SPRINGFIELD — Illinois legislators are scrambling to keep the Chicago Bears from moving to Indiana. As the session winds down, they’re pushing for a new plan to encourage the team to build a new dome in Illinois.
The urgency heightened after a key Senate negotiator, Bill Cunningham, declared that his group wouldn’t support the property tax incentives the Bears have sought for years. This has sent officials into a rush to create a new framework.
A potential solution on the table is to let local governments set up their own financing authorities for stadiums. This could level the playing field for Chicago, Arlington Heights, and any other Cook County city with over 70,000 residents vying for the Bears.
In this proposal, whichever site the team chooses would be publicly owned. The Bears would cover stadium construction costs but wouldn’t pay property taxes. Their main concern has been the hefty property tax bills, estimated to exceed $100 million in Arlington Heights.
Cunningham noted that most NFL stadiums are publicly owned, making this model fairly common across the league.
This moment marks a political win for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who’s been active in lobbying against the earlier property tax bill that could have pushed the team out of the city.
The Bears haven’t officially responded to this new proposal yet. They are also looking at potential public funding of $855 million for necessary infrastructure around the stadium. However, Governor JB Pritzker is cautious about this funding, emphasizing that it’s intended for infrastructure improvements regardless of the Bears’ situation.
For context, the Bears view the site of the former Arlington International Race Course, which they purchased for over $197 million, and an area near Lost Marsh Golf Course in Indiana as their only viable options. Meanwhile, Indiana lawmakers have already authorized a stadium financing authority that could allocate $1 billion in taxpayer funds toward a Bears stadium, allowing the team to retain all revenue generated.
Legislative action in Illinois remains uncertain as a key deadline approaches. If no agreement is reached, proposed bills will require a higher vote threshold to pass.
Cunningham hinted that discussions could stretch into the fall, even as Bears president Kevin Warren has indicated that a decision on the team’s stadium location will come by early summer.
State Representative Kam Buckner remains hopeful for a last-minute resolution. He stressed that the specifics of any new legislation will be crucial in keeping the Bears in Illinois.
With the stakes high, this unfolding situation not only impacts sports fans but also local economies and the political landscape as communities vie for the Bears’ future.
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