The Chicago Bears have been patient with the state of Illinois, perhaps more so than most teams would be. There is something to be said for the history the state and the franchise have shared for over a century. However, everything has a breaking point. After three long years of tense discussions about helping the Bears build their new stadium in Arlington Heights, things finally seemed ready to move forward. The megaprojects bill that would give them infrastructure and property tax assistance was being heard by the House Revenue Committee on Thursday. It passed by a vote of 13-7.
Unfortunately, things fell apart on the House floor. According to Brenden Moore of Capitol News Illinois, the House adjourned before even hearing the bill. That means the Bears must wait another two weeks before it reconvenes in mid-March. It sounds like there is still considerable resistance inside the state government on this issue. The wait will continue for fans who have grown weary of the matter. A better question is, have the Bears run out of patience? Don’t forget it was reported that if nothing was achieved by the end of February, they’d choose to leave for Indiana.
Indiana continues their courting of the Chicago Bears.
While Illinois keeps hemming and hawing over the issue, its eastern neighbor had no such qualms. Their state senate has already approved a new bill that would make it much easier for big businesses to build in Northwestern Indiana by providing infrastructure and property tax support. It passed by a 45-4 vote. It will now go to the governor’s desk for a signature, which is expected in the next 24 hours. They have shown time and time again that they are serious about bringing the Chicago Bears to the region.
Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker has insisted that talks have been productive for the past few weeks. The problem is that not everyone in his government agrees on this issue. Many believe the Bears don’t deserve any tax breaks for what, in their minds, is a vanity project for the billionaire McCaskey family. This division could cost the state one of its most historic entertainment draws. Indiana is almost ready to go, and Illinois is basically telling the Bears they’ll have to wait. That doesn’t seem like a sound strategy.
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The Bears’ decision, from a business standpoint, is obvious.
They should take the deal with Indiana and not look back. That state wants them and is willing to provide the financial incentives to make it happen. Under normal circumstances, the Bears probably would’ve already started the process of leaving. However, when you have over 100 years of history with a state whose name is in your literal fight song, it is difficult to just up and leave. The McCaskeys never wanted to move to Indiana. It just got to a point where they couldn’t take being ignored anymore.
More than ever, it feels like a breaking point is near. If the Illinois government fails to make a decision on this bill next month, it is a safe bet that the Bears will cease all negotiations and begin their shift to Indiana. They’ve already shown interest in the town of Hammond, which is a half-hour drive from downtown Chicago. They would be free to remake the land as they desired, turning it into a major tourist destination. Once the debt on the stadium is paid, they will own it fully.
Something has to give.
