The Chicago Bears' pursuit for a new stadium and tax certainty hit another roadblock on Saturday night. Find out the latest details and where the Bears stand with the state.
The never-ending dilemma for the Chicago Bears' pursuit of a new stadium continues.
According to Chicago News Illinois, after a two-hour private Democratic caucus meeting, State Sen. Bill Cunningham announced that a "PILOT bill aimed at keeping the Bears in Illinois is off the table and the city of Chicago is back in the mix."
Cunningham told reporters that the proposal "does not have the support to pass" the Illinois Senate, and Chicago-based lawmakers are pushing to "put the city on an equal plane to 'compete' for a stadium project."
The Bears put out a statement on May 21 stating their stance on where a new stadium would be built.
“The Chicago Bears have exhausted every opportunity to stay in Chicago, which was our initial goal. There is not a viable site in the city. As a result, the only sites under consideration are in Arlington Heights and Hammond.”
Cunningham pushed back on that notion that there are only two sites being considered at this point.
“I would point out, though, that it’s been established that the Bears have met repeatedly with the City of Chicago over the last several months to talk about this,” Cunningham told reporters. “So although they publicly said that, there have been talks between the City and the Bears.”
Back and forth the Bears and Illinois lawmakers go, but the clock is ticking for tonight's midnight legislative adjournment deadline to introduce a new bill. A source told Chicago News Illinois that the "new legislation will feature a similar incentive offering the Bears 'tax certainty' and that it would also including funding for infrastructure surrounding a stadium development."
Just because there is a May 31st deadline that doesn't necessarily mean something significant will get done by the end of tonight.
"The May 31 deadline only ups the voting requirement for a bill to take effect before June 1 of next year," Chicago News Illinois wrote. "With the new stadium a long-term play, working into June or later wouldn’t greatly change the political equation."
Bears President/CEO Kevin Warren told reporters during the NFL annual league meeting that the target to have a decision would be by "late spring, early summer."
For Bears fans that are interested in the updates on the Bears' journey to land a new stadium, Capital News Illinois insiders Brenden Moore and Jerry Nowicki have provided up-to-date and accurate reporting on situation from the beginning.
Follow their coverage to see what ends up happening with the Bears' new stadium.
Will the pride and joy of Illinois have have a new place to call home in Chicago, Arlington Heights or Hammond?
