The Chicago Bears have been trying for three years to gain traction in their efforts to secure funding from the Illinois government for a new stadium. For three years, Governor J.B. Pritzker has been adamant that the organization should take care of the funding itself. These are literal billionaires who intend to build what amounts to a vanity project. Pritzker doesn’t see how any of that benefits the taxpayers. So he maintained a hardline stance, telling the Bears to go it alone.
It appears things have shifted. Following the team’s epic comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers, word leaked that Pritzker is suddenly open to negotiating assistance with infrastructure help. Tahman Bradley, Erik Runge, and Michael Johnson of WGN Morning News had details.
As the Chicago Bears gear up to face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in a pivotal NFL Divisional Round playoff matchup, top Illinois lawmakers are keeping in touch with the team about a new stadium.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker addressed the latest talks on Tuesday.
“We help private businesses all the time in the state, and I want to help,” he said. “If it’s with infrastructure, as we do with other private businesses, that’s absolutely a way we could do that.”
For Illinois’ top political leader, taxpayer money to build the stadium is a no-go, but there may be other ways the state could help.
Despite what Pritzker may say, this is a significant shift. He indicated for months that no help would be coming. However, the Bears’ decision to entertain moving to Northwest Indiana and out of the state entirely seems to have gotten his attention.
The Chicago Bears used the nuclear option.
You often find, throughout the history of stadium negotiations, that the most effective way for teams to get concessions from the state is to threaten to leave. George Steinbrenner was famous for it during his long run as owner of the New York Yankees. Part of why the Bears couldn’t get anywhere until now was the likely belief inside the government that they’d never actually consider leaving. That team has been part of Illinois since its inception way back in 1920. There is no way they’d leave.
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So you can imagine the Northwest Indiana announcement was a shock. Their government officials have already laid the groundwork to welcome the Chicago Bears to the region. A bill was passed to help fund infrastructure. At this point, all they have to do is pick a location. Pritzker undoubtedly is starting to sense the danger. Does he really want to go down in history as the governor who let the Bears leave Illinois? Based on these latest updates, the answer is obvious.
