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Bears Favor Hammond Site, Chicago Counters with Lakefront Plan

6/22/2026

Summary

Bears Target Hammond

The Bears say only Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Hammond, Indiana, are viable sites and are moving toward Hammond.
Chicago City Hall says the city remains in the race with a lakefront proposal and urges South Works.
Rep. Curtis Tarver (D-Chicago) backs a South Works stadium, saying a Hammond site would cause spillover and a Chicago site would create jobs and tax growth.

Summary

**Pritzker Funds Quantum**

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly pledged $500 million for quantum, with $300 million for South Works.
PsiQuantum began construction of its quantum-technology facility at South Works.
Advocate Health Care pledged $1 billion to South Side, including a $300 million hospital at the U.S. Steel site.
City Council members Greg Mitchell and Peter Chico received credit advancing the health-care and quantum projects.
Mayor Brandon Johnson added $5 million from a housing development bond.

History

Historical Context

After Bethlehem Steel filed for bankruptcy in 2001 and dissolved in 2003, the vacant Bethlehem plant was transformed into the 10-acre SteelStacks arts district, which opened in 2011 under ArtsQuest and the City of Bethlehem. Inspired by that post-industrial revival, Illinois officials are now studying a comparable redevelopment of the former U.S. Steel South Works site on the Great Lakes shoreline.

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Bears Target Hammond

The Bears say only Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Hammond, Indiana, are viable sites and are moving toward Hammond.
Chicago City Hall says the city remains in the race with a lakefront proposal and urges South Works.
Rep. Curtis Tarver (D-Chicago) backs a South Works stadium, saying a Hammond site would cause spillover and a Chicago site would create jobs and tax growth.

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