SB 27 Signed — Bears Statement Cools
2026-02-26 · Kevin Warren, President & CEO (Bears)
February 26, 2026. Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed SB 27 into law, creating the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority (NISA) and authorizing up to $1 billion in public financing for a stadium near Wolf Lake in Hammond. The Bears issued a statement notably cooler than their February 24 language. On the same day, Illinois HB 910 passed committee 13-7. The Illinois House adjourned without voting on it. The House does not return to Springfield until March 18, 2026.
What he said
[Official Bears statement, February 26, 2026, following Governor Braun's signing of SB 27]
"Indiana has taken important steps over the last few months, and we are grateful for the leadership reflected by Governor Braun signing SB 27, establishing the framework for a stadium development in Northwest Indiana. We continue to work on the necessary due diligence and look forward to sharing more information when we are in a position to do so."
The fact-check
- "establishing the framework for a stadium development in Northwest Indiana" — Misleading
- The statement is technically accurate but strategically deflated. Two days earlier, the same bill's passage was 'the most meaningful step forward' with the Bears 'committed' to Hammond. The moment it became law, the superlatives vanished. The Bears had maximum leverage when the bill could still fail. Now that it's law, the urgency has to come from somewhere else.