Illinois lawmakers concluded their spring legislative session without passing a bill that would have provided incentives for the Chicago Bears to construct a new stadium in the state. The Senate approved the measure with bipartisan support, but the House adjourned without taking it up, leaving the Bears to evaluate their options.

Stadium Proposal Details

The proposed legislation would have allowed municipalities in Cook County with populations over 70,000 to establish stadium authorities capable of owning and financing professional sports stadiums. This public ownership model would have exempted the Bears from property taxes, a key factor in their decision-making process. The land surrounding the stadium, however, would not be exempt from property taxes and could be designated as a STAR bond district, allowing project costs to be reimbursed through future state sales tax revenue.

Despite the Senate’s approval, House Speaker Emanuel Welch indicated that further discussions would continue over the summer, but not in a special session. The Bears, meanwhile, have a standing offer from Indiana to relocate to Hammond, where a publicly owned stadium could be built with over $1 billion in public subsidies.

Future Considerations

The Bears have expressed a need for ‘tax certainty’ to proceed with a stadium project in Illinois. The team has committed $2 billion to stadium construction in both Arlington Heights and Hammond but has pledged to finance an Illinois project privately. The lack of legislative action leaves the Bears without the property tax certainty they sought, potentially influencing their decision to move to Indiana.

Governor Pritzker and state lawmakers have ruled out direct public subsidies for stadium construction, but the Senate’s bill would allow local authorities to raise taxes if necessary. However, the Bears have indicated they would finance the stadium themselves, making such measures unlikely.

Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.