The bears are where we thought they were. How long will they be there?
On Sunday, the Bears begin their final home at Soldier Field, the stadium they moved into permanently in 1971. (In 2002, they spent a year at the University of Illinois while the building was being renovated.) They are actively trying to leave.
And the uncertainty of where and when they will have a new home continues. Indiana is ready to go. But the Bears are still trying to pitch a potential Hammond home to an Illinois alternative.
As recently reported by Brenden Moore of Illinois Capitol NewsvIA Sports Business Journalthe Bears executive leading the stadium effort met with Illinois Lieutenant Governor Andy Manar in August. Bears VP Stadium development executive and COO Karen Murphy was joined by minority owner Pat Ryan for the meeting with Manar. Meanwhile, Axios has reported that Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson has pushed for one new domed stadium in Chicago. The Bears have pushed the property they own in Arlington Heights as the preferred Illinois location.
These developments do nothing to change the perception that Indiana’s dream is a lever for a new stadium in Illinois. If anything, they reinforce the idea that the Bears are just posturing when they claim to be focused on Hammond.
Ryan’s involvement is also significant. With team president and CEO Kevin Warren’s strategies not providing a solution, Ryan and his son, Pat Ryan Jr., may try to influence the stalled stadium pursuit.