The melodrama regarding the Chicago Bears and their quest for a new stadium took another unexpected turn with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledging that he recently conducted an unpublicized meeting with several Illinois lawmakers to discuss the team’s future.
USA Today reports Goodell offered little insight on the depth and scope of the meetings, which comes at a time when the team claimed it was focused on selecting a site in Hammond, Indiana, for a new enclosed stadium. But while Indiana has given the team a standing offer to cross the state line for their new home, the team has yet to officially commit to a Hammond relocation.
However, Illinois lawmakers have not provided a counteroffer to help finance a stadium in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights. The team’s executive leadership had previously insisted they would make a final decision by late spring.
“There’s no specific timetable from my standpoint, other than we know that they are looking at the alternate groups, Indiana or Arlington Heights,” Goodell told reporters after team owners met at an Atlanta airport hotel. “We want to make sure that Arlington Heights and Illinois have an opportunity, as well as Indiana, to put their best foot forward.”
Goodell added that his meeting with Illinois lawmakers was simply part of NFL business and not a sign that he was trying to prevent the team from leaving the state.
“I’m involved in a lot of stadium efforts,” he said. “It’s not unusual for me to be involved in conversations with either public officials or others. Or our staff. There are important decisions, not just for the communities but for teams and the NFL. So, these are important things for us.”
0 Comments