Overview
- Last week, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Bears minority owner Pat Ryan met with Gov. J.B. Pritzker and top Illinois lawmakers to press talks that have shifted toward a stadium-authority option.
- Under the stadium-authority model being discussed, a public entity would own the site while the Bears would pay to build and operate the venue, and publicly owned buildings would be exempt from local property taxes.
- The Illinois Senate approved enabling legislation in the spring but the measure never reached a House vote, and officials are aiming to take action during the fall veto session scheduled for Nov. 17–19 and Dec. 1–3.
- Indiana remains a live alternative after Gov. Mike Braun signed a bill in February offering roughly $1 billion in incentives, while reporting estimates the Bears would invest more than $2 billion in a new stadium.
- Nearby suburbs worry about who will pay for roads, traffic mitigation and other infrastructure, and residents and local leaders say the deal could change travel and tax burdens for thousands of people near Arlington Heights.