Chicago politicians are doing Windy City politician things to try to keep the Bears in town
The Chicago Bears have made it clear to the NFL on multiple occasions, including this week at an NFL meeting in Orlando, they are leaving the city and will build a new stadium either in Arlington Heights, Illinois, or in Hammond, Indiana. But that isn't stopping Chicago politicians from trying behind-the-scenes plotting to change the circumstances.
This is apparently a case of Chicago politicians doing Chicago politician things.
First, let's examine the facts according to the Bears: They're leaving Chicago.
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"The team has been clear with the city of Chicago and state leaders there are only two viable stadium locations under consideration, Arlington Heights and Hammond, and a decision is expected between the two later this spring or early summer," the team said in a statement released Wednesday evening.
This statement, by the way, echoes prior club statements and what club officials have told the NFL's Stadium Committee over the past month, including on Tuesday in Orlando.
"There was a report on all of the stadium projects. We’re in the midst of what we would call a very significant stadium construction period and/or significant renovations," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters at the end of the meeting of owners. "There was a specific update on the Bears with respect to the two sites that they are evaluating that are viable in the Bears’ mind and others, in ours. One in Illinois and one in Indiana.
"That process is going on. The legislature in Illinois is obviously focused on that. They’re getting into the final days of their session. I’ve spoken to the governor recently. I think there’s a focus on trying to get something done there, and then they’ll have two viable sites that the Bears can make their decision from."
ILLINOIS GOVERNOR SAYS CHICAGO MAYOR HAS 'NO PLAN' FOR KEEPING THE BEARS
So, again, two viable sites: Arlington Heights in Illinois and Hammond in Indiana.
That's how the Bears see it. That's how the NFL sees it. That's the message from the commissioner to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
But apparently Chicago politicians aren't reading it that way. The Bears have played in the Windy City since 1921 and the Chicago politicians will be darned if they're going to just let their legacy franchise leave town without a fight.
Even if they have to throw some sucker punches.
And that's exactly what they're apparently doing if one believes Illinois Sen. Bill Cunningham, who told the Chicago Tribune on Wednesday that Chicago legislators are trying to throw a wrench into the machinery of moving the Arlington Heights project legislation along.
"...By virtue of the fact that the Bears did outreach to the city as [of] late April, that has given credence to the mayor’s claim that a lakefront site is still viable," Cunningham told the newspaper. "That has helped him to convince Chicago legislators to move slowly, to give the city a chance to better develop a new lakefront plan and to not support the Arlington Heights site."
LOLOLOL.
Chicago legislators are undercutting other Illinois legislators' efforts to finish work on a bill that would keep the Bears in the state, although in Arlington Heights rather than Chicago.
The Illinois legislature faces a May 31 deadline to finalize their Arlington Heights work. Otherwise, the only tangible choice the Bears would have is the Indiana site because that state's legislature put together a package to help the Bears fund a new stadium and Governor Mike Braun signed the bill into law.
So Illinois is at minimum trying to keep the Bears in the state.
But the Chicago folks are moving slowly to improve their chances of keeping their team in their city, even if it costs the state the team.
This infighting surprises. Or perhaps not.
Pritzker said this week that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has "no plan" for keeping the Bears in town.
"As to the prospects for a passage of a bill or what might happen with the Bears, I would say I know the mayor has no plan," Pritzker said. He has come up with no plan at all about how the Bears would end up in the city of Chicago. So that's problematic. I'd love them to be in the city, but we are three years in now, and he still has no plan."
Interesting to see the Illinois politicians work.
The Bears would love to stay in Chicago, but that would require a 99-yard Hail Mary on the part of Johnson and his legislator buddies. And now with the infighting and looming legislative deadline, we might have to become comfortable with the idea of the team playing in Indiana.
