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Could Indiana land the Chicago Bears? Lawmakers pitch "Halas Harbor" stadium plan
Indiana state Rep. Earl Harris discusses Portage’s proposed "Halas Harbor," the economic stakes and how far Indiana lawmakers might go to lure the Chicago Bears amid ongoing stadium talks in Illinois.
Another Midwestern state has joined the race to try and lure the Chicago Bears in the franchise’s pursuit of a new stadium.
After Indiana lawmakers began introducing legislation to try and land the Bears in Northwest Indiana, Iowa lawmakers have introduced legislation of their own to try and move the Bears to Iowa.
Iowa lawmakers introduced Senate File 2252 on Tuesday.
What we know:
On Tuesday, a group of Republican Iowa State Senators introduced a bill that would increase one of Iowa's economic development programs by providing financial incentives for a National Football League team to build a stadium in Iowa.
Council Bluffs’ Dan Dawson, Walcott’s Kerry Gruenhagen, Williamsburg’s Dawn Driscoll, Bettendorf’s Scott Webster, Ankeney’s Mike Bousselot, Ottumwa’s Cherielynn Westrich and Dyersville’s Carrie Koelker are the seven state senators who sponsored the legislation.
The Des Moines Register reported the legislation on Tuesday, with a comment from Gruenhagen noting that Iowa is showing the Bears it’s open for business "if their home state doesn't want them."
FOX 32 Chicago has reached out to multiple Iowa state senators who sponsored the bill and will update when they respond for comment.
The bill proposes expanding the program to incentivize building an NFL stadium in Iowa with the Iowa Economic Development Authority's approval.
This is part of Iowa’s Major Economic Growth Attraction (MEGA) program, which is a state initiative to attract investments of at least $1 billion. Senate File 2252 would amend that initiative to include incentives to build an NFL stadium in Iowa.
The other side:
This legislation comes after an Indiana town made its own pitch to the Chicago Bears for a lakefront stadium.
On Monday, FOX 32 Chicago reported that sources were saying the Bears and Illinois lawmakers are close to agreement on key issues that would keep the team in-state and help kickstart an Arlington Heights stadium project.
This has been an ongoing saga since the Bears bought the 326-acre plot of land at Arlington Park. The Bears' acquisition of the land was finalized on February 15, 2023, for $197.2 million.
Since then, the Bears unveiled renderings for a renovated Soldier Field in April 2024, one day before the 2024 NFL Draft, but shifted their focus back to Arlington Park in 2025 before announcing in Dec. 2025 that the franchise was considering Northwest Indiana.
What they're saying:
"Bringing an NFL team to Iowa would attract jobs, tourism and fans to our state and give us the opportunity to showcase what Iowa really has to offer," Gruenhagen said in a press release announcing the bill. "Iowans have dedicated themselves to our college sports teams, and we’re ready to attract a professional team to our great state."