The Politico recently reported that the Chicago Bears and Illinois have re-engaged in talks over new stadium legislation in the past week or so. This represents the first real sign of hope since their push during the spring session in Springfield failed before the May 31st deadline. The Bears announced the intention to shift focus to Hammond, Indiana, after that news broke. Many felt this was a decisive shift in momentum. Illinois would need a miracle to rescue the situation.
However, Governor J.B. Pritzker made sure to leave the door open. He stated on camera that if the Bears were to put together a proposal that is clear in what they want from the state, then he would call a special session this summer to hopefully get the bill passed. It appears that the message was received. House representative Kam Buckner, who has worked closely with the Bears throughout the process, confirmed as much. He stated the team is doing a much better job of providing details and being hands-on with things.
The Chicago Bears appear to sense a finish line.
As disappointing as last month was, the evidence suggests the two sides were close to an agreement. The Illinois Senate introduced a bill that was narrowed down to just focus on the Bears. It would give municipalities with 70,000 residents or more the opportunity to make overtures to the team about building a stadium there. The Bears would fund the construction, while the municipality would officially “own” the stadium. This would mean the team wouldn’t have to pay property taxes, bypassing the biggest roadblock they’ve faced.
Though the bill passed the Senate, the House didn’t have enough time to look through it before the deadline hit. Given a little more time, it’s reasonable to assume the bill might have passed. The Chicago Bears would be wise to draw up legislation along those same lines, making sure to detail precisely what they’re looking for. Once done, Governor Pritzker should call a special session to allow the legislature to review it. If things go as hoped, the bill would pass sometime in July, clearing the final hurdle to begin construction.
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Pritzker provided details on how things are going.
This isn’t something the team is drawing up from scratch. According to the governor, the organization has reached out for advice on how to approach the matter. It appears they are looking to blend certain portions of both the megaprojects bill and the revised Senate version since both passed in each governing body. This should give it the best chance of getting through.
“They’ve asked for advice, and so our staff, as well as legislators, have offered them that,” Pritzker said, speaking to reporters Tuesday in Chicago. “They’re looking at both of the bills that passed, the one in the House and the one in the Senate, hoping to put the provisions of each of those together in a form that they think will pass.”
Reports suggest clarity is expected by Wednesday, meaning something should break in the next 24 hours. That suggests the Bears might be close to completing their proposal. If Pritzker reviews it and is satisfied, he’ll call the special session. That would be the biggest breakthrough in talks by far throughout this entire saga. Special sessions almost never end without a resolution to the problem. Of course, something could still go wrong. These things are so delicate.
That said, there is genuine hope.
