Overview
- State Rep. Kam Buckner introduced the STARS Act during the fall veto session, proposing stricter oversight of stadium subsidies tied to the Bears’ Arlington Heights plan.
- The bill requires stadium funding deals to be posted online for 30 days, two public hearings, and a neutral COGFA cost-benefit analysis paid by the team.
- Teams would have to reimburse local schools, libraries, and emergency services for lost property-tax revenue and repay subsidies with compounded interest if commitments lapse or the team relocates.
- Its near-term impact is uncertain given the short session and higher vote thresholds, even as the Bears press for a property-tax framework and $855 million for surrounding infrastructure.
- Gov. J.B. Pritzker maintains that the Bears should address roughly $534 million in Soldier Field debt, while the team cites a $5 billion-plus budget that grows by more than $10 million each month for a 60,000-seat Arlington Park stadium.