The Chicago Bears stadium push shifted to Hammond, Indiana, after the Illinois state legislature failed to pass a bill that would give the team property tax certainty to start building in Arlington Heights. Most experts believed the initial site of Wolf Lake, near the town, was likely where the team would build. However, new reports suggested that the plan had shifted to a different location two miles away at Lost Marsh Golf Course. The overall area covers around 330 acres and is a recovered brownfield, or industrial waste site.
It made sense. Lost Marsh was located on more stable, man-made ground. Such is not the case at Wolf Lake, which is largely a wetland. Not only would it take extensive work to turn such an area into a viable stadium site, but there would also be a significant legal battle because it is considered a wildlife preserve and is environmentally protected. Shifting to Lost Marsh was thought to be the perfect solution to avoid that problem. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case, according to Paris Schutz of NBC 5 Chicago.
“But part of the agreement meant the new natural wetlands had to be protected well into the future. A permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers called for a reported 50-year easement for two large lake basins on the site, meaning no development allowed there until at least the early 2050s.
That would significantly shrink the Bears’ footprint to just the golf course. But the exact plans have yet to be drawn up. Although sources familiar with the planning expect all environmental restrictions to be honored. We don’t know exactly where the future stadium, parking lots or developments would go, but we do know any plans to alter the property would have to be approved by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.”
Hammond just lost appeal in the Chicago Bears stadium push.
This is not to say the team can’t build in Lost Marsh. The township is more than willing to do so. The problem is that the property authorized would be a fraction of what the Bears were hoping for. If they want the entire thing, it would be a costly court battle that would take time and money. Even then, there is no guarantee they would win it. Maybe assistance from the state government could help, but right now it sounds like the team is stuck. One of the appealing things about Hammond was that it offered large, sprawling land to build on. Now they’re learning it comes with extra headaches they didn’t ask for.
Nobody is happier about this than Illinois. It genuinely looked like the state had bungled its last chance to keep the Bears, ending a relationship that had lasted over a century. This update suggests they might have enough time to gather themselves and draft legislation that would satisfy both the House and the Senate. Governor J.B. Pritzker has said he would call a special session in the summer if all sides put something forward that makes sense. If Indiana can’t close the deal quickly because of these environmental issues, Illinois can get back into the race.
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This saga is far from over.
While there has definitely been a momentum shift towards Hammond, their mayor, Thomas McDermott, might’ve been ill-advised to claim it was a done deal. We’ve seen this Chicago Bears stadium issue shift directions too many times to assume anything. Remember, the franchise turned down options in downtown Chicago because they weren’t large enough. If the environmental roadblock is as challenging as it sounds, they may choose to make another push on Arlington Heights.
Don’t forget the Bears already own that property. It is 326 acres with no environmental speed bumps to worry about. It feels like Illinois and Indiana are stalled on the last step. One must pass legislation to settle the property tax issue. The other must find a way to navigate the environmental protection at both of their prominent sites in Hammond. Whoever makes the breakthrough first is most likely to win the race. Much depends on the whims of Bears president Kevin Warren, which seem to shift with every change of the wind.
