Why It Matters
Illinois lawmakers face pressure to advance legislation aimed at keeping the Chicago Bears in the state as the team prepares to meet with NFL leadership next week. The franchise is weighing options between Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Hammond, Indiana, with a decision expected this spring or early summer. Without legislative progress, the state risks losing the team and its associated economic impact.
What Happened
Governor JB Pritzker told reporters Friday the Illinois Senate needs to move quickly on House Bill 910, a megaprojects measure that includes incentives designed to retain the Bears. The bill passed the House but faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where Democratic Senator Bill Cunningham declined to commit to advancing the legislation when the chamber returns next week.
Pritzker acknowledged the team’s concerns about the current version of the bill. The Bears issued a statement saying the measure needs revisions before they can support it.
By The Numbers
The legislation has expanded from 38 pages to 377 pages as lawmakers added economic development programs across the state. The bill includes a provision allowing local governments to impose a 9 percent amusement tax in STAR bonds districts. The Bears are seeking approximately $800 million in infrastructure funding for construction around the proposed Arlington Heights site, though that money would be considered separately during budget negotiations in late May.
The NFL has been pressuring the Bears to finalize their stadium location decision. According to ESPN, team leadership plans to choose between the Illinois and Indiana sites either in late spring or early summer.
What the Bears Want Changed
Pritzker said the team opposes the 9 percent amusement tax provision that the House added to the bill. The tax would apply to events in STAR bonds districts, though stadiums themselves are excluded from STAR bonds eligibility under the legislation.
The governor said the Bears made clear from the beginning that an amusement tax on top of other taxes would not work for their project. The team did not anticipate that provision when the bill moved through the House.
State Representative Kam Buckner, a House negotiator on the bill, defended the tax provision in a statement. He said the clause is not specifically for the Bears and provides a statewide framework giving every community tools to develop entertainment districts. Buckner noted Arlington Heights is a home rule municipality that already can impose such taxes under existing Illinois law without this legislation.
Infrastructure Funding
The Bears continue to request infrastructure funds for construction around the Arlington Heights site. Pritzker said some of that money has already been allocated for projects in the area that are scheduled regardless of whether the team relocates there.
Infrastructure appropriations were not included in House Bill 910 and would be addressed during the budget process at the end of May.
Zoom Out
The Chicago Bears stadium debate reflects broader competition among states to retain professional sports franchises through public financing packages. Several NFL teams have secured stadium deals in recent years using a combination of state tax incentives, infrastructure funding, and local government bonds.
Illinois lawmakers crafted the megaprojects bill to address not just the Bears situation but economic development needs across the state. The legislation’s expansion to 377 pages demonstrates how targeted incentives often grow into broader policy packages as lawmakers add provisions for their districts.
What’s Next
The Senate returns to session Tuesday and will begin evaluating the megaprojects bill. It remains unclear whether the chamber will act on the measure next week while the House is out of session. If the Senate passes the bill, the earliest it could reach the governor’s desk is the first week of May.
The Bears will meet with NFL officials next week to discuss their stadium search. While Pritzker said the meeting alone will not determine the outcome, he indicated lack of visible progress in the Senate could complicate Illinois’ position.