'We're Not Being played:' Hammond Mayor Pushes Back on Bears Stadium Skepticism

'We're not being played:' Hammond mayor pushes back on Bears stadium skepticism

While Illinois lawmakers debate a bill meant to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois, officials in Hammond, Indiana, have been patiently waiting in the wings. Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott said he’s both optimistic and nervous. “We’re competing against nostalgia. Even the Bears’ fight song is ‘the pride and joy of Illinois,'” McDermott said. “If the Bears do stay in Illinois, it’s not because Indiana didn’t make a good offer. It’s because of nost…

Hammond Mayor: Bears Completed Five-Hour Due Diligence Visit at Lost Marsh, Indiana Deal Saves Team Billions in Taxes Over Life of Agreement

The Chicago Bears’ search for a new stadium home took another significant turn this week as Hammond, Indiana Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. confirmed that senior Bears leadership including team president Kevin Warren and chief operating officer George McCaskey conducted an extensive five-hour due diligence visit to the Lost Marsh site in Hammond, and that the meeting was genuinely positive rather than a courtesy call. McDermott joined Dan Proft on C…