Indiana Gov. Mike Braun: ‘Pretty decent odds’ Bears will move out of Illinois

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana Gov. Mike Braun expressed confidence in his state’s chances of luring the Chicago Bears out of Illinois to build the team’s new stadium.

The team, which has played its home games in Chicago’s Soldier Field since the early 1970s, said it will build a new stadium in the coming years in either suburban Arlington Heights or Hammond, Indiana.

Indiana lawmakers quickly passed legislation earlier this year to finance and build a new stadium in Hammond. Meanwhile, Illinois lawmakers have yet to sign off on a bill that would provide significant property tax relief to the team to build a stadium in Arlington Heights.

‘It’d be better than being there'

What they're saying:

Braun said he’s been told by several constituents to "Get the Bears" and gave his state favorable odds at being picked over Illinois.

"I’d say 65-35, and I don’t like to get ahead of my skies," Braun said in an interview with Fox News on Sunday. "I’ve done a lot of real estate deals in my time in the real world. They can go south for many reasons, but their legislature really hasn’t tailored anything that they’re interested in. We did it quickly. It impressed them, and they saw what Indiana would be like as a long-term business partner. I can guarantee you it’d be better than being there [in Illinois]."

The team’s leadership said they would make their decision on where to go by this summer, but the debate over the so-called "megaprojects" bill in the Illinois General Assembly appears to be coming down to the wire as the legislative session ends on May 31.

Braun faulted Illinois leaders’ slow movement when the team expressed interest a few years ago in securing help to build a new stadium in Arlington Heights. He said Indiana’s swift action, by contrast, made Hammond an attractive option for the team.

"That is what happens when you have a deaf ear," Braun said. "[Illinois Gov. JB] Pritzker, their legislature, three years [the Bears have] been trying to get them to actually weigh in on it. Six months [ago,] they came and saw we move at the speed of business, not government."

Braun also touted his state government’s high credit rating and said the team would "get more stadium for your money here in Indiana."

While the Bears have given little public signal as to which site the team is leaning toward, Pritzker has also voiced optimism that the megaprojects bill will get passed in time.

Still, that did not prevent Braun from touting Indiana's standing and making his best pitch for the team to cross state lines.

"I think there are pretty decent odds they may be - they’re gonna be the Chicago Bears, but be doing it in Indiana, hopefully," he said. "It’ll be a smart decision for them."