This June, our Power Pollers are weighing in on the Bears, the Obama Presidential Center and questions about what’s in the skies above us.

The Chicago Bears say they are moving to Hammond, Indiana. How do you feel about the move?

15% – Strongly support – Keeps them nearby and opens new opportunities on the South Side
5% – Somewhat support – Not ideal, but still close enough
14% – Somewhat oppose – They belong in Chicago
22% – Strongly oppose – A Chicago team should never leave the city
22% – Should have moved to Arlington Heights
7% – They’re out of my life forever
15% – I don’t care either way

The Bears’ departure does not produce collective emotional consensus. There are a lot of opinions out there about the Bears. 36% of our Power Pollers said they strongly oppose the move to Indiana, and 22% of respondents think they should have moved to Arlington Heights instead. Another 22% feel the deal was always going to happen eventually. The 15% who strongly support the Hammond move point to a silver lining: a vacated lakefront footprint and new opportunities on the South Side. Only 7% are fully done with the franchise. For a city that prides itself on sports identity, the fact that 15% say they simply do not care may be the most striking statistic of all.

Who do you believe is most responsible for the Bears decision to move to Indiana?

11% – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson
20% – Illinois Governor JB Pritzker
13% – Illinois state lawmakers
47% – Bears owners — the McCaskey family
0% – Indiana
0% – Arlington Heights
9% – I don’t blame anybody — the Bears will do what they gotta do

Nearly half of respondents place the blame on the McCaskey family, and almost no one faults Indiana or Arlington Heights for the outcome. Governor Pritzker draws 20%, and state lawmakers 13%, and Mayor Johnson registers at 11%. 9% say the Bears will do what they have to do and nobody’s to blame.

When you walk the streets of Chicago today, what does your gut/instinct tell you about our city life?

18% – Love and community — the city’s still got its heart
26% – Pride, mixed with concern
19% – Uncertainty — something feels off
17% – Stress/unease — I don’t feel safe, almost anywhere
15% – Energy with resilience — Chicago finds a way
5% – Disconnected — people don’t talk to each other, afraid to even look at each other

This question resists easy categorization. The single largest response of 26% is pride mixed with concern, capturing the current pulse of the city better than either optimism or alarm alone could. Add in the 18% who still feel love and community and the 15% who see energy and resilience, and just over half of our Pollers land somewhere in the constructive range. But the other half does not. 19% feel that something is off without being able to name it. 17% report active unease about personal safety in nearly any setting. 5% describe a city where people have stopped making eye contact. These numbers echo the business confidence data from May’s poll—Power Pollers are not giving up on the city, but they are well aware of the fact that the streets do not feel the same, as they once did.

After the release of multiple federal UFO videos showing unexplained objects worldwide, has your belief in life on other planets changed?

12% – Yes — I’m now more convinced intelligent life exists
20% – Somewhat — I’m more open to the possibility
22% – No change — I already believed
27% – I’m still skeptical
5% – I don’t believe in any life on other planets
14% – Strange video isn’t the same as proof, but it sure raises a question a lot of people don’t want to answer.

Following the release of government videos showing unexplained aerial phenomena, respondents were asked whether the footage shifted their beliefs about life on other plants.12% report becoming more convinced, 20% say they are increasingly open to the possibility, and 22% asserting their views remain unchanged because they already believed. At the same time, skepticism persists, with 27% claiming they are still hesitant to believe, 14% maintaining that the videos are not adequate proof, and 5% remaining steadfast in their belief that life does not exist on other planets.

With the Obama Presidential Center opening June 19, Chicago is gearing up for a national spotlight. What do you expect the Center’s real impact on the city to be over the next few years?

39% – Strong positive impact
30% – Some positive impact
26% – No real impact
2% – Some negative impact
3% – Strong negative impact

All eyes are on Chicago as the Obama Presidential Center’s grand opening is set to take place on June 19. According to the Obama Foundation, the Center is projected to generate over $3.1 billion in new economic activity across the city over a decade, attracting approximately 750,000 visitors annually and fueling neighborhood commercial growth.

When asked about the Center’s long-term impact on the city, respondents were largely optimistic, with 39% expecting a strong positive impact and 30% anticipating at least some positive impact.  26% are predicting no real impact, and just 5% of all respondents anticipate any downside.

The Takeaway

June’s Power Poll prompted respondents to reflect on what the city has lost, consider what lies ahead, and think beyond traditional boundaries to imagine life beyond our planet.

Chicago’s decision-makers appear cautiously optimistic that the Chicago they know and love is not entirely lost. As the city grapples with the potential loss of the Chicago Bears to Indiana, the Obama Presidential Center enters the picture, with the potential to revitalize communities and bring visitors from all over the world to Chicago’s South Side. Overall, this month’s poll highlights a leadership community that is steady in its convictions, while understanding the importance of remaining adaptable to an ever-evolving city and world.

The Serafin Power Poll sponsored by Mercury Public Affairs captures the perspectives of regional decision-makers and thought leaders in the Chicago metropolitan area. While not a scientific survey, it offers a clear and insightful gauge of prevailing sentiments, much like a reliable weathervane tracking the direction of Chicago’s winds.