Mayor: If the Chicago Bears came to Hammond it could double assessed value; many details confidential

Mayor Tom McDermott told residents at a Jan. 28 Mayor’s Night Out that a move by the Chicago Bears to Hammond would be transformative but largely subject to confidentiality. “They would force everybody involved to sign NDAs,” McDermott said, adding that if the team chose Hammond the development could effectively double the city’s assessed value.

McDermott said the stadium itself could cost in the billions and described the broader development the team would seek: hotels, restaurants and retail concentrated around a stadium to capture weekend spending. “The Bears want the whole weekend,” he said, describing an entertainment district that would drive lodging and dining to operators tied to the franchise.

Why it matters: McDermott framed the prospect as both an economic opportunity and a logistical challenge. He estimated the city’s assessed value near $4 billion and suggested a large stadium and related development could raise that toward $8 billion—raising home values and property taxes as assessed values increase, even if homeowners realize long-term gains on sales.

Infrastructure and legal limits: McDermott warned that major infrastructure upgrades would be needed and insisted the city would not use eminent domain to seize private residences for the project. Answering a resident’s question, he twice stated, “There would be 0 houses,” when asked whether private homes would be taken for stadium construction. He said any large public infrastructure spending would require state participation and hundreds of millions in upgrades to roads and utilities.

NDAs and limited disclosure: McDermott said that if serious talks existed they would be constrained by nondisclosure agreements and that many people who “can’t talk” are the reliable sources on whether talks are real. He cautioned residents that public displays or early disclosures could jeopardize negotiations by driving up local property prices or scaring off negotiators.

Data centers vs. stadiums: The mayor drew a contrast with data-center development, saying data centers are often sited where they replace older industrial sites and can be less intrusive locally. He said Hammond’s data center replaced a coal plant and argued those projects can be a good fit in specific locations, while acknowledging they intensify electricity demand.

Next steps: McDermott did not announce active deals or formal agreements. He told residents he could not share confidential details if NDAs were in place and closed the topic by asking for any further questions before moving on with the evening.