The city of Portage, Indiana would like to be considered as the Chicago Bears continue to search for the best location for their new stadium. It reportedly presented the NFL organization with a formal offer while conversations with the state of Illinois remain ongoing.
This is now the second city in the Hoosier State to open its doors to the neighboring football team.
These alternative locations for a new NFL stadium are backup options. The Bears don’t want to leave unless they are forced to do so.
The Chicago Bears want a new stadium.
There are multiple reasons for why the Bears want to leave historic Soldier Field. It has just as much to do with want as it does with need.
Soldier Field opened in 1924. That is obviously more than 100 years ago. One of the most historic stadiums in American sports is significantly outdated, even though it underwent a minor renovation in the early 2000s. Public transportation is practically nonexistent and parking is nearly impossible. The lack of modern amenities do not translate to a comfortable game day experience.
Concessions are mediocre at best. A lack of bathrooms leads to lengthy lines. Winter temperatures are miserable for fans during the late season. Horrible field conditions are often a point of frustration for players. It is also the smallest stadium in the NFL by capacity for one of the largest markets.
Beyond the logistical issues, the city of Chicago owns Soldier Field. That means the Bears do not get a cut of any non-football events like concerts.
A new stadium would be owned entirely by the team, which guarantees increased revenue. And the team can control its own amenities. Field management would no longer be the responsibility of the city.
Moving to Portage, Indiana?
The state of Illinois will not play ball with the Bears. The team obviously wants to stay in/near Chicago, with a preferred move to Arlington Heights, but the city and the state are not on board with its demands for public funding and infrastructure improvements.
Indiana is on the opposite end of the spectrum. It desperately wants the Bears to move east with promises of major tax incentives, public funding and a state commission budget earmarked specifically for major events like the Final Four.
Gary, Indiana was the first city to make its pitch as the new home of the Chicago Bears. Crime is way down. More people are moving in than out. It is only 30 miles east of Soldier Field.
According to David Kaplan of ESPN 1000, Portage, Indiana would also like to be considered.
Portage is located on the northernmost border of Indiana on Lake Michigan like Chicago. It is just 10 miles east of Gary. The total population hovers around 40,000.
The city presented the Bears with an offer to build a state-of-the-art domed stadium without the use of any public money. The team would not have to pay any rent like it does at Soldier Field.
There does not seem to be significant interest in a move to Indiana. The Chicago Bears would like to stay near Chicago and continue to negotiate with the state of Illinois on how to do so. That may not be an option— in which case, Gary, Hammond and Portage are on the shortlist of alternative locations.