People weren’t ready to admit that Northwest Indiana was a potential location for the Chicago Bears’ new stadium. It was nothing more than a leverage play. Well, if that’s true, Indiana’s government is playing its role to perfection. They recently introduced a new bill to the legislature to help finance a new stadium in the northwest region, contingent on the Bears picking a site. According to Kayla Dwyer of the IndyStar, the bill passed the state Senate with an overwhelming vote.
If it gets through the House as well, which feels like a high probability, Indiana will have a gigantic leg up on Illinois in these suddenly tense negotiations.
Just as quickly as the idea to move the Chicago Bears team to northwest Indiana came to light in a surprise open letter from the team’s president, Indiana state lawmakers got busy drafting the infrastructure to make it happen.
A bill was drafted and has thus far sailed through the process, passing the Senate Jan. 28 by a 46-2 vote and enabling a new authority to bond and build an NFL stadium in the region. The bill still needs to pass the House and be signed by Gov. Mike Braun before it goes into law.
The problem with Illinois is two-fold. Governor J.B. Pritzker isn’t willing to give up any taxpayer money to help fund a stadium. Also, Cook County has some of the worst property tax laws not just in the state, but in the country. The government needs to pass legislation to put a cap on that; otherwise, the Bears would be forced to pay fees that no business, big or small, could ever afford.
The Chicago Bears’ decision is likely to come by June.
Illinois’ government is in session now. According to the rules, it will remain that way until the end of May. That is how long the state has to get something done. If they adjourn without legislation to help the Bears, it is a fair assumption that the franchise will begin working with Indiana to build a new stadium. The deal they’ve been offered is a sweet one. They receive extensive help with property taxes, can choose their preferred site, and will steadily pay off the stadium debt over the next few years. Once the debt is paid, the team will own the stadium outright.
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It is far better than anything Illinois has offered for the past century. The McCaskey family has made it clear they’re tired of being pushed around by both the state and the Chicago Park District. Purchasing Arlington Heights was a warning shot. It went unheeded. Now, Pritzker and his government are in damage-control mode, trying to find a way to salvage the situation without appearing weak. Meanwhile, Indiana seems two or three steps ahead of them, baiting the hook with remarkable speed.
