Political Sparring Intensifies Over Bears’ $5B Stadium Future
The stadium saga is the center of a growing political fight.
The Bears’ stadium saga that has twisted and turned for more than three years is now coming down to a final set of high-stakes days, with the NFL’s team future hanging in the balance. The Illinois Senate is still grappling with a “megaprojects” bill that would allow the Bears to negotiate property tax rates for a proposed domed stadium project in suburban Arlington Heights. The state House passed the legislation four weeks ago, but since then, political infighting in the Prairie State has slowed progress on the bill considerably.
Numerous Chicago-area leaders, including Mayor Brandon Johnson , have continued to push to keep the Bears in the city. That’s still happening as the team, the NFL, and Illinois Gov. J.
B. Pritzker have each insisted for months that there is not a viable urban site option and that the stadium issue is down to either Arlington Heights or an already-approved option in Hammond, Ind . As a result, the Bears matter is a still-unresolved issue as Illinois wraps its legislative session on May 31.
Team officials have consistently said they intend to make a decision by the early summer, and with construction costs on the planned $5 billion stadium and mixed-use development project rising by at least $10 million per month, time is of the essence. “I’m fighting hard to make sure [the Bears can stay in Illinois],” Pritzker said. “Also very importantly, because my North Star is protecting the taxpayers of Illinois, is that we have something that works for the state of Illinois that’s fair with other businesses that want to come to Illinois or expand here, that we’re being fair in the allocation of support for a business expanding in the state while also protecting taxpayers across the state.