The Chicago Bears have ruled out relocating, but their stadium saga is far from over. The team's chairman, George McCaskey, has confirmed that they will remain the Chicago Bears, even if they move to a new location in Hammond, Indiana.
The focus of the stadium project is now solely on Hammond, where the team is exploring two potential sites: the Lost Marsh Golf Course and the Wolf Lake Terminals area. Bears CEO Kevin Warren has stated that the team is considering merging the two sites to create a "holistic environment" in Hammond.
The NFL has not yet given its full support for the Bears' move across state lines. However, McCaskey is confident that the league will come to accept the team's decision, citing the Kansas City Chiefs' recent move from Missouri to Kansas as a precedent.
The Bears have completed their due diligence on the Lost Marsh site, but the process is ongoing for the Wolf Lake Terminals area. Warren emphasized the importance of finding a suitable location, stating, "When we looked at the Lost Marsh site and then were able to discover the opportunity at the Wolf Lake Terminal site, we thought if we could cohesively bring those together and just make sure that entire area comes together from a mixed-use standpoint, it would even be better."
Meanwhile, talks with the state of Illinois about legislation to stay in state have been minimal. The Bears are focused on finding a solution in Hammond, with Warren stating, "Our focus, again, at this point in time, is in Hammond, Indiana, and we're doing everything that we possibly can."
The cost of the project is increasing rapidly and unpredictably, forcing the Bears to move faster in coming to a final decision. Warren explained, "We just looked at the financial numbers last week and you compare to where it was last year, these are real issues… The longer this goes on, it creates complications, just from a building operations design standpoint."
Bears chairman George McCaskey emphasized the need for urgency, stating, "Our part of the financing is going to be primarily debt so that is a constant concern. Anybody who has ever built a house, the longer it takes, the more expensive it is."
The Bears are committed to finding a solution, but a timeline for the project remains elusive. Warren stated, "My wife told me about six months ago, 'Don't give any more target dates so just get the work done… Gretta, I love you and I'm listening to you and so I think the target is the right time. We'll know when it is."
In the meantime, the Bears will continue to work towards finding a suitable location for their new stadium. As McCaskey noted, "Kevin has reminded me more than once that it took the Vikings 11 years to get a stadium done in Minnesota. And I've reminded Kevin just as often, we don't have that kind of time."
Source: Yahoo Sports