The NWI Bears

[Coach Nowlin]

looked it up, perhaps on Sunday, may convince the other crew to detour a bit, we shall see 

[Bash Riprock]

But hey!! Always put your full faith in the media!! Always correct!! 😆

Note: they have since deleted their post 

 

[Muda69]

Sounds like things are getting real:  https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/19/chicago-bears-are-willing-to-invest-in-indiana-house-speaker-says/88754568007/

Quote

There is now a "shared commitment" to bring the Chicago Bears to Indiana.

Indiana lawmakers announced Feb. 19 that they've struck a deal to potentially locate the football team's new stadium in northwest Indiana, pending the passage of a bill that provides the framework for a financial package and any due diligence at the proposed Hammond site. This comes nearly two months to the day from the team president's fateful letter that sparked breathless negotiations.

"It represents a transformational investment for northwest Indiana and our state," House Speaker Todd Huston told the House ways and means committee, sharing that the Chicago Bears are willing to invest $2 billion in a stadium site in the region.

Indiana lawmakers, too, in the form of Senate Bill 27, have outlined a set of investment promises from the state, Lake and Porter counties to bring the stadium to fruition.

"The passage of SB 27 would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date," the Bears said in a statement. "We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana."

 

The announcement Feb. 19 is by no means a final deal, and Gov. Mike Braun, who has been involved in negotiations, made that clear in his statement, calling this a "framework for negotiating a final deal."

"We have built a strong relationship with the Bears organization that will serve as the foundation for a public-private partnership, leading to the construction of a world-class stadium and a win for taxpayers," he said.

...

The local governments involved need to take a number of steps to make the financial deal come together, according to the bill: The city of Hammond would need to pass a 12% admissions tax on large events held at events in the city; Lake and Porter counties would need to adopt a county-wide 1% food and beverage tax, and Lake County would need to pass a 5% innkeepers tax. Revenue from these taxes would go toward repaying the bonds to build the stadium.

Yay! More taxes!  Regions dwellers rejoice!

 

And then there is this: 

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/illinois-hearing-bears-stadium-canceled-hammond-indiana/

Quote

....

This comes as a pivotal Illinois legislative hearing in Springfield that would impact the future of the Chicago Bears that was scheduled for Thursday was canceled.  

The hearing that was canceled concerned a controversial proposal to offer the Bears tax incentives and infrastructure support for a potential new stadium in the northwest Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights. But that hearing has been canceled.

CBS News Chicago is told lawmakers wanted to work through some additional details in the proposal, called the Mega Project Assessment Freeze and Payment Law, before bringing it forward.

The legislation would allow the Bears – or the developers of other projects costing at least $500 million – to negotiate with local government to lock in how much they would pay in property taxes for years to come.

Supporters have said that kind of tax certainty is what's needed before the Bears invest billions into a new stadium and surrounding development, but critics have argued Illinois taxpayers shouldn't be in the business of helping fund an NFL franchise.

The proposal would freeze the Bears' property tax assessment for up to 40 years. While the Bears have said they would pay for the stadium themselves, they are seeking more than $850 million in state funding for necessary supporting infrastructure – such as new roads, upgraded utilities, and more.

Supporters have warned that Illinois is competing with Indiana, where leaders have been trying to lure the team for some time, and time is running out.

....

 

[Coach Nowlin]

VERY VERY VERY DONE DEAL from the information I have received from folks I know who may have been at dinner recently with some State Senators.....

 

STILL SHOCKED:    WOW

I live 16 miles from WOLF LAKE 

It makes the MOST business sense to leave Illinois, like it or not.....  

 

[Coach Nowlin]

43 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

Sounds like things are getting real:  https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/19/chicago-bears-are-willing-to-invest-in-indiana-house-speaker-says/88754568007/

Yay! More taxes!  Regions dwellers rejoice!

 

And then there is this: 

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/illinois-hearing-bears-stadium-canceled-hammond-indiana/

 

Curios:  Truly want to know this:   Do you PERSONALLY know, how much additional taxes you have PERSONALLY paid because of Lucas Oil.   Day 1 to now???   What have your personal lawful money you had to give up for Lucas Oil out of your family?   

I am not trying to be argumentative at all, someone like yourself, figured you had it down to the penny since you have long stated the disdain for this form of govt oversight

[Muda69]

8 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

Curios:  Truly want to know this:   Do you PERSONALLY know, how much additional taxes you have PERSONALLY paid because of Lucas Oil.   Day 1 to now???   What have your personal lawful money you had to give up for Lucas Oil out of your family?   

I am not trying to be argumentative at all, someone like yourself, figured you had it down to the penny since you have long stated the disdain for this form of govt oversight

No, I don't know personally down to the penny what I have paid because of Lucas Oil. But I have paid it, just not for Colts games.   As for other members of my family they have probably had to shell out a significant amount of $ due to the events they have attended. 

And one doesn't have to "figure it down to the penny" to have disdain for something that should be 100% financed by private enterprise.  

[Muda69]

13 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

VERY VERY VERY DONE DEAL from the information I have received from folks I know who may have been at dinner recently with some State Senators.....

 

STILL SHOCKED:    WOW

I live 16 miles from WOLF LAKE 

It makes the MOST business sense to leave Illinois, like it or not.....  

 

I've heard that Wolf Lake is basically a swamp, and it will take hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to even make such a site ready for the construction of something like a stadium, if it can be made ready at all. 

Is Wolf Lake one of the last vestiges of the Grand Kankakee Marsh, that was drained for agricultural use over a 150 years ago?:  https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/articles/entry/northern-indianas-lost-marsh-grand-kankakee/

 

[Coach Nowlin]

15 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

No, I don't know personally down to the penny what I have paid because of Lucas Oil. But I have paid it, just not for Colts games.   As for other members of my family they have probably had to shell out a significant amount of $ due to the events they have attended. 

And one doesn't have to "figure it down to the penny" to have disdain for something that should be 100% financed by private enterprise.  

Estimate??   at least? 

 

See I am willing to learn...  but if you are on this crusade and the money out is like $24 a year .... well......   AGAIN, I understand your stance is $.000 a year.... but I am looking for actual tangible numbers to see what the actual financial impact is.... not just the same ole talking points 

[Coach Nowlin]

13 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

I've heard that Wolf Lake is basically a swamp, and it will take hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to even make such a site ready for the construction of something like a stadium, if it can be made ready at all. 

Is Wolf Lake one of the last vestiges of the Grand Kankakee Marsh, that was drained for agricultural use over a 150 years ago?:  https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/articles/entry/northern-indianas-lost-marsh-grand-kankakee/

 

No idea, HOWEVER, I am under the belief that to get to this point right now, that those environmental factors or water concerns as it relates to infrastructure as already occurred and the people who are involved are well aware of the future challenges that may encounter 

[Sparty]

Build it on wolf lake?  Nice swampy land.  Will be like the old candlestick when the tide was in.  

[Muda69]

26 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

Estimate??   at least? 

 

See I am willing to learn...  but if you are on this crusade and the money out is like $24 a year .... well......   AGAIN, I understand your stance is $.000 a year.... but I am looking for actual tangible numbers to see what the actual financial impact is.... not just the same ole talking points 

[Sparty]

1 hour ago, Muda69 said:

Lol

in all seriousness, for sake of discussion, imagine if we actually saw that “$1,000,000, and were able to invest it how we wanted.  

[Muda69]

I like Munster Bears better than the Hammond or NWI Bears:

[Coach Nowlin]

2 hours ago, Muda69 said:

That's exactly what I told a gal 2 days ago when I got the phone call that asked if I am selling my CP house, I go, well I will tell you like I tell everyone else last 4 years, sure, thing, $1,000,000.  She laughed, I go well I am not laughing that you are trying to scam me and do this stupid phone sell your house waste my time..... "CLICK:   works every time

[Sparty]

5 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

That's exactly what I told a gal 2 days ago when I got the phone call that asked if I am selling my CP house, I go, well I will tell you like I tell everyone else last 4 years, sure, thing, $1,000,000.  She laughed, I go well I am not laughing that you are trying to scam me and do this stupid phone sell your house waste my time..... "CLICK:   works every time

Love it.  Hope you get that 1 milly offer before it’s actually “worth” 1 milly. 

[Coach Nowlin]

If this actually is a reality:  Just remember like 8-11 total times a year they will come to their stadium..........   CORP office and HALAS HALL will remain in Lake Forest 

Just like New York Giants/Jets:   KC Chiefs, LA Rams/Chargers. how bout this fun fact;    Falcons play their home games over 40 minutes away from their "HOME" base in Georgia.    Not remotely close to Downtown ATL 

 

Fun isn't it 

 

[Bash Riprock]

 

[Sparty]

39 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

If this actually is a reality:  Just remember like 8-11 total times a year they will come to their stadium..........   CORP office and HALAS HALL will remain in Lake Forest 

Just like New York Giants/Jets:   KC Chiefs, LA Rams/Chargers. how bout this fun fact;    Falcons play their home games over 40 minutes away from their "HOME" base in Georgia.    Not remotely close to Downtown ATL 

 

Fun isn't it 

 

You forgot San Francisco. You know.  The place that just held the SB.  

[Muda69]

28 minutes ago, Bash Riprock said:

 

Has the specific location for this "premier venue" been released?  You look at the "Wolf Lake area" using something Google maps and you see mostly industrial and residential areas.  

 

Edit: NM, found it. Kind of:  https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/2026/02/19/wolf-lake-chicago-bears-moving-stadium-hammond-indiana/88759571007/

Quote

The exact plot of land around Wolf Lake hasn’t been formally unveiled but a week after Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren published a public letter announcing that the team had expanded its stadium search outside Cook County into the greater Chicagoland region including northwest Indiana, several utility trucks and drilling equipment was reportedly spotted in a large open grassy area south of Wolf Lake and across from Lost Marsh Golf Course, according to the Times Northwest Indiana.

 

Edited February 19 by Muda69

[Bash Riprock]

54 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

If this actually is a reality:  Just remember like 8-11 total times a year they will come to their stadium..........   CORP office and HALAS HALL will remain in Lake Forest 

Just like New York Giants/Jets:   KC Chiefs, LA Rams/Chargers. how bout this fun fact;    Falcons play their home games over 40 minutes away from their "HOME" base in Georgia.    Not remotely close to Downtown ATL 

 

Fun isn't it 

 

Coach....don't the Falcons play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium which is downtown Atlanta??

For years, Chiefs in Kansas City Missouri, although about to change.  SF 49ers play in Santa Clara.  Washington Commanders play in Landover, MD....although they have plans to build a new place at their old RFK stadium actually in Washington DC.  New England Patriots, formerly the Boston Patriots, play in Foxborough, Mass...about 30 miles from Boston.  (actually closer to Providence, RI)

[Coach Nowlin]

22 minutes ago, Bash Riprock said:

Coach....don't the Falcons play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium which is downtown Atlanta??

For years, Chiefs in Kansas City Missouri, although about to change.  SF 49ers play in Santa Clara.  Washington Commanders play in Landover, MD....although they have plans to build a new place at their old RFK stadium actually in Washington DC.  New England Patriots, formerly the Boston Patriots, play in Foxborough, Mass...about 30 miles from Boston.  (actually closer to Providence, RI)

yes, it was worded horribly and had it backwarrds.... meant the practice facility or their corp HOME is almost an hour away, but it was clunky at best in sentence structure 

[Coach Nowlin]

40 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

 

 

Edit: NM, found it. Kind of:  https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/2026/02/19/wolf-lake-chicago-bears-moving-stadium-hammond-indiana/88759571007/

 

REAL REAL NICE area IMO:   Lost Marsh Golf course is OUTSTANDING.   Hammond is really done nice job last decade imo of cleaning things up around those parts as evident on their late summer festival they run every year where they bring in 3 days of great music and entertainment right there at the PAV of. Wolf Lake 

They do a Country night, a Latin Music night and an RB/Rap night 

[Irishman]

Was this REALLY a secret? Seems like the main motivation for a new stadium was to have everything in one place like most other teams have now.

 

 

[Irishman]

lol

 

 

[Coach Nowlin]

35 minutes ago, Irishman said:

Was this REALLY a secret? Seems like the main motivation for a new stadium was to have everything in one place like most other teams have now.

 

 

Im not so sure about that honestly....  they sunk a BOAT Load of money recently into HALAS all to just move it seems very very odd to me 

23 minutes ago, Irishman said:

lol

 

 

as an avid horse player....  GRRR.   loved going there 

looked it up:  2018 started and finished in 2019....  

$20 MILLION they sunk Into to just move in about 10 to 11 years ??    MAYBE, but doubt it......