As the Chicago Bears and the White Sox pitch for new stadiums, a spark of equity lights up discussions at Springfield. Democratic lawmakers, tuned in to the calls for gender equality, are pushing for a sweet deal that would also include funding for women's professional sports facilities, the Chicago Tribune reports. A somewhat vague proposal, which could very well morph before lawmakers hit the gavel at the end of this week's session, would reserve state funds for a women's sports stadium, parallel to any monetary backing given to men's pro teams.
With an appetite for fairness, bill crafters don't want the ladies left in the locker room when it comes to public-private partnerships. "Anytime we talk about anything in this building, we talk about equity," State Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado told the Chicago Tribune. Co-sponsor Rep. Kam Buckner underscored that women's sports being part of the deal is critical, noting the complexity of the issue.
Bears' stadium ambitions, stalling like a busted play, face hurdles from Governor J.B. Pritzker who hasn't warmed to the nearly $5 billion lakefront dome dream. The team's request for public support stands tall at over $2 billion, according to a WGN-TV report. Conversely, the White Sox' pitch for a new home in Chicago's yet-to-be-formed 78th neighborhood, while ambitious, might see franchise owner Jerry Reinsdorf reach into his own pockets after taxpayer aid has been frowned upon.
A curveball tossed into the mix by State Rep. La Shawn Ford calls for a sit-down reset - a fresh start to negotiations and possibly sharing stadiums, an idea that includes the National Women's Soccer League's Chicago Red Stars. Ford's strategy card includes the potential for massive revenue generation, which could be a game-changer for city coffers, as revealed in an interview by WGN-TV. Ford is an advocate for smart spending, stating that "government could be a partner, but government doesn't have to be the landlord, and the government should not have to bear the full expense for another business."
As the end of the spring legislative session approaches, timing is as tight as a full count in the bottom of the ninth. With Chicago's financial belt-tightening this election year, and an array of budget cuts on the horizon, the conversation around funding these stadium ventures is more loaded than the bases in a tied game.
