Lisa Vallee is a self-proclaimed “diehard” Chicago Bears fan. But, as a Wolf Lake neighbor, she has no interest in the stadium moving to Hammond. Wolf Lake Memorial Park, which is visible from Lost Marsh Golf Course, is preferred site for a proposed Chicago Bears stadium in Hammond, seen on Feb. 19, 2026. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post-Tribune) “I’m just down the road from the proposed site where the stadium would be built along Wolf Lake,” said Vallee, who lives in Hammond’s Robertsdale neighborhood. “I often go there to birdwatch or to walk. … I was immediately concerned when I heard that the Hammond mayor was proposing the Bears build their next stadium in Hammond.” Vallee is one of several nearby residents who are concerned about the impact of a Bears stadium on Hammond and what it means for local wildlife and the future of urban green spaces. Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott was unable to immediately respond to a request for comment about the residents’ concerns. The Indiana legislature approved Senate Bill 27 this session, which would have created a framework to build a stadium near the Wolf Lake area, according to Post-Tribune archives. The Bears would invest more than $2 billion in the stadium, and Indiana will invest $1 billion through various taxes. Just Transition canvassing coordinator Lisa Vallee speaks during a community conversation at the Hammond Public Library on the proposed BP CO2 pipeline on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post-Tribune) Residents are also concerned with funding for the stadium, particularly the use of taxes. Indiana will issue a bond for the stadium’s construction, which will be repaid through a Hammond 12% admissions tax and a Professional Sports Development Area specialized tax district. Lake and Porter counties have also been asked to adopt a 1% food and beverage tax, and Lake County has been asked to pass a 5% innkeepers tax. The state will also renegotiate its lease with the Indiana Toll Road. Gov. Mike Braun signed the bill into law within an hour of its final approval on Feb. 26. Braun and state officials will handle the remaining negotiations with the Bears and the team’s proposal for Hammond, according to Post-Tribune archives. McDermott has been adamant in his support for the Bears in Hammond, telling the Indiana House that it’s a “once-in-a-generation opportunity,” according to Post-Tribune archives. Paul Botts, president and executive director of the Wetland Initiative, looks out on the landscape Feb. 2, 2026, at Harborside Marsh Pond on Chicago’s Far South Side. The wetlands alongside a golf course, frozen in the winter, will be restored after past use by industry. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) The Bears could still choose to build a stadium in the Arlington Heights area. Specific construction plans for Hammond have not yet been revealed, but McDermott said the proposal would include a practice facility. Paul Botts, president and executive director of the Wetlands Initiative, said it’s difficult to know the environmental impact of a stadium without knowing specifics. “The answer depends enormously on exactly where they propose to build (the stadium),” Botts said. “I looked, and to my knowledge, there are no such specifics. Clearly, they need a couple hundred acres to do this.” Wolf Lake is a “significant conservation area,” Botts said. On its Illinois side, it’s a state wildlife area and part of the state park system, and in Indiana, it’s a significant open water area that offers wetlands. The Lost Marsh restaurant and pro shop sits atop a hill on the course across from Wolf Lake Memorial Park, part of an area that may be designated to build a potential Chicago Bears stadium in Hammond, Ind. on Feb. 19, 2026. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post-Tribune) The lake is also near Lake George, a smaller body of water to the east, which has received proposals to improve and restore. Lost Marsh Golf Course, which is on the south side of Lake George, would likely be lost as part of the stadium project’s footprint, McDermott confirmed last month, and a Superfund site that used to house the Federated Metals smelting plant is located on the northeast side of the lake. “They’re both … very much still part of the natural processes and natural beauty of Northwest Indiana,” Botts said. “It’s very hard for me to picture building a stadium right up close to one of these bodies of water.” Wolf Lake’s water levels go up and down throughout the year and seasons, Botts said, and he doesn’t know how that might be impacted by the stadium’s construction or if the area will be more prone to flooding. Botts also said it isn’t clear if the wetlands surrounding Wolf Lake will be legally protected if the stadium is built. “I don’t know if they’re building the football stadium up close enough to Wolf Lake to actually start to fill in any of its wetlands,” Botts said. “There’s all these kinds of questions, none of which are clear in the law right now.” Christin Nance Lazerus / Post-TribuneA sign at the former Federated Metals smelting plant in Whiting warns visitors to not trespass on an area of the property that is heavily contaminated with lead and other toxic chemicals. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency put the site on the Superfund National Priorities List, a list of sites where releases of contamination pose significant human health and environmental risks, in 2023. (Christin Nance Lazerus / Post-Tribune) Wolf Lake is one of Hammond’s few remaining natural spaces, Vallee said, and it’s an important stop for birds’ migratory paths as they pass through Northwest Indiana and along Lake Michigan’s shoreline. “During migration, there are thousands of birds that stop by this particular area along their long migration,” she added. “We always have tons of egrets, great blue herons and other types of waterfowl that are constantly in the lake and around the lake.” Botts also mentioned that the lake is an important part of the pathway for migratory birds. Whenever the stadium is used, it’ll be “very disruptive” to the local birds, Botts said, including wetlands birds. Vallee is also concerned about what would happen to the local ecosystem if the wetlands near Wolf Lake are destroyed, saying it’s essential for birds, other wildlife, insects and plants. Whiting resident Carolyn Marsh, admin of the BP Whiting Watch Facebook page, speaks with BP employees during the BP Whiting Refinery community night event on Thursday, June 20, 2024. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post-Tribune) “They’re a huge trap of carbon in a very industrial area,” Vallee said. “There are many, many reasons why the community should be concerned about the environmental impact.” Related Articles Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson keep up Bears stadium pitches Some Indiana taxpayers not as thrilled by Chicago Bears stadium plan as lawmakers Landmarks: Potential Chicago Bears stadium near Wolf Lake just the latest story for a place that’s always changing Indiana governor signs Chicago Bears stadium bill into law as Illinois inches closer to a tax deal Chicago Bears stadium news: Indiana bill that outlines financial structure passes House Carolyn Marsh, a Whiting resident, lives about a five-minute drive away from Wolf Lake. Marsh was shocked to see the area touted as an excellent location for the Bears, she said. She believes that local and state politicians should aim to protect the wetlands around Wolf Lake. “That’s a natural area in Hammond that should be used as an attraction and not any kind of stadium,” Marsh said. “It’s not going to be the kind of economic development that’s going to help the community because the community needs to be cleaned up. It doesn’t need to be covered up with a stadium.” If the stadium has a retractable roof, Marsh is concerned about drainage when the roof is open and it’s raining, she said, because it would hit turf. She’s still concerned about drainage when the roof is closed, saying it will “be a nightmare” for the surrounding area because she doesn’t know if the nearby rivers can handle more rainwater, which could lead to flooding. Marsh is also concerned with how crowds, loud noises and bright lights could impact animals nearby. “It seems like they don’t care about the best asset that Hammond could have,” Marsh said. “They seem to never have been able to appreciate it and to market it as a natural area and protect the wildlife that call it home.” TJ Gaertig, a Hammond resident, said it’s hard to know the full environmental effect of a Bears stadium without knowing specifics. However, there’s still cause for concern, he said. “This really just falls into a pattern of the mayor really pushing development faster than residents are ready for,” Gaertig said. “His attitude towards development is that development is good no matter what, regardless of how residents feel about it and certainly regardless of any environmental impact.” If the Bears select Hammond as their next home, Gaertig will be curious to see what environmental protections are in place for Wolf Lake, especially with its biodiversity and wildlife that rely on the area. Residents also enjoy using Wolf Lake recreationally, Gaertig said, and he thinks a stadium would take away from the greenspace that people enjoy. He also worries about the impact it will have on other areas of the city. Gaertig also believes that if the stadium development goes through, it will draw more people to Northwest Indiana and could set a precedent for other communities to reduce their urban greenspaces. “Building a Bears stadium in Hammond will inevitably create a higher demand for housing in the city,” Gaertig said. “That will just put more pressure on the city and threaten them to develop even more of our remaining greenspaces.” [email protected] ...read more read less