Instagram story viewer> @johnmathewson.co> Posts

John Mathewson

@johnmathewson.co

2.8K

followers

1235

following

Inspiring & Equipping Others to Grow

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Looks like the Bears are looking at another possible site in Hammond.

In some ways, it feels like the same old news. Another site, another round of speculation, another “maybe.”

But at the same time, I can see why some people are taking it as a good sign. The more time, attention, and physical due diligence they spend here in the Region, the harder it is to dismiss it as just noise.

It’s definitely a polarizing topic right now. Porter County especially has already pushed back on some of the tax issues tied to this, and I get why people have questions.

But one thing seems pretty clear: if this ever happened, it would be a massive investment into Northwest Indiana.

And honestly, it’s interesting to me how quickly any major development conversation becomes controversial now — stadiums, data centers, industrial projects, housing, all of it.

That’s the fascinating part of all this. Everyone has a voice now — even me, using topics like this to gauge input and hear what people around the community are actually thinking.

Fascinating world we live in by @johnmathewson.co

3

1

3 months ago

Happy 4th of July America! We have always been a work in progress. Different backgrounds. Different opinions. Different stories. But we’ve always been at our best when we remembered we’re on the same team.

Today I’m grateful for the freedom we have, for the people who sacrificed to protect it, and for the opportunity to keep building something better for the next generation.

I hope today is filled with family, friends, good food, and a little less arguing:) by @johnmathewson.co

24

1

3 months ago

Quick trip to @brookfieldzoo today. About melted into the pavement but we made it. Kiddos keep growing make it slow down sometimes but some moments maybe not 😂 by @johnmathewson.co

8

1

3 months ago

This Bears stadium thing gets harder to follow by the day.

The knock on Kevin Warren, from what I can tell, isn’t one dropped pass.

It’s that the Bears have had options for years now — Arlington Heights, Chicago, now Hammond — and still haven’t gotten the politics, the taxes, the infrastructure, the public buy-in lined up enough to actually move on any of them.

That’s the part I keep coming back to.

In my world, the site making sense is honestly the easy part.

Deals like this move when the timing, the money, the politics, and the public appetite all happen to line up at once. That’s rare, and it’s hard to force.

Right now the Bears have a lot of smoke. I’m just not sure there’s a clean path underneath it yet.

So for Northwest Indiana — I wouldn’t call Hammond dead.

But I wouldn’t call it done either.

It’s somewhere in the middle. Real enough to pay attention to, messy enough that I wouldn’t get carried away. by @johnmathewson.co

1

0

3 months ago

Sometimes the media, the business the hurry and the agendas can cause us to miss the beauty of what is around us. Even in Hobart Indiana His beauty is shining through ❤️❤️#hobart #indiana #hobartindiana #nwi #theregion smallbusiness smalltownusa by @johnmathewson.co

2

0

4 months ago

It's been a minute since I've walked a residential opportunity... 1899 turn of the century always brings some "fun" opportunities but 2.2 acres makes you start to think about it. by @johnmathewson.co

2

0

4 months ago

watching this Merrillville situation, and I think this is one of those moments where the community needs clarity more than noise.

There’s a lot wrapped up in it — local government, the state, ICE, property owners, public safety, businesses, and the people who live and work here.

Merrillville matters to Northwest Indiana.

So although this may turn into another political fight, I hope we can slow down and ask better questions.

What’s actually happening? Who does it impact? What does it mean for residents, businesses, and property owners?

Strong opinions are fine.

But if we care about this region, we should care about how we handle hard conversations too. https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/ag-rokita-demands-merrillville-open-its-doors-to-ice?utm_source=chatgpt.com by @johnmathewson.co

0

0

4 months ago

Everyone’s racing to automate right now.

AI this. Agents that. More content. More speed. More everything.

And I’m not against it. I’m using it too.

But I keep coming back to this:

When everyone has automation, automation stops being the edge.

The thing that starts to stand out is the human part.

The phone call.
The handwritten note.
Remembering someone’s kid’s name.
Following up when there’s no sale attached.
Showing up when there’s nothing in it for you.

That used to feel old school.

Now it feels rare.

And rare things become valuable.

So yeah, I’m betting on AI.

But I’m also betting on the people who still know how to be personal. by @johnmathewson.co

2

0

4 months ago

Latest report says they’re now looking at another possible site in Hammond, not just the original Wolf Lake area.

I get the skepticism. “Bears to Northwest Indiana” still sounds like a stretch, and it might be.

But I’m not ready to write it off completely.

If it ever did happen, it’s not just a few football games. It’s roads, hotels, restaurants, jobs, traffic, lakefront stuff — and probably how people see NWI for a long time after.

Of course, a lot would have to go right. Who pays for it, whether Hammond actually comes out ahead, what it does to the neighborhoods around it, whether the infrastructure can even handle it. And there’s always a chance it’s just leverage in some bigger negotiation.

No clean answers on any of that yet.

Mostly I just think it’s interesting that NWI is even in this conversation. A few years ago it wouldn’t have been. Where it goes from here, who knows. by @johnmathewson.co

2

0

4 months ago

Back from a few days of camping with the family.

Northern Michigan has a way of reminding you that there’s a whole lot of beauty in this world.

I think we tend to find what we’re looking for. If we’re looking for everything that’s wrong, we’ll see plenty of it. But if we start looking for the good… it’s there too.

Grateful for a few slower days. by @johnmathewson.co

7

0

4 months ago

I heard Matt Evans say something on a GreatNews.Life podcast yesterday that really stayed with me:

“Who told you you were this?”

That’s such a simple question, but it cuts deep.

Because most of us have built parts of our identity around what someone else said.

You’re the smart one.
You’re the strong one.
You’re not good at that.
You’re the leader.
You’re too much.
You’re not enough.

And eventually, those words become the lens we see ourselves through.

It reminded me of the Garden when God asked Adam:

“Who told you you were naked?”

God was getting underneath the behavior and going after the voice.

Who gave you that identity?

Who taught you to hide?

Who told you shame was the truth?

I think that’s a question worth sitting with.

Not every voice that shaped you was sent to define you.

Really appreciated this conversation from @greatnews.life. Worth a listen. by @johnmathewson.co

4

0

4 months ago

When I look at this mural, I’m reminded that we’re all still part of the same story.

We all want safe neighborhoods. Strong families. Local businesses that thrive. Opportunities for the next generation. A community we’re proud to call home.

Hobart isn’t perfect, but it’s ours.

And I think there’s something powerful about finding common ground before drawing battle lines.

Here’s to the people who coach the teams, run the small businesses, volunteer behind the scenes, serve in our churches, support local events, and simply show up for their neighbors.

That’s what makes a community strong.

Proud to be part of Hobart. ❤️ by @johnmathewson.co

1

0

4 months ago