<p>Chicago without the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" target="_blank" >Bears</a>, eh?</p><p>Like a giant bean without a reflection.</p><p>A river without a boat.</p><p>A blues man without a guitar.</p><p>A corner bar without a stool.</p><p>A museum without a soul.</p><p><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/06/05/bears-hammond-indiana-board-directors-vote-stadium-arlington-heights-nfl" target="_blank" >Can it really happen</a> — the Bears, a founding NFL franchise, a team that has played in the city for more than 100 years, as much a part of the lakefront as frozen breath, as vital to our sports scene as any two other teams put together, picking up their flag and planting it across city and state lines in Hammond, Indiana?</p><p>Yeah, it can happen. It will, if the Bears’ statement Friday that they are ‘‘advancing’’ their stadium project in Hammond was as stone-cold serious as it was designed to sound.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center> <div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div> <ul class="RelatedList-items"> <li class="RelatedList-items-item"> <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/06/05/bears-hammond-indiana-board-directors-vote-stadium-arlington-heights-nfl" >It’s Indiana: Bears’ board of directors votes to push stadium to Hammond</a> </li> <li class="RelatedList-items-item"> <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium/2026/06/05/bears-fans-in-chicago-react-angrily-to-teams-renewed-focus-on-stadium-site-in-hammond-indiana" >Bears fans have strong reaction to team’s renewed focus on Hammond, Indiana stadium site</a> </li> <li class="RelatedList-items-item"> <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium/2026/06/05/chicago-bears-stadium-illinois-indiana-arlington-heights-hammond-blame" target="_blank" >With Bears saying they’re leaving for Indiana, blame game in Illinois spreads far and wide</a> </li> </ul> </div> <p>‘‘We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana to the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city,’’ it read. ‘‘It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses.’’</p><p>Or maybe that was just one last, really loud huff, puff and bluff from chairman George McCaskey and president/CEO Kevin Warren, whose names were on the statement.