The Chicago Bears’ decision to advance a stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana, prompted swift and sharply divided reactions from Illinois lawmakers on Friday, with officials ranging from alarm over a potential economic loss to renewed calls for a last-minute deal to keep the team in the state.

While some lawmakers described the move as a “major economic blow” and a “failure of leadership,” others stressed the process is not yet over and urged continued negotiations. Gov. JB Pritzker’s office also pushed back, saying Illinois remains open to a “sensible solution” as discussions continue.

State Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford

State Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, said it would be “very disappointing” and a “major economic blow to the state” if the Bears move to Indiana.

“I am urging Governor Pritzker to personally engage in this situation and do everything possible to keep the Bears in Illinois. Losing one of the most iconic franchises in professional sports would be a major blow to our state and a failure we cannot afford to accept.”

State Rep. Steve Reick, R-Woodstock

State Rep. Steve Reick, R-Woodstock: said he thinks the Bears’ statement gave the team some wiggle room, and he’s taking a wait-and-see approach because he’s not convinced this is the last word on the Bears’ future.

“I don’t trust the Bears,” Reick said, adding he didn’t trust the General Assembly to get its act together either.

State Rep. Suzanne Ness, D-Crystal Lake

State Rep. Suzanne Ness, D-Crystal Lake: Ness said she supported the megaproject legislation because it gave local units of government a seat at the table, and it was unfortunate it didn’t pass the Senate.

Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove)

Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) released the following statement:

“We have heard from the Indiana Governor that his State moves at the speed of business. Gov. Pritzker needs to understand that failing to produce a serious proposal after three years to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois isn’t good faith negotiation - it’s dysfunction. It’s time for Gov. Pritzker to Bear Down, address the infighting in the Democratic legislative caucuses and bring Republicans substantially into the process to help produce a bipartisan plan that protects taxpayers, grows our economy and keeps the Chicago Bears in Illinois for generations to come.”

State Sen. Darby Hills, R-Barrington Hills

State Senator Darby Hills (R-Barrington Hills) issued the following statement:

“Like many Illinoisans, I want the Chicago Bears to stay in Illinois. They are part of our state’s identity, our history, and our economy, and losing them would be a major setback.

“Today’s announcement is frustrating because it did not have to get to this point. After months of discussion, Springfield ended session without a clear path forward, leaving chaos and uncertainty where leadership was needed.

“This is what a lack of leadership under one-party control looks like. Illinois had an opportunity to move the ball forward, but Springfield could not get it across the goal line. What we got instead were last-minute proposals, rushed timelines, unanswered questions, and no final agreement.

“There is still time to keep the Bears in Illinois, but the clock is running out. State leaders need to stop letting dysfunction drive the process and start working together on a transparent agreement that protects taxpayers while keeping this iconic franchise right here at home.”

State Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna

State Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, issued the following statement:

“The Chicago Bears choosing Indiana over Illinois should be a wake-up call, and Governor Pritzker owns this failure. The loss of one of our state’s most iconic franchises is a significant blow to our economy, our reputation, and future investment.

“Families and employers have been leaving Illinois in search of greater opportunity. Now it appears the Bears may be doing the same.

“After years of one-party control, this is both a failure of leadership and an embarrassment for our state. Illinois taxpayers are left paying the price while jobs, investment, and economic growth cross our borders.”

Illinois Senate Republican Deputy Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris)

Illinois Senate Republican Deputy Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris) issued the following statement:

“The Governor has had months to lead on this issue and put together a path to keep the Bears in Illinois, but he completely failed to get anything across the goal line.

“If the Bears do end up leaving Illinois, they will be one more major business, one more major employer, one more major economic engine that has left Illinois in the last few years.

“This isn’t about one sports team, this is about the need for a fundamental change in direction for our state. We don’t need more gimmicky budgets filled with job-killing tax increases. What we need to do is create an environment where employers, whether they are sports teams, manufacturers, or home-based operations, want to stay and grow in Illinois.”

Darren Bailey and Aaron Del Mar

Darren Bailey and Aaron Del Mar released the following statement:

“After 100 years, the Chicago Bears won’t be in Illinois – and it’s all because JB Pritzker and his disastrous agenda forced the heart and soul of Chicagoland to abandon its identity, its fans, and its state for more competitive waters. For years, Pritzker and the Democrats bled Illinois residents dry with higher costs and even higher taxes, but bankrupted our state with corrupt pet projects. Now, Pritzker has nothing left to offer residents or one of the biggest drivers of tourism in our state, losing in 8 years what Illinois spent the past 100 years trying to keep. It’s a sad day in Illinois, and we only have JB Pritzker to blame.”

State Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva

State Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, issued the following statement:

“The Chicago Bears were prepared to invest between $3 billion and $5 billion into a world-class stadium and entertainment district in Illinois,” said Ugaste. “This project had the potential to generate thousands of construction jobs, create long-term economic growth, attract major national and international events, and strengthen Illinois’ position as a destination for business and tourism. Instead, state leaders allowed this opportunity to slip away.”

“The Bears have repeatedly indicated they are willing to pay a reasonable property tax bill - one that would likely still be the highest stadium property tax bill in America,” Ugaste said. “What no business can justify is paying a property tax bill that is several times higher than any comparable facility in the nation. The fact that Illinois could not address this obvious competitive disadvantage is a colossal failure of the Governor and the legislative majority.”

“This is not just about the Bears. Every homeowner and every business in Illinois are struggling under the weight of excessive property taxes. The same tax policies that pushed a major project out of Illinois are the same policies making it harder for families to afford their homes and for employers to expand and create jobs.”

State Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles

State Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, issued the following statement:

“Today’s announcement that the Chicago Bears will move forward with their stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana is deeply disappointing and represents a major failure of leadership by Governor JB Pritzker and other leaders who had the power to keep this franchise in Illinois. Despite today’s announcement, I remain hopeful this is not the final chapter and that there is still an opportunity to keep the Bears in our state. Few organizations are as deeply woven into our state’s identity as the Chicago Bears.”

State Sen. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport

State Sen. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, said Illinois Democrats “need to be held accountable for this failure.”

“When the Bears decide a former industrial swampland in Hammond is a better place to invest than Illinois, it says everything you need to know about the tax climate and economic direction of our state,” he said.

“Today is an embarrassing day for Illinois,” Chesney said. “The Chicago Bears are one of the most historic franchises in professional sports and have called Illinois home for more than a century. The fact that they are now moving forward with plans in Indiana is a stunning failure of leadership in this state.”

“Governor Pritzker and the Democrat supermajority had years to figure this out. They control every lever of state government, yet after years of negotiations and competing proposals, they failed to get a deal done.”

State Sen. Li Arellano Jr., R-Dixon

State Senator Li Arellano Jr (R-Dixon) issued the following statement:

“The Chicago Bears are one of the most recognizable institutions in Illinois. Losing them is a shameful reminder that over-taxation and mismanagement are killing our economy and our quality of life in Illinois.

“For years, businesses and families have been leaving Illinois in search of lower costs and greater economic opportunity. We’ve lost Caterpillar, Boeing, Citadel, Tyson, and more. Now we have to watch one of the most iconic franchises in professional sports heading across state lines to protect its financial future?

“Governor Pritzker and the Democratic supermajority had years to address this issue. Instead, the discussion became completely centered on special tax arrangements rather than the broader affordability and competitiveness problems that affect everyone in Illinois. In the end, they could not accomplish either. This is a huge failure, and they should be held accountable for it.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (Office Statement)

“The Bears have built a storied legacy in Illinois for over 100 years, but have spent the last six years, and especially the last few months, shifting their position on a stadium location,“ Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s office said in a statement. “That has hindered their progress. Today appears to be another instance of that after Illinois leaders have been working with the Bears in good faith. Governor Pritzker has always been clear that he wants the Bears to stay in Illinois and still remains open to a sensible solution that protects taxpayers.”

State Sen. Craig Wilcox, R-McHenry

“This outcome is the direct result of a process that was marked by dysfunction, delay, and a complete lack of leadership from Governor JB Pritzker. The General Assembly had ample time to evaluate options and negotiate a responsible plan that could keep the Bears in Illinois while protecting taxpayers. Instead, lawmakers were presented with a hastily assembled proposal in the final hours of session and expected to vote on it without it being vetted by a committee and without enough time to really read it and understand its provisions.”

“... I remain hopeful that this announcement is not the final chapter and that discussions can continue. However, if the Bears ultimately leave Illinois, it will stand as a stark example of what happens when the Governor fails to lead, major decisions are rushed through at the eleventh hour, and taxpayers are asked to accept a deal without the protections they deserve.”

State Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, said he’s a multi-generational Bears fan, from his grandfather down to him.

“My grandpa, my dad, my other grandpa – very, very proud Bears fan, or was,” Keicher said. 

He said if the Bears end up moving to Hammond, the city of Chicago should seek to attract an expansion team in the NFL. When asked what specific factor led to the decision by the sports team’s board, Keicher said he doesn’t think one factor prevents a deal for a stadium in Arlington Heights, or elsewhere in Illinois. 

“I think it’s a, it’s a whole bread basket of things that are doing it,” Keicher said. “And let’s face it, the Bears have lived their entire career in a stadium they haven’t owned, so I completely understand their want to own one, but they’ve also been doing it at a discount that they haven’t been paying taxes.”

“With the ways this has played out, I can tell you, it’s kind of like both the Bears and the state of Illinois, it’s like they were doing three-and-outs, and both of them were putting the ball back and forth, both of them were making so many errors in the way they were approaching it that nobody’s advancing down the field.”