Hammond, Indiana – As the Chicago Bears prepare for their 2026 home opener, city officials are quietly positioning Hammond as a credible alternative to Soldier Field. Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. told OutKick that the city’s long‑term land‑acquisition strategy and Indiana’s tax‑certainty protections are central to the Bears’ stadium discussions.
Land assembly and cleanup effort
Over the past two to three mayoral terms, Hammond, in cooperation with the state, has assembled roughly 300 acres of underutilized property along the Lost Marsh and Lake Terminal sites. The effort was driven by a desire to clean up the area and improve quality of life, not initially to attract an NFL franchise. “I’d be lying if I said we were thinking about the Bears when we started,” McDermott said, noting that the land was once fragmented among many owners and considered unsuitable for a stadium.
Tax certainty as a competitive advantage
Indiana’s constitutional property‑tax caps, which limit rates to 1‑3 % depending on classification, provide the kind of fiscal certainty the Bears cannot obtain in Illinois. “Property‑tax certainty is a buzzword in this whole ordeal,” McDermott explained. “In Indiana you can’t be hit with sudden tax hikes for the next 30 years, and that’s attractive to any long‑term investor.”
Bipartisan cooperation across government
McDermott highlighted unprecedented cooperation among federal, state and local leaders. Both Indiana U.S. senators, a Democratic congressman, Republican Governor Mike Braun and the mayor himself – a Democrat – have worked in lockstep. “I’ve never seen this level of coordination in my 23 years as mayor,” he said. The state’s Senate Bill 27, championed by House Speaker Todd Huston, created a funding mechanism for the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority, further solidifying the legislative foundation for a new stadium.
Economic backdrop
Northwest Indiana’s economy, valued at roughly $52 billion, has attracted more than $30 billion in investment over the past ten months, according to Northwest Indiana Forum President Heather Ennis. Those figures do not yet include any potential Bears‑related development, underscoring the region’s growth momentum.
From skepticism to active pursuit
McDermott admitted he began the process skeptical, recalling a failed 1990s effort to move the Bears to Gary, Indiana. “I never thought we’d be the future home of the Bears,” he said, “but as a mayor I close deals, and I keep working even when the odds seem slim.” Recent interest from an unnamed large company about property acquisition signaled to city officials that the project had moved beyond speculation.
What’s next?
The Bears’ lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033, but the team can pay a fee to terminate it early. Hammond sits about 20 miles south of the team’s Lake Forest headquarters, offering a convenient geographic alternative. While no final decision has been announced, the combination of land readiness, tax certainty and bipartisan support makes Hammond a serious contender in the Bears’ stadium conversation.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
