(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret)

For generations, the Chicago Bears have been as much a part of Chicago as deep-dish pizza, Wrigley Field, and the city’s towering skyline. But after years of political wrangling, stalled negotiations, and legislative failures, the iconic NFL franchise has officially taken a major step toward leaving Illinois.

On Friday, the Bears announced that their Board of Directors voted to advance plans for a new stadium development in Hammond, Indiana, a move that could eventually take the team out of Illinois for the first time in the franchise’s 106-year history.

The decision came just days after Illinois lawmakers adjourned their legislative session without approving incentives that team officials said were necessary to keep the project in-state. Bears leadership has repeatedly argued that tax certainty and infrastructure commitments were critical to moving forward with a massive stadium investment.

In a statement, Bears Chairman George McCaskey and President Kevin Warren declared that a “world-class stadium project” in Hammond could transform the region and connect Northwest Indiana with Chicago’s South Side and surrounding communities.

Below is a statement from Chicago Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey and President & CEO Kevin Warren:

“Yesterday, the Chicago Bears Board of Directors met and voted to advance our stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana, with the exact site to be selected. 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 will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses.”

As TGP reported then, former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich blasted current Governor JB Pritzker for “gubernatorial malpractice” as the Bears began seriously eyeing Indiana. Blagojevich didn’t mince words:

“The Indiana legislature did what it did, and it caught our governor asleep. Governor Pritzker really is guilty of gubernatorial malpractice, and this isn’t the first time a major business is about to leave Illinois.”

He pointed to Illinois’ crushing tax burden and the state’s decision to pour billions into housing and services for illegal immigrants while letting iconic institutions slip away. Other major employers like Boeing and Tyson Foods had already fled. Now the Bears are next.

Indiana didn’t waste time. The state passed legislation to help finance the project, offered infrastructure advantages, and rolled out the welcome mat. Indiana Governor Mike Braun made it clear the Bears reached out months ago after being rebuffed by Illinois leaders.

Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson — the far-left Democrat who has presided over skyrocketing crime, carjackings, and a migrant crisis that has drained city resources — continues insisting “the Bears belong in Chicago.” His proposals and posturing have produced nothing but more dysfunction. Pritzker’s administration similarly failed to close a deal on the Arlington Heights site despite years of talk.

The result? Another humiliating loss for blue-state, high-tax, sanctuary-city governance. Businesses, residents, and now a beloved NFL franchise are voting with their feet and heading for more business-friendly territory.

Bye, Chicago. The Bears are moving on. Indiana is ready. And Illinois Democrats have no one to blame but themselves.

Jim Hᴏft Jim Hᴏft is the founder and editor of The Gateway Pundit, one of the top conservative news outlets in America. Jim was awarded the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award in 2013 and is the proud recipient of the Breitbart Award for Excellence in Online Journalism from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation in May 2016.

You can email Jim Hᴏft here, and read more of Jim Hᴏft's articles here.

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