The Chicago Bears’ ongoing stadium saga centers on protracted due diligence at two Hammond, Indiana sites near Wolf Lake, with the franchise’s board having voted in June to advance plans there after Illinois legislators failed to pass a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes bill before the spring session ended. As of mid-August 2026, team executives described Indiana as the “sole focus,” yet no site has been finalized, no construction timeline exists, and conversations with Illinois officials remain minimal with no formal offer on the table. The team’s lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033, and any relocation would require years of approvals, financing, and build-out regardless of state line. These structural and political realities keep the near-term probability of an Illinois departure by December 31 low in trader consensus.