Illinois Governor Pritzker Urges Senate to Act Quickly on Chicago Bears Stadium Bill
Why It Matters
Illinois faces a ticking clock in its effort to keep the Chicago Bears from relocating to neighboring Indiana. Governor JB Pritzker publicly called on the state Senate to move quickly on megaprojects legislation that could anchor the Bears to Arlington Heights — warning that prolonged inaction could make it harder to compete with Hammond, Indiana, for the franchise.
The stakes extend well beyond football. The legislation carries sweeping economic development programs stretching from Chicago to Springfield, and an NFL decision on stadium location could shape Illinois’s economic landscape for decades.
What Happened
Speaking to reporters in Chicago on Friday, Governor Pritzker said the Senate needs to act with urgency on House Bill 910, the megaprojects bill passed by the Illinois House. The Bears are scheduled to meet with NFL leadership next week to discuss their stadium search, adding external pressure to an already complex legislative timeline.
Bears leadership has indicated they plan to choose between Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Hammond, Indiana, either late spring or early summer. The NFL has been pushing the team to reach a decision sooner rather than later.
Senate committee chair Sen. Bill Cunningham, a Chicago Democrat, stopped short of committing to advance the bill when the Senate reconvenes next week, saying lawmakers will evaluate the legislation and determine next steps. Pritzker did not hide his frustration with that measured response.
“Having said that, if there is not true progress that gets made, if it isn’t obvious to people that the Senate is moving in the right direction, I think that will make it challenging,” Pritzker said.
By the Numbers
38 pages — the original length of the megaprojects bill before amendments expanded it dramatically.
377 pages — the bill’s current length after additional economic development programs were added.
9% — the amusement tax rate that local governments could impose on events held within a STAR bonds district under the current bill language — a provision the Bears have opposed.
$800 million — the approximate amount in infrastructure funding the Bears are seeking for construction around the Arlington Heights site, though Pritzker noted some of those funds were already set aside for projects in the area regardless of whether the Bears relocate there.
First week of May — the earliest the legislation could reach the governor’s desk, given the current legislative calendar.
Points of Contention
The Bears have objected to the 9% amusement tax provision included by the House. While the bill explicitly excludes stadiums from STAR bonds eligibility, other portions of a broader Arlington Park development could still be subject to the tax. Pritzker acknowledged the team’s position, saying the franchise made its opposition to an amusement tax clear from the start of negotiations.
However, House negotiator Rep. Kam Buckner pushed back firmly on characterizing the provision as a Bears-specific measure. “This is not a Bears clause. This is part of a statewide framework making sure that every region, city, town, and village in Illinois has the ability to utilize the full set of tools in the toolbox,” Buckner said in a statement to Capitol News Illinois.
Buckner further noted that Arlington Heights is already a home rule municipality, meaning Illinois law already permits it to impose amusement taxes without this legislation. The provision, he argued, is designed to give non-home-rule communities across the state access to the same economic development tools.
Pritzker also acknowledged the bill has grown unwieldy, saying it “probably has too many items associated with it, or at least some of them that need amending.” The expansion from 38 to 377 pages reflects how lawmakers loaded the bill with a range of economic programs unrelated to the stadium itself — a pattern that often complicates passage of major legislation in Springfield. The governor’s affordable housing plan is currently navigating similar Senate deliberations amid opposition from municipalities.
Zoom Out
The Bears’ stadium situation is part of a broader national trend of NFL franchises leveraging relocation threats to secure taxpayer-backed infrastructure and development subsidies. States and municipalities have repeatedly faced pressure to approve large government spending packages in exchange for keeping professional sports franchises — often with mixed results for local taxpayers. Illinois’s legislative process, already stretched thin as lawmakers struggle to advance other priorities compared to peer states, now faces added urgency from an outside NFL timeline.
What’s Next
The Illinois Senate returns Tuesday and will begin reviewing House Bill 910. It is unclear whether the chamber will take action next week while the House is in recess. Infrastructure funding for the project is not included in the megaprojects bill and is expected to be addressed separately during the state budget process at the end of May. The Bears’ meeting with NFL officials next week could also influence how quickly Illinois lawmakers feel compelled to act.