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Bear Digest

Gov. J.B. Pritzker Weighs in on Urgency for Bears Stadium Project

At an appearance Tuesday, the Illinois governor had a few words about where the Arlington Heights stadium issue is and seems to see where it needs to be.
Gene Chamberlain|
Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaking at the Polk County Democrats Steak Fry .
Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaking at the Polk County Democrats Steak Fry . | Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Remember the megaproject bill to help make the Bears stadium project in Arlington Heights reality?

It seems the state legislature doesn't, because the bill hasn't yet passed the House even after it had passed out committee in February, and the Senate must still approve it thereafter.

They resumed the spring session last week and nothing has happened. Tick, tick, tick, tick. ...

Two weeks ago Arlington Heights mayor Jim Tinaglia had set a deadline of sorts by saying he doubted the Bears would be willing to wait past the end of March with Indiana's offer already set and waiting.

In case anyone is unsure of the date, it's now a week before month’s end and there hasn't been a vote by the full House.

What the Bears think about this could become apparent by early next week because the NFL owners meetings in Arizona will be held and Bears board chairman George McCaskey and president Kevin Warren usually speak to someone there, team beat reporters or some select media.

Until then, and with the entire thing still being worked out in Springfield at a snail's pace, that great guardian of the people Gov. J. B. Pritzker has stepped forth to offer an opinion on the topic.  Between all of his political garbage, he may have provided futher reminder of the need for expedience.

Mostly Pritzker spends time these days lashing out at the White House as he tries to get in line for a run at the presidency in two years, but he did provide commentary on the Bears' situation. What he said had the distinct tone of a politician who wants to seek higher office rather than someone who wants to provide meaningful information or insight for current constituents, but at least it was something.

Pritzker's Tuesday comments

Pritzker was talking to reporters after speaking at the Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day on Tuesday, and was asked where the deal for Arlington Heights stands.

"I think we all feel like this needs to happen sooner rather than later," Pritzker said. "And it's in the hands of the legislature.

"As you know, we've done a lot of work in our administration to try to put something together that will work for both the state legislature and their concerns and the team itself. It is a pretty good deal that's being put on the table that I think seems to have support broadly by the Bears ownership. And so, really now it's in the hands of the

House of Representatives and then the Senate to get something done in a timely fashion."

Wow. Usually Pritzker can be a little more creative in hiding the fact he's a typical politician, but in that one short comment he boldly stamped himself for higher office by trying to deflect everything away from the governor's office and onto the legislature.

Just last season in September, and as late as November, he was trying to argue the Bears had to pay off the city's debt on Soldier Field's 2002 reconstruction after the team had already met its legal obligation. Later he relented and admitted they didn’t.

Now, he doesn't want it on his hands if the Bears leave for Indiana, and he's setting all that potential blame on the legislature.

Ultimately, the legislature will deserve at least a share or even more of the blame if the Bears go to Indiana. In particular, legislators from Chicago are holding this up because they still feel jilted even though it was their own failures led to the team's purchase of Arlington International Racecourse back when Ted Phillips was team president.

Pritzker's part in this is he should have been championing business all along instead of initially chasing them out of state, as he usually does.

Timely fashion!

Pritzker's last two words on this are the real joke: "Timely fashion."

Timely fashion went out the window since before Indiana started passing legislation to lure the Bears.

The ball remains in the hands of the legislature for now, but if they've sat there doing nothing, as usual, then by the owners meetings McCaskey and team president Kevin Warren will get to have their say on this.

Illinois' legislature doesn't shut down for summer until the end of May and in theory they could pass this at any time.

They've all been made aware through the Arlington Heights’ mayor, and now even Pritzker's brief comment about timely fashion that their clock doesn't run until the end of May for this deal to pass.

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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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