Illinois Makes Renewed Effort to Keep the Chicago Bears from Going to Indiana

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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is making a renewed push to accommodate the Chicago Bears after Indiana lawmakers have made repeated overtures to bring the team into their state.

WIBC reports Pritzker and Illinois legislative leaders have agreed to a public funding package for the infrastructure surrounding the team’s proposed new domed stadium site in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights. The lawmakers propose having the team covering construction costs while pledging to negotiate property tax levels with the Arlington Heights officials. The Bears have sought a long-term, lower property tax bill in Arlington Heights.

“We’re in consistent conversation with the Chicago Bears,” Pritzker said during a Monday press conference. “We are helping businesses build infrastructure, for example, which [the Bears] would need, along with other things available to any business that is growing in the State of Illinois.”

Pritzker added he wanted a deal that worked for his constituents.

“The key thing for me, and this is the most important point that I would make, is we’re not going to do anything bad for the taxpayers here,” he added.