Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mayor McDermott touts potential Bears stadium for Hammond, says city would not displace homes
Summary
At a Jan. 28 Mayor's Night Out, Mayor Tom McDermott described the economic upside if the Chicago Bears relocated to Hammond, saying a stadium deal could add billions in assessed value and asserting "0 homes" would be taken; he also warned major deals would be governed by nondisclosure agreements and require state infrastructure funding.
Mayor Tom McDermott spent the largest portion of Hammond’s Jan. 28 Mayor’s Night Out addressing repeated questions about persistent media and public speculation that the Chicago Bears could relocate to Hammond. He said a stadium and associated development could be worth billions and stressed that any such deal would need state and private participation on major infrastructure work.
McDermott framed the move as a massive economic opportunity, saying the team and related development could roughly double assessed value in the city and citing multi-billion-dollar figures for the stadium and surrounding investment. "The Bears are worth $8,000,000,000," he said, adding that an eventual development would include hotels, restaurants and retail that capture weekend spending. He also emphasized limitations on local disclosure: "a deal of that magnitude is gonna require nondisclosure agreements," he said, explaining parties often must sign NDAs and that public officials may not be able to share details while negotiations proceed.
On resident concerns about displacement, McDermott gave a categorical assurance that private homes would not be taken for a stadium plan. "If this ever happened... 0 homes," he told attendees, adding he expected infrastructure projects would focus on state-supported upgrades: "massive infrastructure upgrades would be required, which would require the state of Indiana’s participation." He said the governor and legislature would need to fund or authorize hundreds of millions of dollars in improvements.
McDermott cautioned that his public comments were limited by confidentiality in potential negotiations and advised residents the people "that can't talk" might hold the most relevant information. He also noted potential fiscal effects for homeowners if assessed values rose, explaining that higher assessments increase property taxes even as homeowners benefit from rising equity.
The mayor encouraged residents to ask written follow-ups to department staff and said the city would document concerns through Hammond 311 for later follow-up. He did not provide any formal proposals, contracts, or project approvals during the meeting.
Looking ahead, McDermott said such a project would depend on state-level action and that the city could not deliver it unilaterally: "No mayor has enough money available to get it done," he said. There was no motion or vote taken at the meeting related to a stadium.
