Bears Stadium Fight Becomes a Campaign Issue as Illinois Midterms Approach

The question of where the Chicago Bears will build a new stadium has moved from sports bar debate to the center of Illinois' governor's race. With the Nov. 3 election approaching, Republican challenger Darren Bailey is pressing the issue against Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, hoping it can draw voters to GOP candidates.

At their Oct. 13 forum, Bailey said he was "just glad I'm not going to be known as the governor that lost the Bears." He later called the line a "jab," a sound bite aimed at newscasts and social media. Illinois Republican Party Chair Bob Grogan said Pritzker backs "policies that are forcing small businesses and the Chicago Bears to greener pastures." Bailey has told the Tribune Editorial Board that Pritzker has "done nothing" to keep the team in the state.

The team is weighing sites in Arlington Heights, Chicago and Hammond, Indiana. In Springfield, separate proposals are pending in the House and Senate, both aimed at property taxes, a major obstacle to an Illinois deal. One would let the Bears and other big developers negotiate an annual payment to local governments in place of property taxes. The other would create a local stadium authority to allow a privately funded, publicly owned stadium that would be exempt from those taxes.

Pritzker and legislative leaders say talks with the team continue. On Oct. 1, they met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Pat Ryan, a minority Bears owner and board member. Pritzker expects action when lawmakers return for two separate weeks in mid-November and early December. He told the Tribune he does not believe a Bears move is "going to happen" and said critics, including his opponent, "have never been in a serious negotiation before."

Bailey's own stance has drawn scrutiny. On Sept. 18 outside Soldier Field, he proposed a privately funded stadium that roughly mirrors what lawmakers have already floated, including about $800 million in taxpayer-funded infrastructure. What he did not say then, but disclosed later, is that the state would contribute nothing until it rolls back gasoline tax increases and provides local property tax relief.

Those conditions face hurdles. Bailey says he would roll back the motor fuel tax by executive order, but Illinois governors cannot suspend state laws the way Indiana's governor can. Property taxes are levied locally, so relief would require another revenue source, likely a significant state sales or income tax increase that would be hard to pass. The conditions could leave the issue unresolved for a long time if he won.

Bailey has also shown some inconsistency. He has said Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, a Republican, assured him a move is "already done," and he voiced support for an open-air stadium, though the team favors a dome that could host nonfootball events. In an interview with a St. Louis TV reporter, he struggled to name a favorite Bears player, mentioning the mascot Staley and past figures before asking, "Is it Williams, No. 18?" Caleb Williams is the current quarterback.

The Bears' search has dragged on for years. In February, Braun signed a bill outlining financing for an Indiana stadium, and in June the team said its board voted to proceed with plans in Hammond. Under that arrangement, the team would invest over $2 billion and Indiana $1 billion. Little has advanced since. Pritzker has blamed the team for a lack of action, saying the Bears "did a terrible job of lobbying" and should work directly with legislators.

State Rep. Kam Buckner, a Chicago Democrat and the House's point person on the issue, doubts losing the team would carry a heavy political price. Citing internal polling over the past 18 months, he said people overwhelmingly want the Bears to stay, but even more overwhelmingly "we don't want to pay for it."