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By Michael Gallagher
Sports Content Coordinator
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The Chicago Bears are one of the more historic franchises in the NFL.
But with speculation the team is nearing a deal to move to Hammond, Indiana, which is approximately 30 minutes from Soldier Field, many Bears fans are worried their beloved franchise won’t be the same.
However, chairman and owner George McCaskey addressed those very concerns, reassuring everyone that the 106-year-old franchise will not be rebranding to the Hammond Bears should they ultimately move across state lines and build a stadium in Indiana.
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“No — we will be the Chicago Bears whether we're in Arlington [Heights, Illinois] or whether we're in Hammond,” McCaskey told reporters. “Our focus is on Hammond, that's where we're advancing our efforts and that's where the bulk of our time, attention and resources are being devoted.”
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The Bears have tried feverishly to get a new stadium built in Arlington Heights to no avail. The team then started exploring options outside the area, and Hammond became a realistic possibility.
The Bears’ board of directors even voted in June to advance the stadium project in Hammond as communication with lawmakers in Illinois became less and less frequent.
McCaskey and his franchise were already granted tax guarantees from Indiana, and they were even offered up to $1 billion in incentives for relocation, according to ESPN, while Illinois legislators have seemingly refused to work with the franchise to keep the team in the state.
The Bears bought a 326-acre plot of land in Arlington Heights years ago with the intention of building their new stadium there. However, the team stated the site wasn’t a feasible option for a new stadium because Cook County property taxes are too high.
Ownership pushed for a lump-sum payment instead of recurring property taxes, but the proposal was shot down by legislators.
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