The Chicago Bears’ stadium plans have bounced around potential possibilities for the past five years. It started with Arlington Heights, moved to downtown, then back to Arlington Heights, and most recently has involved a potential site in northwestern Indiana. After the Illinois legislature failed to pass any bill that would’ve given the Bears property tax assistance before the May 31st deadline, the team held a vote to devote their attention to building in Hammond, Indiana. No specific site has been selected yet, but many feel it’s all but a done deal.
Others argue that until shovels are in the ground, nothing is decided yet. That is what longtime NFL reporter and insider Dan Pompei had to say about the situation during an interview with 104.3 The Score. Here is where it gets interesting. One must remember that the NFL has a stake in this process. They’ve been wanting the Bears to get a new stadium built for years, tired of having one of the marquee franchises stuck in an old and outdated building like Soldier Field. What is their preference in all of this, or do they even have one?
Pompei knows they do, and it’s Arlington Heights.
This puts the Chicago Bears stadium shift to Hammond in a new perspective.
Keep this in mind. The Bears hosted multiple NFL representatives for a visit to Hammond last year, including Commissioner Roger Goodell. So this report of the league preferring Arlington Heights was made with full knowledge of what the Bears would be getting if they accepted the Indiana offer. That says a lot. It also offers strong indications that this latest shift to Hammond might not be the endgame some people think it is. There is now a stronger possibility that it is a power play by the team to force the Illinois government into action.
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Based on the recent string of reports, there is mounting pressure on Governor J.B. Pritzker to do something to save the situation before it’s too late. He deserves a lot of the blame for letting things get this far. Pritzker didn’t give the Bears’ stadium issue the time of day for three years, until they threatened to move to Indiana. That lack of urgency on his part now threatens to destroy one of his state’s greatest legacies. This government is controlled by his party. It falls on him to do something.
NFL pressure might be why this issue continues.
Under normal circumstances, the Bears’ stadium would likely already be under construction. After all, Indiana is offering a far sweeter deal than anything Illinois has put on the table. Most owners would’ve jumped the border by now. It is possible that power brokers within the NFL are urging the Bears to continue negotiating with Springfield over Arlington Heights. They’re fairly close. They own the property and have worked out tax agreements with the township. All they need is legislation to make those negotiations legal.
Yet the government can’t get out of its own way. Nobody can agree on anything. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is using every trick he has to block the Arlington Heights move. He says it’s because he wants to keep the team in the city, but most believe he doesn’t want to lose revenue from commuter traffic. Others want their share of the pie, making it even harder to form a coalition. Add the fact that Kevin Warren and George McCaskey have zero experience dealing with politicians, and you have the mudpit they’re stuck in.
