I am not surprised that the Chicago Bears are moving to Indiana. The Chicago Bears' endeavor for a new stadium took a "meaningful step" forward Thursday, opening the door for the storied franchise to leave Illinois to potentially build a new, domed stadium in Northwest Indiana.
Indiana lawmakers in the state House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved an amendment to Indiana State Bill 27 by a vote of 24-0 on Thursday that would clear a path for the Bears to build a stadium in Hammond, Indiana.
The bill would create the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority with the power to issue bonds, acquire land and finance construction for the stadium.
The Bears had been seeking legislation in the state of Illinois that would allow the team to negotiate tax payments with local governing bodies instead of paying full property taxes. The team had previously announced that it would invest $2 billion into the construction of a stadium but was seeking an estimated $850 million in public funding to cover "essential local infrastructure," including roads, sewers and improvements to adjacent commuter rail lines around the 326-acre property the team purchased in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47977218/indiana-unanimously-passes-bill-lure-bears-away-chicago
Indiana lawmakers in the state House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved an amendment to Indiana State Bill 27 by a vote of 24-0 on Thursday that would clear a path for the Bears to build a stadium in Hammond, Indiana.
The bill would create the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority with the power to issue bonds, acquire land and finance construction for the stadium.
The Bears had been seeking legislation in the state of Illinois that would allow the team to negotiate tax payments with local governing bodies instead of paying full property taxes. The team had previously announced that it would invest $2 billion into the construction of a stadium but was seeking an estimated $850 million in public funding to cover "essential local infrastructure," including roads, sewers and improvements to adjacent commuter rail lines around the 326-acre property the team purchased in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47977218/indiana-unanimously-passes-bill-lure-bears-away-chicago