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Bear Digest

The Really Comical Clause Put into Chicago Bears Stadium Bill

It's not done yet after the House passed a bill much different than the original one, and there is a clause in it that should cause many Bears fans to laugh.
Gene Chamberlain|
Will what's left of the old Arlington Park property become a Bears stadium? It's debatable whether it's closer to reality after the state senate passed legislation designed to make it possible.
Will what's left of the old Arlington Park property become a Bears stadium? It's debatable whether it's closer to reality after the state senate passed legislation designed to make it possible. | Chicago Bears On SI Photo: Gene Chamberlain

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Chicago Bears

With Bears stadium legislation now passed into the hands of the Illinois Senate, it's no guarantee Arlington Heights will ever undertake the construction.

It depends on reconciliation between what the House passed and the Senate wants to do because the Bears'  tax costs would be much higher after late changes made to the megaproject bill. The tax certainty the Bear sought by working with Springfield was not higher taxes. The Bears could simply walk away from it all and accept Indiana's offer if they see the changes as too costly.

If the Bears' initial comments can be taken for how they really feel, there is still plenty of reconciling to do between the House bill and what the Senate passes.

The Bears issued a statement saying they saw the legislation as "...progress made on the House’s version of the (megaproject) bill; however, additional amendments are necessary to make the Arlington Heights site feasible for our stadium project. We support Illinois leaders as they determine the path forward to making the essential changes to the megaproject bill and aligning on infrastructure funding.”

The reason for lightly veiled skepticism instead of euphoria after so much consternation is alterations made to the legislation designed to provide property tax relief to the stadium area and even residents statewide. It's going to force up the price for the Bears. This all came about as part of involvement by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's strong ally, the state teachers’ union. They sensed their own interests challenged by less property taxes being paid to local school districts by the team over future years.

The easiest out for the Bears is simply going to Indiana instead of worrying about all of the in-fighting, cost, and debate to come in the next few weeks. Illinois is taking far too long to get this done, and the earliest it could be resolved will be the end of next week after the Senate takes it up.

Usually in Illinois these things go all the way to the deadline, which would be the end of May. When the White Sox built their current stadium, they went past the deadline to get a deal done.

Something to laugh about

While the debate has been long and many charges fired from both sides greatly exaggerated, there is one thing standing out as easily the most ridiculous and even comical aspect.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the bill as advanced includes a curious clause.

This clause bars local and state officials from accepting free or discounted tickets or tickets at a stadium built through this bill "...unless the free or discounted ticket is given or sold as part of a promotion generally available to the public on the same terms as (is) generally available to the public."

Right.

Good luck with keeping politicians out of that new stadium for free or on the cheap after they made it all possible.

Most fans can't even dream of being able to afford tickets to games now after the Bears raised ticket prices by 13% this year and 24% over the past few years. The cost will be even greater in a new facility.

But you can bet politicians will still get their kickbacks in the form of tickets in an unmarked envelop of some other way. It might even be as simple as a little-known side door to the facility.

Call it a "wink, wink" operation.

It's the Chicago way.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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