana-region/88214358007/?tbref=hp Quote The Chicago Bears are coming to Indiana, and the Indianapolis Colts are furious! Do me a favor and count the lies told – in your opinion – in the previous sentence. Let’s start with what we know. The Colts are furious! Nah. They’re not. Seriously. Just spoke with Colts chief operating officer Pete Ward, and he assured me the Colts are fine with whatever the Bears do. Does that feel like a lie to you? It won’t, after I tell you what Ward told me. But first let’s head back to that first sentence, and see if there’s a lie told here: The Chicago Bears are coming to Indiana… At this moment, knowing what we know, we cannot call that a lie. Such an ugly word, “lie.” Let’s find another word for it, a prettier word. Hey, I know: Extortion. That’s what this feels like, doesn’t it? The Bears, threatening to move out of Chicago – out of Illinois – and into northwest Indiana? We have two options here – you, me, Chicago, the Colts, The Region, everyone – and one of those options, sure, is to take the flirtation between the Bears and Northwest Indiana at face value. One thing is sure: Indiana would love to get its grubby little hands on the Bears, and please, if you can’t find the humor in this story (the Indiana Bears?!?) look harder. Because this feels funny, even as it feels like business as usual for an NFL franchise. They’re printing money, NFL franchises. You know this. The Bears, for example, are valued by Forbes at $8.2 billion, ranking seventh in the NFL. (The Colts are worth $5.9 billion, 26th in the NFL.) How could the Chicago Bears risk all of that value by leaving Chicago for Hammond, Indiana? They couldn’t. They wouldn’t. You know this. Now, maybe Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has added this to the growing list of things he doesn’t know. Or maybe, just maybe, Braun has finally found an issue he can use to galvanize his state: Let’s go get the Bears! Braun follows his political North Star, President Trump, who has claimed Venezuela and the Panama Canal and the Gulf of America, and has his eyes on Greenland. If some is good, more is better – right? ‘Merica! Indiana already has one NFL franchise, but two would be better. ‘Ndiana! Our second option: Understanding the cynical game both sides are playing. If this is me giving Braun more credit than he deserves, shame on me, but this feels like Braun cosplaying as dealmaker to increase his popularity. Because when the Bears announce in the coming months that they are staying in Chicago, staying for whatever sweet stadium deal the state offers the McCaskey family, Braun will be able to look his Region voters in the eye and say: “Hey, I heard you. I tried.” The Bears have been in Chicago since 1920 and aren’t leaving for another state, but they’re not just playing around with the folks in Northwest Indiana. They’ve been using those folks, getting their hopes up since Dec. 17 when Bears President and CFO Kevin Warren said the team would expand its search for a new stadium site to the wider Chicagoland region – including northwest Indiana. Warren knows how this story ends: With Chicago politicians, getting the message loud and clear from their voters, coming to the franchise – hats in hand – and offering the Bears a new money printing press, er, a new stadium. And it will conclude down the road when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell – who played his role in the charade this past week by visiting a proposed stadium site in Northwest Indiana – grants the Bears a Super Bowl as soon as their brand-new stadium is ready. The Bad News Bears are more real than the Indiana Bears – and Buttermaker isn’t walking through that door. That hasn’t stopped lawmakers in the Indiana Senate from authoring a bill that makes the state's bid to attract the Bears look legitimate. Nor has it stopped the Bears from calling Senate Bill 27 “a significant milestone.” How do the Colts feel about all of this? They feel fine. That’s what Pete Ward told me, dropping some knowledge you probably didn’t know along the way. Here we go. “By league rules, (Northwest Indiana) is Bears territory,” Ward was telling me Friday morning. “It’s the Bears’ domain. The Colts can’t even market that area, even though it’s Indiana.” Here, I’m doing what you would’ve done – and interrupting the ever-loving HECK out of the chief operating officer of the Indianapolis Colts. By league rules? That’s what I’m asking Ward. Does the league have a specific rule about Chicago owning exclusive rights to Northwest Indiana? “It’s a league rule for every city – they have the rights to the 75-mile radius of downtown,” Ward says. “As I understand, (the proposed stadium location) is 2 miles inside the border – and if you look on a map, it's clearly in the suburbs of Chicago. And we’ve always been respectful of those rules.” The Colts’ mascot Blue, who travels the state to visit schools and spread his message of positivity and Colts football, doesn’t go to Hammond, 30 miles from Downtown Chicago (and about 160 miles from Downtown Indianapolis). Colts cheerleaders don’t perform at events in Gary, 29 miles from Soldier Field (and 150 miles from Lucas Oil Stadium). The Colts, Ward is telling me, cannot and do not purchase advertisements in newspapers within that 75-mile radius. Who knew, right? The Colts and Cincinnati Bengals have a similarly “respectful” relationship, Ward says, involving the area of southeast Indiana. Milan is 55 miles from Downtown Cincinnati – and 80 miles from Downtown Indianapolis. So Milan, home of the greatest sports story in Indiana history, is a Cincinnati Bengals city. Just how the rules are written, though Ward says teams cooperate when the geography demands it. Think of the New York Jets, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles – or the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders, before the Raiders moved to Las Vegas. “We wish the Bears all the best,” Ward said. “If they were talking about relocating deeper into the state, we might feel differently – but they’re clearly talking about the Chicago suburbs. It’s come up before, the possibility of the Bears moving to Northwest Indiana, so this is not unprecedented. We wish them luck.” As for me, I’m wishing the best for folks in Northwest Indiana – for eager businesses and Bears fans alike – because they’re being jerked around by billionaires. Quote
Coach Nowlin Posted January 17 Posted January 17 biggest take away is push back I have is this opinion of the author: Quote How could the Chicago Bears risk all of that value by leaving Chicago for Hammond, Indiana? They couldn’t. They wouldn’t. Their Stadium Address is not home of the Chicago Bears, that distinction belongs to Halas Hall in Lake Forest Illinois. Stadium location is irrelevant in value of franchise in this context of which Doyel is trying to convey . If it actually happens (still don't believe it will either). All it means is they visit this place around 13-15 times a year with 10 being actual games. maybe some practices things but majority of their work will continue to be in Lake Forest . I mean they stay in hotels night before games as is Quote
Coach Nowlin Posted February 5 Posted February 5 Food For Thought: Bears Stadium talk is upon us again after @WaddleandSilvy yesterday. Seeing some use the United Center as the argument the Bears do not need tax certainty. Let’s break it down a little to show exactly why this example is exactly why the Bears need tax certainty to build in Arlington Heights and why Silvy’s contacts are 100% right that Indiana isn’t a leverage play… United Center: Market Value: $66,440,748 Taxable Value: $16,610,187 2024 Equalizer: 3.0355 2024 Tax Rate: 6.643% Cost to build: $175,000,000 Market Value vs Cost: ~38% Using these numbers we can estimate the 2025 property taxes to be ~$3,349,415. Now let’s do the math on Arlington Heights with ZERO tax certainty and basing it on the original estimated cost of $2.4 Billion. New Bears Stadium (100%): Market Value: $2,400,000,000 Taxable Value: $600,000,000 2024 Equalizer: 3.0355 2024 Tax Rate: 9.483% Using these numbers we can estimate the 2025 property taxes to be ~$172,713,879. That is ~$170,000,000 more in property taxes the Bears would owe EVERY YEAR without some type of PILOT program. Now let’s say Cook County decides to be nice even without tax certainty and values the stadium at 38% of cost like the United Center is currently. New Bears Stadium (38%): Market Value: $912,000,000 Taxable Value: $228,000,000 2024 Equalizer: 3.0355 2024 Tax Rate: 9.483% Now, we can estimate the 2025 property taxes to be ~$65,631,274. That’s still ~$62,000,000 more than what the property taxes are on the United Center. This isn’t difficult to understand why the Bears need tax certainty yet many are claiming it’s Billionaires getting handouts. It’s not the case here at all. Going to IN with the deal presented would be the handout and the Bears aren’t even asking for that. Come up with a reasonable incremental PILOT tax guarantee and pay for the infrastructure and Bears stay. Set it at $10,000,000 per year to start and that’s still $1,500,000 per year more than what the Rams/Chargers pay for SoFi. Take the emotion out of it and math is math. It is simple, yet Illinois has been dragging this along for 3 years. #DaBears Quote
Bash Riprock Posted February 5 Posted February 5 Coach did share with me that the proposal from Indiana also has the state paying for the stadium in which the Bears would lease and manage the facility. I believe that is different than what was planned in Arlington Heights. Quote
Bobref Posted February 10 Author Posted February 10 5 hours ago, Bash Riprock said: Well played by the Bears. Quote
Muda69 Posted February 10 Posted February 10 8 hours ago, Bobref said: Well played by the Bears. 1 Quote
Coach Nowlin Posted February 10 Posted February 10 10 hours ago, Bobref said: Well played by the Bears. As if there was really any other outcome..... Only difference imo, then last time is Bears were over halfway serious on moving if they HAD to, I think Illinois finally realized it..... 1 Quote
Sparty Posted February 10 Posted February 10 I hope ole TC is ok in that photo. Ty and the boys would be heartbroken….. My guys @Coach Nowlin and @Irishman know who Ty is and his LOVE for TC LOL. *Ty is on the PMS 1 Quote
Muda69 Posted February 10 Posted February 10 1 hour ago, Bash Riprock said: Yet another zero real-information nugget from twitter. Probably referring to this zero real-information, clickbait "article": https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15919245/chicago-bears-rent-free-billion-domed-stadium-indiana/ 1 Quote
Coach Nowlin Posted February 10 Posted February 10 Kaplan is the KING of throw it against the wall and watch the interactions...... Quote
Sparty Posted February 11 Posted February 11 1 hour ago, Coach Nowlin said: Kaplan is the KING of throw it against the wall and watch the interactions...... He does sport a nice choice of haircut. Quote
Bash Riprock Posted February 11 Posted February 11 17 hours ago, Muda69 said: Yet another zero real-information nugget from twitter. Probably referring to this zero real-information, clickbait "article": https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15919245/chicago-bears-rent-free-billion-domed-stadium-indiana/ Never stated it was fact folks....just sharing for conversation. It will be interesting to now watch the 2 state's try to outbid each other. Bears are in a great spot. Quote
Coach Nowlin Posted February 11 Posted February 11 as Soon as Bears get a law that caps Property Taxes and the infrastructure needs met with the engineering of roads and sewers etc etc then they break ground in Arlington...... End of Story If Illinois continues to mess around..... they will just say, see ya for the "better deal". Quote
Muda69 Posted February 11 Posted February 11 Sounds like the state of Iowa is trying to get in that games as well: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7037791/2026/02/10/chicago-bears-iowa-stadium-bill/ Quote A bill in the Iowa State Senate was introduced Tuesday seeking an expansion of its economic growth attraction program with a goal of luring an NFL franchise to the state, specifically the Chicago Bears. “While Illinois and Indiana squabble over this issue, we are ready to get off the sidelines and into the game,” Iowa state Sen. Kerry Gruenhagen (R-Walcott) said in a statement and first reported by The Des Moines Register. “Bringing an NFL team to Iowa would attract jobs, tourism and fans to our state and give us the opportunity to showcase what Iowa really has to offer. Iowans have dedicated themselves to our college sports teams, and we’re ready to attract a professional team to our great state.” ..... Anybody ready for the Quad Cities Bears? 1 Quote
Coach Nowlin Posted February 11 Posted February 11 I will take a good look on Saturday. Road Trip to watch my Beloved Boilers in Iowa City !!! See what all this new noise is about !! 🙂 Quote
Irishman Posted February 11 Posted February 11 2 hours ago, Coach Nowlin said: I will take a good look on Saturday. Road Trip to watch my Beloved Boilers in Iowa City !!! See what all this new noise is about !! 🙂 2 distinct memories driving through Iowa on my way to some place in the mountains. 1. We stop late night at a gas station. I am browsing through the post cards. I always look for funny ones. One was all black with 3 very small white dots on it. The bottom of the card said Des Moines at night. 🤣🤣🤣 2. You can see so far on the horizon. Might have been that same trip, but there was a storm system off in the distance south of us. You could see the lightning shooting through the clouds and down. It was really cool to see it. 1 Quote
Coach Nowlin Posted February 11 Posted February 11 my 1st trip though Illinois dead straight west...... Never step foot in Iowa, only 4 hours from house to Carver Hawkeye 1 Quote
Irishman Posted February 11 Posted February 11 5 hours ago, Muda69 said: Sounds like the state of Iowa is trying to get in that games as well: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7037791/2026/02/10/chicago-bears-iowa-stadium-bill/ Anybody ready for the Quad Cities Bears? If you build it, they will come. Quote
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