Indiana House advances SB 27 to create Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority, paving way for potential Bears stadium in The Region

Written from press releases

Indianapolis, Ind. – February 24, 2026

Senate Bill 27 — legislation aimed at creating a financing and governance framework for a potential Chicago Bears stadium in Northwest Indiana — passed the Indiana House on Tuesday, Feb. 24, by a 95-4 vote, sending the measure back to the Senate after House amendments for final approval before it could move to Gov. Mike Braun for signature.

SB 27 would establish the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority, which supporters say would provide a mechanism to acquire land and finance a professional football stadium and related facilities in “The Region.” The bill has been promoted by Northwest Indiana Democrats as an economic development play, with advocates arguing it could create jobs, attract visitors and generate new tax revenue for local governments and the state.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago, said the bill advances a long-held goal he said was central to his father’s work in the Legislature: bringing professional sports to Northwest Indiana. In a statement after the House vote, Harris called SB 27 “a great step” and said the economic impact of an NFL stadium would “set Northwest Indiana on a path to prosperity for decades to come,” while praising bipartisan support for the measure.

Harris also tied SB 27 to House Enrolled Act 1292, a 2025 law he authored that established a Northwest Indiana Professional Sports Development Commission to pursue professional sports opportunities for the region. He said SB 27 “lays the groundwork” to support a potential stadium project and the infrastructure needed to host a franchise.

State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond, echoed those themes, calling the bill’s progress an unusually fast example of state and local alignment. Jackson said the proposal could boost area hotels, restaurants and tourism, and described the effort as a continuation of regional development work she said has been underway for years.

SB 27 now returns to the Indiana Senate for consideration of the House changes. If approved there, it would go to Braun for final action.

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