Illinois Lawmakers Tried One More Trick To Keep The Bears

A Last-Minute Hail Mary: Illinois Lawmakers Scramble to Keep the Bears

With the thought of the Chicago Bears moving out of state to play their “home” games becoming more and more of a possibility, Illinois lawmakers threw one last-minute Hail Mary to try to keep the team in the state.

This bill would allow Arlington Heights and even Chicago to build a privately owned but publicly operated facility, which would eliminate the property taxes the team doesn’t want to pay.

New Orleans Saints v Chicago Bears — Getty Images

Tax Certainty vs. Team Wealth: The Disconnect for Chicago Fans

Folks who support the idea think it gives the Bears the long-term tax certainty they’ve been looking for, but it begs the question of whether they need it.

That’s where I and droves of fans feel the disconnect between the Bears and the state. We’re talking about the Chicago Bears here. A storied franchise that in no way, shape, or form can be unable to pay taxes of any kind. The Bears make plenty of money here and should be just fine even if they have to pay property taxes.

This proposal is modeled after a similar one from Indiana, which has been heavily recruiting the Bears to set up shop in the Northwest part of the state.

Indianapolis Colts v Chicago Bears — Getty Images

The Senate Passes the Stadium Bill, But the House Punts

The good news regarding the bill is that it was approved by the Illinois Senate 37-17 earlier Monday morning, but the Illinois House adjourned without voting, which has got to be one of the zaniest things I have heard in some time.

It appears that lawmakers could return for a special summer session or the fall veto session, while the Bears expect to make a decision on their stadium future sometime early in the summer.

Yes, the stadium saga for the Chicago Bears continues.