Inside Bears Stadium Drama: Why Newly Rescheduled Hearing Is Big
It felt like the world froze from half a second when the news dropped. After three years of trying to get the “megaprojects” bill onto the legislative agenda, word came out that the hearing for it was cancelled in Springfield. Not long after that leaked, Indiana passed a key bill that would lay the groundwork for infrastructure and property tax incentives meant to lure the Chicago Bears south. Most took that as a sign that Illinois had fumbled the ball at the one-yard line. However, as always, the situation is more nuanced than that.
Governor J.B. Pritzker revealed later in the day that it was the Bears who requested the hearing be postponed so some tweaks could be made to the bill. Their statement of satisfaction at the process being made in Indiana caught many in Springfield by surprise. Most took it as a death blow to any hope the team was staying in Illinois. However, some insisted this was merely continued posturing from all sides. This was further proven when the Daily Herald reported that a new hearing has been schedule for next Thursday.
With talks still ongoing behind the scenes, the bill drafted by Democratic state Rep. Mary Beth Canty of Arlington Heights isn’t likely to be the final one legislators consider.
Tuesday marked the first day since last fall that the House and Senate were in session concurrently. Both chambers are scheduled to adjourn May 31.
But amid the legislative movement in the Hoosier state, they may move quicker.
Late Thursday, a new House committee hearing was set for 8 a.m. Feb. 26 in Springfield.
More details prove the Chicago Bears aren’t the only guilty party.
Mark Grote of 104.3 The Score revealed in a podcast appearance with Dan Wiederer that part of the problem has been division in the Illinois government ranks. Pritzker, for his part, has been motivated to get a deal done with the Bears. However, he hasn’t gotten full compliance from the house and senate. Many in their ranks have resisted making a deal, feeling it was too dangerous to Illinois taxpayers unless specific protections were put in place. That is another reason this process has been so slow.
There is no such disunity in Indiana. Their government has been in near lockstep since the process began, pushing the necessary legislation through with minimal resistance. They’ve made it clear they want the Bears the northwest region, no matter where. Right now, it sounds like the town of Hammond is the preferred spot. It’s less than 30 miles from downtown Chicago and has plenty of real estate to build the massive project Kevin Warren and the McCaskeys envisioned when this entire saga began.
Everything points to a decisive moment by the end of February.
It’s been hinted at for weeks that the Chicago Bears want a resolution, one way or another, but the start of March. The timing of the hearing in Springfield is no accident. The extra week allows both sides to make any further tweaks to the bill they want. If it finally reaches the house floor, there should be a good chance that it passes. The Bears have already said they’re financing the stadium themselves. All they’ve required is help with infrastructure and the freedom to negotiate fair property taxes.
Some feel if the government had acted on this issue even a year ago, they would’ve got a more favorable agreement. Their decision to constantly put it off led to the Bears inviting Indiana into the discussion. Now there is increasing public pressure to do something, which gives the organization leverage. Illinois overplayed its hand, and now they’re on the back foot scrambling to rescue the situation. Prominent politicians elsewhere believe the Bears are merely using every advantage they have to get the best deal possible.