The Chicago Bears have been remarkably clear about where they say their stadium effort is headed. Hammond, Indiana, is the “sole focus,” team president and CEO Kevin Warren said in August, with the organization conducting due diligence on two Hammond sites and describing its work with Indiana officials as a productive partnership. But there is a wrinkle. Newly released public records show that while the Bears were publicly emphasizing Indiana, their top stadium executive was still talking directly with one of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s top officials. And in at least one conversation, a Bears minority owner and board member was brought into the discussion. That does not mean the Bears have abandoned Indiana. It does mean Illinois has not completely disappeared from the scenario.
Bears Stadium Talks With Illinois Continued in August
According to emails obtained by Capitol News Illinois, Deputy Gov. Andy Manar contacted Bears Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Stadium Development Karen Murphy on Aug. 11 seeking a 30-minute “check in.” The two spoke Aug. 20, and about an hour before the call, Murphy asked that Pat Ryan, a Bears minority owner and board member, be added. There was also an undated WebEx invitation titled “Infrastructure Meeting with Karen + Andy.”
The timing is what makes the records particularly interesting. Just one week earlier, Warren had told reporters that the Bears’ “sole focus” was a new stadium and mixed-use development in Hammond. The Bears’ own account of Warren’s comments said the team had only “occasional” meetings with Illinois officials. The newly released records don’t establish that Chicago was negotiating a new Illinois stadium deal, but they do show that communication with Springfield was continuing at a fairly high level even as the organization publicly emphasized Indiana.
Why Pat Ryan’s Involvement Is Worth Noticing
Ryan’s participation does not prove that a deal was being negotiated, but it adds some weight to a conversation that might otherwise look like routine government outreach. The billionaire founder of Aon is a longtime Bears minority owner and board member, and his name is also associated with major stadium development through Northwestern’s Ryan Field project. That makes his addition to a meeting specifically described as an “Infrastructure Meeting” particularly noteworthy, even though the available records do not reveal what was discussed.
There is another reason Illinois remains part of the story: the Bears still own the 326-acre Arlington Heights property they purchased for a potential stadium development. The organization shifted its focus toward Hammond after Illinois lawmakers failed to pass legislation during the spring session that would have addressed the tax certainty and other conditions the Bears said they needed. Indiana, meanwhile, has made all the right moves on a potential stadium project. But Illinois lawmakers are not finished for the year. The General Assembly’s veto session is scheduled for November and December, creating another potential window for stadium-related legislation. That does not guarantee anything changes. It simply means the Illinois door is not locked.
What the August Meetings Really Tell Us About the Bears’ Plans
The most significant takeaway may be less dramatic than “the Bears are coming back to Illinois.” Indiana is clearly where the organization says it is putting its primary resources. The Bears have been studying Hammond sites and have continued working with Indiana officials on the potential stadium and surrounding development. At the same time, the August records reveal something that is easy to overlook in the larger stadium saga: the Bears have not stopped talking to Illinois.
For a project that could determine the franchise’s home for generations, keeping those communication channels open makes sense even if Indiana remains the preferred path. In fact, the Bears do not necessarily have to choose between publicly pursuing Indiana and privately maintaining relationships in Illinois. Both can serve a purpose while the organization weighs what could be a multibillion-dollar decision.
And that may be the most important piece of information to emerge from the latest records. The Bears’ public message and their private calendar are not necessarily contradictory. They simply show that until a stadium deal is actually done, the organization still has reasons to keep more than one door open.
The Bears Say Indiana Is the Focus. So Why Are Illinois Talks Still Happening?