Soil drilling at Wolf Lake signals momentum growing for Hammond, as the Chicago Bears weigh their options to build a state-of-the-art stadium.
The Chicago Bears are digging into the potential site for their new state-of-the-art stadium.
According to the Northwest Indiana Times, soil drilling equipment was spotted near Wolf Lake Terminals in Hammond, a 19-mile drive from Soldier Field and just west of Interstate 90.
The Bears confirmed that equipment was on the location in a recent statement.
"This activity is part of the normal site evaluation process as we continue to advance our stadium development project in Hammond," the Bears said in a statement issued to Fox32 Chicago. "We have an excellent option already in place and continue to assess additional parcels of land in the Wolf Lake region to ensure we place the stadium and mixed-use district in the very best location to serve all of Chicagoland."
Fox32 Chicago also noted that soil testing was done at the Arlington Heights site, but the recent soil testing in Hammond does indicate that the Bears are doing their due diligence to ensure Hammond is suitable for a multi-billion-dollar stadium.
There have been questions surfacing about the the Hammond site being able to handle a stadium complex and infrastructure that would also be built. There are "several hazardous waste sites, across the street from an oil tank storage complex, and in the shadow of the Midwest’s largest oil refinery," according to the Chicago Tribune.
Although both sites have been tested for their soil, the Bears announced on June 5 that their board of directors voted to move forward with stadium plans in Hammond. An exact location hasn't been determined.
Sports business expert Marc Ganis, president and co-founder of Sportscorp Ltd., joined Fox32 Chicago to discuss what the soil testing in Hammond means in the Bears' search for a location to build a new stadium.
"It indicates direction, it indicates focus, it indicates spending money in Hammond, and there is nothing more going on in Illinois right now from the Bears' perspective," Ganis said. "That whole area in a very short amount of time is going to look like Oakbrook, with a beautiful stadium in there. That's what I think we are going to wind up seeing."
Momentum may be leaning in Hammond's direction, but Illinois Gov. JB Prtizker said on June 23 that he is open to calling a special session if lawmakers provide a stadium bill to keep the Bears in Illinois.
"We think we are as close as anybody as far as getting the stadium, I don't think Indiana is any closer than we are," Pritzker told CBS News. "It's up to the Bears on where they want to be."
