Bears’ bold stadium plan slapped with harsh reality by Illinois governor

The Chicago Bears unveiled their new stadium plan to plenty of intrigue from fans. However, just as soon as the blueprints were revealed, the Bears faced a tough decision by Illinois’ lawmakers.

Governor J.B. Pritzker in particular had a scathing review for Chicago’s plan. After meeting with the Bears, Pritzker’s office released a statement calling the vision a, “non starter,” via Alex Shapiro and Alex Fisher of NBC Chicago.

“As the Governor has said, the current proposal is a non-starter for the state,” press secretary Alex Gough said after the meeting. “In order to subsidize a brand new stadium for a privately owned sports team, the Governor would need to see a demonstratable and and tangible benefit to the taxpayers of Illinois.”

“The Governor’s office remains open to conversations with the Bears, lawmakers and other stakeholders with the understanding that responsible fiscal stewardship of tax-payer dollars remain the foremost priority,” the statement concluded.

In the Bears’ proposal, Chicago asked for $2.3 billion of their $4.6 million cost be paid by taxpayers. That seems to be the biggest sticking point in moving forward. Pritzker nor his constituents want to stick Illinois taxpayers with a $2.3 billion bill. If the Bears want to continue forward with their new stadium, they’ll need to find a better way to raise capital for the project.

While the statement is a real roadblock in Chicago’s plans, it isn’t necessarily a dead end. With the Governor’s office still open to proposals, the Bears can continue working on their vision. If it meets Pritztker and the taxpayers’ demands, the Bears will have a much better shot of finalizing their groundbreaking stadium plan.

Bears’ vision for new stadium