Arlington Heights and Illinois Officials Jostle to Keep Chicago Bears with Proposed Stadium Legislation Amid Indiana's Interest

Amid the high stakes of a possible relocation of the Chicago Bears, Arlington Heights is making serious moves to secure the team's future within Illinois borders. According to ABC 7 Chicago, local officials are urging state lawmakers to pass legislation that could support the construction of a new Bears stadium, among other large-scale developments. Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia emphasized that the Bears are not asking for taxpayer money to build the stadium itself, but are seeking support for estimated $855 million infrastructure improvements in the surrounding area.

With Indiana having stepped into the competition, offering a friendly business environment that's caught the eye of the Bears, Illinois finds itself needing to counter with legislation that works in their favor; as Tinaglia articulated in a statement obtained by NBC Chicago, the situation is critical and their actions now could determine the team's location choice, which has boiled down to either the Arlington Heights site or one potentially in Indiana.

The "mega projects" bill promoted by Arlington Heights officials would enable large-scale developments through major tax breaks, and the Bears have proposed investing their funds in a $5 billion stadium alongside a mixed-use entertainment district. This was a key element underscored in a recent plea from Mayor Tinaglia to the Illinois General Assembly. Governor JB Pritzker has recently inclined towards aiding with infrastructure, suggesting a potential deal that aligns with taxpayer interests, as he told reporters on Tuesday.

However, the proposition has faced opposition, for instance, from Brian Costin in a Chicago Tribune op-ed, who warned of the risk seen in shifting the property tax burden away from developers and onto nearby homeowners and businesses. This could potentially double the property tax bills for families around the megaproject sites. Despite such concerns, Tinaglia remains staunch in his advocacy for a bill that may offer the Bears a more reasonable property tax rate, which, according to his calculated estimate, could return a significant economic boon to the state.

Tinaglia's appeal highlighted the project's potential to stimulate $10.9 billion in one-time and $1.3 billion in annual net economic activity, coupled with nearly $2 billion in tax revenue over the next 40 years for local, county, and state governments. "The Chicago Bears should not get special treatment just because they are 'the Bears,'" Tinaglia's plea read, as reported by NBC Chicago, "but they shouldn’t have it held against them, either."