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Post by 2b9 on Jun 9, 2024 17:32:21 GMT -6
What's next for Bears stadium after Illinois lawmakers punt on fundingThe General Assembly's spring session came and went without any movement on funding the proposed Bears stadium on the lake. Why it matters: Team owners wanted public funding secured this month so they could start construction this fall. Context: The Bears and Mayor Brandon Johnson released a massive proposal last month to create a domed stadium just south of Soldier Field. It would include ample park space around the stadium and the Museum Campus. Yes, but: The $4.7 billion proposal calls for $2 billion in public money, which Gov. JB Pritzker recently said was a "non-starter." Turns out, the governor was right. Zoom in: Legislators punted on even debating public funding for the stadium project, saying they need more time to scrutinize the proposal, and they signaled they may pick it up during the veto session this fall. I n Illinois, you need a three-fifths majority during the fall session to pass any new legislation.The other side: Bears president Kevin Warren hasn't commented on the recent inaction in Springfield, but he previously said he wanted to get shovels in the ground this fall. "Time is money," Warren said at the introductory press conference in April. The intrigue: The city has a financial stake in this decision. In the new proposal, the Bears would ask the state for about $1 billion to refinance outstanding debt from previous stadium projects, including the renovation of Soldier Field and the building of the White Sox' Guaranteed Rate Field. Another $1 billion would be used for infrastructure improvements around the new stadium. If there is no deal, the city will continue to pay their share of the Soldier Field renovation. Those payments are set to balloon for several more years. Z oom out: Public financing is only one obstacle the new proposal may face. Nonprofit Friends of the Parks are opposed to the project and could fight it in court, citing the city's longstanding laws that prohibit commercial building on the lakefront.Also, Civic Federation's Joe Ferguson threw cold water on the project, suggesting taxpayers would be better off if the stadium was built on the Michael Reese hospital site. The bottom line: Even though Johnson and Warren wanted to get this deal done this month, they'll have to wait until fall. www.axios.com/local/chicago/2024/05/29/bears-stadium-illinois-lawmakers-funding This is going to be interesting, question is: do the Owners step up and back down for as much desired funding requested? Bottom line, when you read this whole story, things are at a stalemate and screwed up, too much fighting from both sides, get together and get it done. Stop screwing around on both sides. Cheers, 2b9😉😃👍
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Post by 2b9 on Jun 9, 2024 17:38:35 GMT -6
Illinois House speaker says taxpayers will not pay for a new Bears stadiumThe Bears continue to seek taxpayer money for a new stadium. Illinois officials continue to say tax money won’t be going to pro sports teams. Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch told WTTW News that any hope the Bears might have of elected officials changing their tune after the November election is unrealistic. Welch says that whether it’s before or after the election, the state legislature isn’t going to put any tax money into a stadium for a pro sports team. “You know, even after the election, I just think it’s, things we have to focus on: the kitchen table issues,” Welch said. “People want to make sure their groceries are affordable, their rent is affordable, you know, that they have a roof over their head. The last thing they want us to be talking about is stadiums for sports teams.” The Bears are one of three Chicago teams seeking new homes, with Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox and National Women’s Soccer League’s Chicago Red Stars also hoping for new stadiums. Welch says his message to all three is that they’re going to have to finance those stadiums with the owners’ money, not the taxpayers’ money. “As we’ve said to the Bears over and over again, to the White Sox, and also to the Chicago Red Stars, there’s just no appetite to use taxpayer funding to fund stadiums for billionaires,” Welch said.That’s the message taxpayers are sending around the country, as pro sports teams are increasingly finding that voters aren’t on board with their taxes paying for stadiums. www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/illinois-house-speaker-says-taxpayers-will-not-pay-for-a-new-bears-stadium This is messy. Cheers, 2b9😉😃👍
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Post by 2b9 on Jun 9, 2024 17:44:10 GMT -6
Maybe they should just leave Soldier Field as it is and let it rot to save on costs although that would suck, give the Bears a reasonable amount money and let the White Sox leave Crazy situation in Chicago, only thought these things happen here in Canada, takes forever to get things done here/Canada. With the situation in Chi-Town, seems like this will go on for years to come. Cheers, 2b9😉😃👍
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Post by 2b9 on Jun 9, 2024 17:55:11 GMT -6
^^^^^ BTW Mike, in reference to all of these articles that I just commented on/Chicago situation, I failed to state:
Owners are being greedy, I am siding with the Government whom is siding with the Tax Payers, the Owners are being too greedy.
Just my thoughts and opinion.
Cheers,
2b9😉😃👍
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Post by mikecubs on Jul 7, 2024 5:11:24 GMT -6
The Bears’ road back to Arlington Heights should be ‘much easier’ nowAccording to a recent report from Christopher Placek of the Daily Herald, the Village of Arlington Heights and the Chicago Bears are working on a resolution to position the suburb for another push to land the team. P lacek reported that the village sent a proposed settlement to the Bears, which could resolve the tax issues that initially hung up the deal. He also reports that Arlington Heights Village Manager Randy Recklaus presented the settlement terms to the Bears in March, which was prior to the Illinois State legislation voting against any tax dollars being allocated to fund their new stadium. Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes is optimistic that the settlement will remove some of the obstacles that led the Bears to look for a new location to build their state-of-the-art domed stadium. “I feel very comfortable that should the Bears reengage with us and continue to explore the Arlington Park site, that the road is going to be much easier than we found in past months,” Hayes told the Daily Herald. Hayes said the Bears have responded to the settlement, “and discussions continue.” He also said he expects the Bears to make their Arlington Heights decision within the next ten months, which is when his term as Mayor concludes. “I feel really good that we’ve presented a proposal to the Bears that they can feel comfortable with, and we’ve communicated that to them, and they have responded, and discussions are continuing,” Hayes said via the Daily Herald. “I feel very hopeful about where things are at. And I’ve always said that, ultimately, I think the Bears will find that Arlington Heights is the best site for them.” A Bears spokesman maintains that the team's focus is on the lakefront site; however, the team still hasn’t put its Arlington Heights property up for sale. www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-bears-road-back-to-arlington-heights-should-be-much-easier-now/ar-BB1peVwZ?item=flightsprg-tipsubsc-v1a%3Fseason89c26d1ce19649ab8c6b1ea6904de419thu&cvid=d9dc44b58d6740199212191ec7796112&ei=32
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Post by 2b9 on Jul 7, 2024 8:01:03 GMT -6
The Bears’ road back to Arlington Heights should be ‘much easier’ nowAccording to a recent report from Christopher Placek of the Daily Herald, the Village of Arlington Heights and the Chicago Bears are working on a resolution to position the suburb for another push to land the team. P lacek reported that the village sent a proposed settlement to the Bears, which could resolve the tax issues that initially hung up the deal. He also reports that Arlington Heights Village Manager Randy Recklaus presented the settlement terms to the Bears in March, which was prior to the Illinois State legislation voting against any tax dollars being allocated to fund their new stadium. Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes is optimistic that the settlement will remove some of the obstacles that led the Bears to look for a new location to build their state-of-the-art domed stadium. “I feel very comfortable that should the Bears reengage with us and continue to explore the Arlington Park site, that the road is going to be much easier than we found in past months,” Hayes told the Daily Herald. Hayes said the Bears have responded to the settlement, “and discussions continue.” He also said he expects the Bears to make their Arlington Heights decision within the next ten months, which is when his term as Mayor concludes. “I feel really good that we’ve presented a proposal to the Bears that they can feel comfortable with, and we’ve communicated that to them, and they have responded, and discussions are continuing,” Hayes said via the Daily Herald. “I feel very hopeful about where things are at. And I’ve always said that, ultimately, I think the Bears will find that Arlington Heights is the best site for them.” A Bears spokesman maintains that the team's focus is on the lakefront site; however, the team still hasn’t put its Arlington Heights property up for sale. www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-bears-road-back-to-arlington-heights-should-be-much-easier-now/ar-BB1peVwZ?item=flightsprg-tipsubsc-v1a%3Fseason89c26d1ce19649ab8c6b1ea6904de419thu&cvid=d9dc44b58d6740199212191ec7796112&ei=32 Well, hopefully within a year this is finally settled. Cheers, 2b9😉😃👍
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