City of Gary courts the Bears with stadium development sites

The city of Gary, Indiana has unveiled its proposal to become the new home of the Chicago Bears. City officials recently announced three potential sites that could be suitors for a new stadium and mixed-use district in a bid to lure the Bears out of Chicago and Illinois. 

In a statement, the mayor of Gary touted the city’s ability to give the Bears tax certainty and stability that the organization says it’s looking for as the plans have the support of local, county, and state leaders. 

The three sites consist of:

Gary West End

A 400-acre site, the Gary West End site fronts Interstates 80 and 94 with approximately 1.5 miles of frontage and has direct southern access to the Little Calumet River. The site is located just east of an area dubbed the Gary West End Entertainment District where the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana is and the Lake County Convention Center is planned as well as a future Hard Rock Hotel. 

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Buffington Harbor

A 145-acre site, Buffington Harbor is directly adjacent to the Gary/Chicago International Airport and is a half-mile from the lakefront and an existing marina. The property has access to Cline Ave and the Chicago Skyway, access to Amtrak, and proximity to an active harbor. The site also resides within an Opportunity Zone and within the city’s lakefront TIF district. 

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Miller Beach

A 760-acre site, Miller Beach has direct lakefront access along the shoreline and is adjacent to the Indiana Dunes National Park. The property offers the opportunity for an on-site marina and would be able to create “Stadium-on-the-Lake” appeal. Access to the site includes I-90, I-67, and I-80/94 as well as Amtrak and Metra South Shore lines. 

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As Gary looks to bring the Bears over state lines, Indiana lawmakers have introduced a potential financial framework plan to enable the new stadium and mixed-use district. Senate Bill 27 would establish the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority, an entity that would be authorized to acquire land, finance capital improvements and enter into leases with private entities–including NFL teams. 

The official proposal from Gary, Indiana comes as the team expresses interest in leaving Illinois as it struggles to work out a deal in Arlington Heights. Arlington Heights officials recently urged Illinois lawmakers to pass legislation to help the suburb make a deal with the Bears. Governor Pritzker also recently made remarks about the possibility of supporting infrastructure costs.