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  "textContent": "<p>Chicago without the <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears\" target=\"_blank\" >Bears</a>, eh?</p><p>Like a giant bean without a reflection.</p><p>A river without a boat.</p><p>A blues man without a guitar.</p><p>A corner bar without a stool.</p><p>A museum without a soul.</p><p><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/06/05/bears-hammond-indiana-board-directors-vote-stadium-arlington-heights-nfl\" target=\"_blank\" >Can it really happen</a> — the Bears, a founding NFL franchise, a team that has played in the city for over 100 years, as much a part of the lakefront as frozen breath, as vital to our sports scene as any two other teams put together, picking up their flag and planting it across city and state lines in Hammond, Indiana?</p><p>Yeah, it can happen. It will, if the Bears’ statement Friday that they are “advancing” their stadium development project in Hammond was as stone-cold serious as it was designed to sound.</p><div class=\"RelatedList Enhancement\" data-module data-align-center> <div class=\"RelatedList-title\">Related</div> <ul class=\"RelatedList-items\"> <li class=\"RelatedList-items-item\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/06/05/bears-hammond-indiana-board-directors-vote-stadium-arlington-heights-nfl\" >It’s Indiana: Bears’ board of directors votes to push stadium to Hammond</a> </li> <li class=\"RelatedList-items-item\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium/2026/06/05/bears-fans-in-chicago-react-angrily-to-teams-renewed-focus-on-stadium-site-in-hammond-indiana\" >Bears fans have strong reaction to team’s renewed focus on Hammond, Indiana stadium site</a> </li> <li class=\"RelatedList-items-item\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium/2026/06/05/chicago-bears-stadium-illinois-indiana-arlington-heights-hammond-blame\" target=\"_blank\" >With Bears saying they’re leaving for Indiana, blame game in Illinois spreads far and wide</a> </li> </ul> </div> <p>“We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana to the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city,” it read. “It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and business.”</p><p>Or maybe that was just one last, really loud huff, puff and bluff from chairman George McCaskey and president/CEO Kevin Warren, whose names were on the statement. One can rather easily imagine the pair of them bandying about words and phrases in preparation for it, knowing the unwelcome jolt it would give their fans, the sentimental McCaskey feeling reservation in his gut, the stylish Warren dabbing at his furrowed brow with one of his ever-present pocket squares.</p><p>Arlington Heights, where the Bears already have spent a fortune, has to still be in play. Perhaps Chicago — kind of a big deal of a city, some might say — will have another go at it, too.</p><p>The Bears aren’t “shufflin’ ” off to Hammond yet, to borrow from the soundtrack of their only Super Bowl championship season, in 1985.</p><p>But they are blowin’ our minds like they knew they would.</p><p>And how does the team’s fight song go?</p><p>“Bear down, Chicago Bears! Make every play clear the way for victory!”</p><p>But Bears bigwigs have done anything but make every move count on the new-stadium front. They put the cart before the horse in Arlington Heights. They’ve played politics klutzily at every level. They’ve comported themselves like a team without a coherent game plan.</p><p>“You’re the pride and joy of Illinois! Chicago Bears, bear down!”</p><p>Guess they’re going to need a new lyricist.</p><p>It’s difficult to express in erudite terms how wrong it is for the Bears to not play in Chicago, or at least in Illinois, but here goes: Butkus. Payton. Ditka. Broad shoulders. Au jus stains. The letter “C.” Urlacher. Mongo. Mustard stains. Tradition, dammit.</p><p>See? Erudite.</p><p>Really, it just feels wrong.</p><p>Forget that it has been done elsewhere, the Giants and Jets playing in New Jersey, the Commanders playing in Maryland, the 49ers and Cowboys playing long, trafficky drives from San Francisco and Dallas, respectively. It’s nothing new or unusual in pro sports for organizations to seek to build and play wherever it’s in their best financial interests, which, of course, is why the Bears discovered Hammond at all.</p><p>But Chicago isn’t every other place, or any other place. Chicago is filled with sports fans who understand some relationships were meant to be inextricable.</p><p>Forty-plus years ago, the Bears’ “Shufflin’ Crew” sang, “Nobody’s messin’ in our neighborhood.”</p><p>They had no idea.</p><p>Walter Payton rapped, “We’re not doin’ this because we’re greedy.”</p><p>The Bears today are doing this because they’re greedy. As is the next billion-dollar business, of course, but that doesn’t make it any more charming or palatable to the average person.</p><p>Are Bears fans not put upon enough in today’s world? Inflation, housing, healthcare, gas prices, college, wars, hatefulness. They gotta suck an egg thanks to their football team, too? For a lot of them, the Bears leaving the state won’t sit right one bit. Not at first. Not for a long time. Maybe never.</p><p>There’s nothing terrible about Hammond, the only place in Northwest Indiana that actually borders Chicago. Cross into Hammond and what do you find? Bears fans. Our kind. Us. Most of us are well aware of it.</p><p>Still, if the Bears go there, it’ll be as jarring as a name change.</p><p>The Hammond Eggs, anyone?</p><p>Bear down and suck on that nonsense.</p><p></p><p></p><bsp-list-loadmore class=\"PageListH\" data-module data-hide-authors=\"true\" data-hide-categories=\"true\" data-hide-dates=\"true\" data-show-loadmore=\"true\" ><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"list-bc0001\" name=\"list-bc0001\"></a><div class=\"PageList-header\" > <div class=\"PageList-header-title-wrap\" > <div class=\"PageList-header-title\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears\" target=\"{borderColor=#dfdfdf, pageNumber=1, inverseColors=false, footerBgColor=#000000, pullQuoteIcon=[{image=null, narrowImage=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, alt=null}], bodyFont=font-3, showListNumbers=false, imagePositionHorizontal=null, rteBodyFont=font-3, headerBottomBorderColor=#111010, titleUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears, subTitle=null, pageCount=6901, stickyHeader=true, listTitleColor=#000000, tableCellBorderColor=#ccd1d5, relatedListFont=font-1, hideAuthors=true, tertiaryTextColor=#6c6c6c, buttonHoverTextColor=#ffffff, tableFont=font-1, carouselAutoPlay=false, promoTitleFont=font-2, _styledTemplate=/page/list/PageListH.hbs, ctaButtonText=[], primaryTextColor=#2a2a2a, buttonTextColor=#ffffff, linkTextColor=#1a1a1a, hideTitles=false, footerLinkColor=#ffffff, carouselSpeed=null, buttonHoverBgColor=#a91d23, items=[{type=Image, title=Halas Intrigue podcast: Are the Bears going to Hammond? Or are they bluffing?, _styledTemplate=null, category=[{items=[Halas Intrigue]}], imageAlignment=null, isFeatured=false, anchorId=promo-020000, categoryUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/halas-intrigue, description=[{items=[Friday’s announcement sounds like a big deal. Is it?]}], url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/halas-intrigue/2026/06/05/bears-stadium-hammond-indiana-podcast-halas-intrigue, target=null, primaryMediaType=null, wordCount=55, authors=[{authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley, bio=[{items=[Patrick Finley covers the Bears and the NFL for the Sun-Times after previous stops in Arizona, Florida and California.]}], jobTitle=[{items=[Chicago Bears reporter]}], ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, name=[{items=[Patrick Finley]}], media=[{ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, alt=patrick-finley-0.jpg, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/a8/3e/6853c67f16af2c0c2ea207670528/patrick-finley-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/a8/3e/6853c67f16af2c0c2ea207670528/patrick-finley-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}}]}, {jobTitle=[{items=[Chicago Bears reporter]}], ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser, bio=[{items=[Jason Lieser covers the Chicago Bears for the Chicago Sun-Times.]}], media=[{image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/db/45/4fa7d0e60b81cf16ace05e7c41e9/f5kj4hj-400x400-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/db/45/4fa7d0e60b81cf16ace05e7c41e9/f5kj4hj-400x400-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, alt=Headshot of Chicago Bears reporter Jason Lieser}], name=[{items=[Jason Lieser]}]}], ampLink=null, media=[{alt=Vehicles race on Calumet Avenue near the Wolf Lake Memorial Park which is a potential site of a new Bears stadium., ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/20/27/7aca280a489887bf855fe469ea19/wolf-lake.jpg, width=3000, height=2000}, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/20/27/7aca280a489887bf855fe469ea19/wolf-lake.jpg, width=3000, height=2000}}], audio=[], audioDuration=null, _template=/page/promo/PagePromo.hbs, publishDate=June 05, 2026 03:53 PM, timestamp=1780692806000}, {type=Image, url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/06/05/bears-hammond-indiana-board-directors-vote-stadium-arlington-heights-nfl, title=It's Indiana: Bears' board of directors votes to push stadium to Hammond, _styledTemplate=null, authors=[{authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley, jobTitle=[{items=[Chicago Bears reporter]}], bio=[{items=[Patrick Finley covers the Bears and the NFL for the Sun-Times after previous stops in Arizona, Florida and California.]}], ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, name=[{items=[Patrick Finley]}], _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, media=[{ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, alt=patrick-finley-0.jpg, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/a8/3e/6853c67f16af2c0c2ea207670528/patrick-finley-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/a8/3e/6853c67f16af2c0c2ea207670528/patrick-finley-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}}]}, {media=[{alt=Early_and Often_Spielman.JPG, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/90/45/f68f56954905b5705dec49d0bf36/early-and-often-spielman.JPG, width=5760, height=3840}, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/90/45/f68f56954905b5705dec49d0bf36/early-and-often-spielman.JPG, width=5760, height=3840}}], jobTitle=[{items=[City Hall reporter]}], ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/fran-spielman, bio=[{items=[Fran Spielman is the Sun-Times City Hall reporter who recently celebrated her 40-year anniversary at the Sun-Times and her 50-year anniversary in the Chicago media. She has covered every Chicago mayor since the transition from legendary Mayor Richard J. Daley to Michael Bilandic.]}], name=[{items=[Fran Spielman]}]}], category=[{items=[Bears]}], imageAlignment=null, anchorId=promo-020001, isFeatured=false, description=[{items=[A source cautioned that Friday’s announcement didn’t eliminate Arlington Heights from consideration, were the state to find a way to give the Bears property tax certainty on the 326-acre plot they own. ]}], timestamp=1780692420000, publishDate=June 05, 2026 03:47 PM, target=null, primaryMediaType=null, categoryUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears, audio=[{_template=/audio/HTML5AudioPlayer.hbs, sources=[{type=audio/mpeg, _template=/audio/HTML5AudioSource.hbs, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, src=https://podcast-stream.wbez.org/recast/wbez-features/20260605151204-20260605_344_HammondBears2way_NJ_CR.mp3}]}], ampLink=null, wordCount=1170, media=[{ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/c6/ab/d21ef27743cdbcf08a3e050dc450/bears-football.jpg, width=4832, height=3222}, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/c6/ab/d21ef27743cdbcf08a3e050dc450/bears-football.jpg, width=4832, height=3222}, alt=Chicago Bears owners Brian McCaskey, left, George McCaskey, second from right, Patrick McCaskey, right, and Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren, second from left, listen to general manager Ryan Poles at a news conference in Lake Forest, Ill., Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) ORG XMIT: ILNH109}], audioDuration=null, _template=/page/promo/PagePromo.hbs}, {type=Image, category=[{items=[Bears stadium]}], _styledTemplate=null, title=Bears fans have strong reaction to team's renewed focus on Hammond, Indiana stadium site, imageAlignment=null, isFeatured=false, media=[{alt=Terrance Weems of Gary, Indiana outside Wrigley Field on Friday, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/26/15/79c22fd045c7ab6477b7cca56995/dsc01095.jpg, width=7008, height=4672}, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/26/15/79c22fd045c7ab6477b7cca56995/dsc01095.jpg, width=7008, height=4672}}], publishDate=June 05, 2026 03:17 PM, timestamp=1780690652000, target=null, url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium/2026/06/05/bears-fans-in-chicago-react-angrily-to-teams-renewed-focus-on-stadium-site-in-hammond-indiana, primaryMediaType=null, wordCount=1046, categoryUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium, ampLink=null, authors=[{name=[{items=[Kade Heather]}], ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, jobTitle=[{items=[News reporter]}], media=[{alt=image-0.png, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/68/33/ea81445ff48e4ff3c92389c7a469/image-0.png, width=512, height=512}, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/68/33/ea81445ff48e4ff3c92389c7a469/image-0.png, width=512, height=512}}], _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, bio=[], authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/kade-heather}, {bio=[{items=[Michael covers news and issues primarily in Northwest Indiana, Chicago’s Southeast side and South Suburbs.]}], media=[{image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/05/91/e8d85bec4c17bc1efe0c3e4754a5/michael-puente.jpeg, width=750, height=750}, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/05/91/e8d85bec4c17bc1efe0c3e4754a5/michael-puente.jpeg, width=750, height=750}, alt=Michael Puente}], name=[{items=[Michael Puente]}], authorPageUrl=https://www.wbez.org/author/michael-puente, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, jobTitle=[{items=[Reporter/weekend anchor]}]}], description=[{items=[Bears fans who gathered Friday around the football team’s original Chicago home — Wrigley Field — had mixed feelings about the potential move. Those who live in the city fumed, while most fans from Indiana celebrated the team’s announcement: “Hammond is more Chicago than Arlington Heights.”]}], audio=[], audioDuration=null, _template=/page/promo/PagePromo.hbs, anchorId=promo-030000}], rteHeadingFont=font-1, secondaryColor=#656565, hideCategories=true, _template=/page/list/includes/PageList-header.hbs, font3=Arial, font4=Source-serif-4, ctaUrl=null, hideImage=false, suppressPagination=true, footerLinkHoverColor=#d3242c, hideAudioPlayback=false, description=[], showSecondItemMedia=false, listColumns234=null, footerTextColor=#ffffff, title=Latest on the Bears, headerSecondaryBgColor=#000000, primaryTextColorInverse=#ffffff, titleColor=null, ampLink=null, listHeaderPosition=null, hideDescriptions=false, showActionBar=true, linkHoverColor=#d3242c, buttonBgColor=#d3242c, ctaTarget=null, anchorId=list-bc0001, promoButtonText=null, backgroundColor=null, headerSecondaryTextColor=#ffffff, listTitleFont=font-2, headlineFont=font-1, promoDescriptionFont=font-3, primaryColor=#d3242c, slimFooter=false, hideHeadline=false, hideDates=true, headerBorderColor=#e9e9e9, ratingCardFont=font-1, titleTarget=null, tableCaptionColor=#626262, count=20703, mobileCarousel=false, tableEvenRowsBgColor=#f9f8f3, containerTitleFont=font-2, listBorderColor=#dfdfdf, pagination=[{body=[Next Page], href=?p=2, _template=/link/Link.hbs, contentId=null, pianoSectionSlug=null, target=null}], defaultArticleLeadStyle=standard, _parentFiles=[/page/list/includes/PageList-header.hbs]}\">Latest on the Bears</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageListH-items\" data-with-borders data-list-loadmore-items> <div class=\"PageListH-items-item\"><div class=\"PagePromoB\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-media\"><a class=\"Link\" aria-label=\"Halas Intrigue podcast: Are the Bears going to Hammond? Or are they bluffing?\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/halas-intrigue/2026/06/05/bears-stadium-hammond-indiana-podcast-halas-intrigue\" ><picture data-crop=\"medium-4x3\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a7c5388/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2988x2000+0+0/resize/490x328!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F20%2F27%2F7aca280a489887bf855fe469ea19%2Fwolf-lake.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/eac2856/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2988x2000+0+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F20%2F27%2F7aca280a489887bf855fe469ea19%2Fwolf-lake.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"Vehicles race on Calumet Avenue near the Wolf Lake Memorial Park which is a potential site of a new Bears stadium.\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/eac2856/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2988x2000+0+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F20%2F27%2F7aca280a489887bf855fe469ea19%2Fwolf-lake.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> </a></div> <div class=\"PagePromoB-content\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-category\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/halas-intrigue\" >Halas Intrigue</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-title\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/halas-intrigue/2026/06/05/bears-stadium-hammond-indiana-podcast-halas-intrigue\" >Halas Intrigue podcast: Are the Bears going to Hammond? Or are they bluffing?</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-description\">Friday’s announcement sounds like a big deal. Is it?</div> <div class=\"PagePromo-byline\"><div class=\"PagePromo-date\"> <bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1780692806000 data-promo=\"true\"> <template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template> <span data-date> </span> </bsp-timestamp><span class=\"dot\"></span></div> <div class=\"PagePromo-author\"> <span>By </span><strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley\" >Patrick Finley </a></strong>  and  <strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser\" >Jason Lieser </a></strong> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-readingTime\"> <span class=\"dot-divider\"></span> <svg class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-icon\"> <use xlink:href=\"#icon-clock-reading\"></use> </svg> <span class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-text\"> <bsp-time-to-read data-article-word-count=\"55\"></bsp-time-to-read> read </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageListH-items-item\"><div class=\"PagePromoB\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-media\"><a class=\"Link\" aria-label=\"It's Indiana: Bears' board of directors votes to push stadium to Hammond\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/06/05/bears-hammond-indiana-board-directors-vote-stadium-arlington-heights-nfl\" ><picture data-crop=\"medium-4x3\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d958003/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4813x3222+19+0/resize/490x328!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc6%2Fab%2Fd21ef27743cdbcf08a3e050dc450%2Fbears-football.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a96a3a7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4813x3222+19+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc6%2Fab%2Fd21ef27743cdbcf08a3e050dc450%2Fbears-football.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"Chicago Bears owners Brian McCaskey, left, George McCaskey, second from right, Patrick McCaskey, right, and Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren, second from left, listen to general manager Ryan Poles at a news conference in Lake Forest, Ill., Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) ORG XMIT: ILNH109\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a96a3a7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4813x3222+19+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc6%2Fab%2Fd21ef27743cdbcf08a3e050dc450%2Fbears-football.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> </a></div> <div class=\"PagePromoB-content\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-category\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears\" >Bears</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-title\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/06/05/bears-hammond-indiana-board-directors-vote-stadium-arlington-heights-nfl\" >It's Indiana: Bears' board of directors votes to push stadium to Hammond</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-description\">A source cautioned that Friday’s announcement didn’t eliminate Arlington Heights from consideration, were the state to find a way to give the Bears property tax certainty on the 326-acre plot they own. </div> <button class=\"AudioPlayerController\"> <bsp-player-controller data-srcpath=\"https://podcast-stream.wbez.org/recast/wbez-features/20260605151204-20260605_344_HammondBears2way_NJ_CR.mp3\" data-playdata='[{\"ctaUrl\": \"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/06/05/bears-hammond-indiana-board-directors-vote-stadium-arlington-heights-nfl\",\"ctaButtonText\": \"Read More\",\"programName\": \"It's Indiana: Bears' board of directors votes to push stadium to Hammond\",\"streamUrl\": \"https://podcast-stream.wbez.org/recast/wbez-features/20260605151204-20260605_344_HammondBears2way_NJ_CR.mp3\",\"streamId\": \"https://podcast-stream.wbez.org/recast/wbez-features/20260605151204-20260605_344_HammondBears2way_NJ_CR.mp3\",\"coverArtS\": \"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/465f6ab/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3222x3222+919+0/resize/100x100!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc6%2Fab%2Fd21ef27743cdbcf08a3e050dc450%2Fbears-football.jpg\",\"coverArtL\": \"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cd65ff7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3222x3222+919+0/resize/200x200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc6%2Fab%2Fd21ef27743cdbcf08a3e050dc450%2Fbears-football.jpg\",\"playable\": true}]'> <template data-bsp-item-description=\"https://podcast-stream.wbez.org/recast/wbez-features/20260605151204-20260605_344_HammondBears2way_NJ_CR.mp3\"> A source cautioned that Friday’s announcement didn’t eliminate Arlington Heights from consideration, were the state to find a way to give the Bears property tax certainty on the 326-acre plot they own. </template> <div class=\"AudioPlayerController-playPauseIcons\"> <svg class=\"AudioPlayerController-IconPlay\"> <use xlink:href=\"#play-icon\" /></svg> <svg class=\"AudioPlayerController-IconPause\"><use xlink:href=\"#pause\" /></svg> </div> Listen </bsp-player-controller> </button> <div class=\"PagePromo-byline\"><div class=\"PagePromo-date\"> <bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1780692420000 data-promo=\"true\"> <template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template> <span data-date> </span> </bsp-timestamp><span class=\"dot\"></span></div> <div class=\"PagePromo-author\"> <span>By </span><strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley\" >Patrick Finley </a></strong>  and  <strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/fran-spielman\" >Fran Spielman </a></strong> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-readingTime\"> <span class=\"dot-divider\"></span> <svg class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-icon\"> <use xlink:href=\"#icon-clock-reading\"></use> </svg> <span class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-text\"> <bsp-time-to-read data-article-word-count=\"1170\"></bsp-time-to-read> read </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageListH-items-item\"><div class=\"PagePromoB\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-media\"><a class=\"Link\" aria-label=\"Bears fans have strong reaction to team's renewed focus on Hammond, Indiana stadium site\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium/2026/06/05/bears-fans-in-chicago-react-angrily-to-teams-renewed-focus-on-stadium-site-in-hammond-indiana\" ><picture data-crop=\"medium-4x3\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/03d002f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6980x4672+14+0/resize/490x328!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F26%2F15%2F79c22fd045c7ab6477b7cca56995%2Fdsc01095.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b5d401a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6980x4672+14+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F26%2F15%2F79c22fd045c7ab6477b7cca56995%2Fdsc01095.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"Terrance Weems of Gary, Indiana outside Wrigley Field on Friday\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b5d401a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6980x4672+14+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F26%2F15%2F79c22fd045c7ab6477b7cca56995%2Fdsc01095.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> </a></div> <div class=\"PagePromoB-content\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-category\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium\" >Bears stadium</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-title\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium/2026/06/05/bears-fans-in-chicago-react-angrily-to-teams-renewed-focus-on-stadium-site-in-hammond-indiana\" >Bears fans have strong reaction to team's renewed focus on Hammond, Indiana stadium site</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-description\">Bears fans who gathered Friday around the football team’s original Chicago home — Wrigley Field — had mixed feelings about the potential move. Those who live in the city fumed, while most fans from Indiana celebrated the team’s announcement: “Hammond is more Chicago than Arlington Heights.”</div> <div class=\"PagePromo-byline\"><div class=\"PagePromo-date\"> <bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1780690652000 data-promo=\"true\"> <template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template> <span data-date> </span> </bsp-timestamp><span class=\"dot\"></span></div> <div class=\"PagePromo-author\"> <span>By </span><strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/kade-heather\" >Kade Heather </a></strong>  and  <strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://www.wbez.org/author/michael-puente\" >Michael Puente </a></strong> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-readingTime\"> <span class=\"dot-divider\"></span> <svg class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-icon\"> <use xlink:href=\"#icon-clock-reading\"></use> </svg> <span class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-text\"> <bsp-time-to-read data-article-word-count=\"1046\"></bsp-time-to-read> read </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageList-footer\"> </div> </bsp-list-loadmore><p></p>",
  "title": "The Hammond Bears? You gotta be bleepin' us",
  "updatedAt": "2026-06-05T21:59:34.551Z"
}