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This deal is going to Arlington Heights. Not even the messed up Democratic policy makers in Illinois can screw this up. I applaud all who have contributed to the Indiana proposals but it ain’t gonna happen.
100% Correct – The Bears will be in Arlington Heights – they are using Indiana as a hammer to pound the Illinois politicians into giving them tax breaks and free infrastructure improvements. The Bears ain’t moving to Indiana…
+1
“Bray, Indiana’s Senate president, said state officials are “not really taking a look at what Illinois is providing and trying to be in an open competition with them.”
“We just think we have an offer and a template that we’ve used down here in Indianapolis that’s really competitive and an attractive offer, that works both for the taxpayers of Indiana and maybe for the Chicago Bears,” he said.“
I am skeptical the Bears are really serious about moving the stadium to Indiana, but I’m hopeful.
That said, I certainty hope our states leaders are smarter on the deal terms than public reporting indicates.
The Bears offered Illinois a privately funded stadium with a surrounding campus but just wanted taxpayer infrastructure support for the stadium and surrounding development.
Indiana is apparently offering essentially a Colts deal of a 100% taxpayer funded stadium with a lease term that does not match the outstanding debt term. The Colts have the most subsidized stadium in NFL history. Additionally the Colts lease will terminate early in 2030 with a mountain of public debt.
Remember Chicago taxpayers still owe over $600 million for the 2003 renovation of Soldier Field that the Bears want to abandon.
No deal is always better than a poor deal.
Either way, the Bears leverage with a potential Indiana deal will be disappearing at the end of the Indiana legislative session.
“That said, I certainty hope our states leaders are smarter on the deal terms than public reporting indicates.”
The public reporting, sadly, confirms your suspicion that our legislators are terrible negotiators. We are so desperate that we have to give them a free stadium. I’d like to buy my next car off Huston.
Joe B, if you do buy your next car off Huston, it would be wise to double check the math on the purchase agreement.
Oh, for sure. But who else would start the negotiation with the amount of money you’re receiving in addition to driving the car off the lot?
This whole thing is stupid but not surprising .
Senator Bray should pay attention to the Illinois proposal because that’s where this appears to be headed. It looks like the Bears want more than just a free stadium; they appear to be willing to pay for the stadium in exchange for rights to a major development with required infrastructure paid for by taxpayers.