* Text from a prominent subscriber over the weekend…
New Indiana fiscal note dropped Friday night. An absolute cornucopia of new taxes.
Admissions tax established. New one percent food and beverage tax in Lake and Porter County. New Lake County 5% hotel tax. Creation of special taxing district in Hammond that captures sales, use tax, and income tax(!) paid within the district. Two new funds created for the collection of “all excise taxes.” Incremental sales and property tax growth in district is captured. Tollway pays for any related road improvements in a 7 county area. One provision reads: “at least 50% of the cost of the project to construct a professional spoon facility must be provided by private investment” — which kinda implies the taxpayers will be on the hook for 49%
I’m probably missing stuff.
Whew.
Click here to see what the subscriber missed, if anything.
* Crain’s Saturday…
After jolting Illinois leaders by praising Indiana’s stadium push, the Chicago Bears now say they are moving forward on legislation in Springfield.
“We continue to work with Illinois’ leadership and appreciate the progress being made,” Bears CEO Kevin Warren said today in a statement shared with Crain’s.
The shift in tone comes two days after the team hailed an Indiana House committee’s approval of a stadium finance authority in Hammond as the “most meaningful efforts in our stadium planning efforts to date” — a statement that drew a sharp rebuke from Gov. JB Pritzker, who said he was “surprised, dismayed and very disappointed” by that messaging.
Pritzker noted that the Bears’ enthusiastic assessment of Indiana’s efforts came just a day after his staff, legislators and team representatives met for three hours to discuss legislation the team is seeking in Illinois.
* Fox 32…
Wherever the Bears end up, city and state officials are laying the groundwork for a Bears-less future at Soldier Field. Fox 32 Chicago has learned that members of the Chicago Park District have been quietly pitching a plan for the 101-year-old stadium to state lawmakers and the governor’s office in recent weeks.
The plan involves transforming the stadium into a massive concert and special event venue, and it carries an expected price tag of $630 million, according to a draft of the presentation shared with Fox 32 Chicago.
Sources say the money breaks down to $130 million in direct stadium renovations, including a new sound system and new dressing rooms, and half a billion in surrounding infrastructure to tackle traffic management and parking.
Park District officials say a chunk of the cost could be covered by the Bears — who will owe nearly $90 million if they break their lease with the Park District before 2033. Park District officials are pitching state lawmakers on a funding package that would include money from the state’s road fund — paid for by motor fuel taxes — to help with the infrastructure upgrades.
* Tribune…
As Indiana and Illinois lawmakers spar over where the Chicago Bears should build a new stadium, even Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker acknowledged Friday that the team’s next home is unlikely to rise within Chicago’s city limits.
“I think now there’s a common understanding by most of the (Illinois) General Assembly that they’re not going to be able to build in the city of Chicago,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker’s pronouncement came a day after Indiana lawmakers took another step toward potentially luring the Chicago Bears across the border to Hammond, as a key Indiana House committee approved a plan to create an agency that would build a new stadium for the team.
The vote more firmly pits Indiana versus Illinois as the Bears weigh a move from Soldier Field, their home for more than half a century. And given the lack of movement on any stadium projects near Soldier Field or elsewhere in Chicago, Pritzker’s latest comments suggest that Illinois’ only viable option is the land the Bears own in northwest suburban Arlington Heights.
- Google is Your Friend - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 9:59 am:
Indiana is for tax lovers!
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:06 am:
Additional taxes while also demanding 100% scab labor?
Sounds like a GOP-led state.
- JS Mill - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:10 am:
New Indiana slogan probably- Welcome to the Hoosier State- if billionaires want stuff you will pay for it.
- Remember the Alamo II - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:11 am:
Typical Bears - snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
- Sox Fan - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:14 am:
“One provision reads: “at least 50% of the cost of the project to construct a professional spoon facility must be provided by private investment””
Plastic or metal spoons? Indiana covering half the cost of a new spoon making facility to the industrial area of hammond would probably make more sense than putting a stadium there.
- AlfondoGonz - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:15 am:
Does anyone come out of this looking worse than Warren? He spent most of the last 3 years seemingly playing Mayor Johnson like a fool, presumably to leverage him for a better deal in AH. He then fails to capitalize, tries to, again presumably, re-up his leverage with, only to get way over his skis such that he made himself look incompetent while angering most of the states that touch Lake Michigan.
AH was as close to inevitable as it gets. Warren had 4 years to broker acceptable terms and, ideally, forge good working relationships. It appears he managed neither.
- Peters Piece - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:19 am:
The Illinois Legislature may be convinced the Bears will not build a stadium in Chicago. I am less convinced by the day that the Bears will build a new stadium.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:22 am:
===Whew===
Indiana’s elected officials have abandoned the pretense of actually caring about the lives and livelihoods of their constituents.
Folks that think having a Bears stadium there will some how be a massive boon to Indiana probably don’t understand how incredibly difficult it is for someone who has just landed in one of the major airports in the area to get to Hammond Indiana. It’s not exactly like just taking a train directly to your downtown hotel, or taking the free shuttle bus to one of the many hotels designed to serve the already developed convention centers in the area.
There will be no attracting people from Evanston to Hammond, Indiana.
All roads lead to the Chicago lakefront. Not to Hammond, Indiana.
I don’t know anyone who has intentionally or accidentally flown into the Gary airport to get to Chicago.
- Sue - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:26 am:
Personally don’t care where the Bears land but for all criticizing Indiana- the State’s GDP growth is more then double that of Illinois over the last decade- states that grow their economy are better positioned to grab opportunities then states losing taxpayers and businesses
- Jerry - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:27 am:
Who cares where they build the TV studio for a dozen shows a year? If Indiana wants to give away free handouts (“tax certainty” aka tax increases)…good luck!
- Save Ferris - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:27 am:
Really good article here on the taxes. Some key points:
- The bill allows Lake and Porter counties to each adopt a 1% food-and-beverage tax by June 30, 2027. Revenue from these taxes would go to the Northwest Indiana Stadium Board.
- The bill allows Lake County to increase the local hotel tax rate from its current 5% to 10%.
- Hammond could also establish a 12% admissions tax on tickets for events held in the stadium.
https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2026/02/23/fiscal-impact-statement-on-stadium-bill-outlines-millions-in-tax-increases/
- Spork Facility - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:29 am:
Indiana’s plan to have NW Indiana pay for the development
- New Day - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:30 am:
Surprised you haven’t excerpted the brilliant Tribune editorial board analysis of this one. They LOVE to dance on the undug grave of Illinois on this one. So silly. They, pretty much the entire Indiana government establishment and most sports reporters are going to have an enormous amount of egg on their faces when this is all over and Kevin Warren will have succeeded in pissing everyone off on both sides of the border.
- NIU Grad - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:30 am:
With a renovated Soldier Field being used for high-visibility, money-making concerts, how long until Chicago is in the market to lure a second NFL team to the region? They might be able to get the Arizona Cardinals for a discount…
- Oklahoma - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:31 am:
Importantly, the Bears never own the facility until all of those those bonds are paid off.
If past is any precedent, that is likely never?
- Think again - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:33 am:
=Additional taxes while also demanding 100% scab labor?=
Keep up, Indiana now has a project labor agreement in the stadium legislation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/20/chicago-bears-stadium-bill-now-includes-union-friendly-language/
- Responsa - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:35 am:
The Bears will not be playing in Indiana. This will be borne out whenever the political game that is being played by the Bears organization is finished. We all know it.
- Oklahoma - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:35 am:
I think the Chicago Park District would be very wise to issue a notice of inquiry for NFL teams who may be interested in playing at Soldier Field.
Agree with the Chicago Cardinals comment.
- Thomas Paine - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:36 am:
=== Indiana’s plan to have NW Indiana pay for the development ===
And at he same time, the state of Indiana sees no revenue growth.
When I was a kid, they called this a boondoggle.
- H-W - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:43 am:
So we can assume that next year, the Bears will be in Chicago. And the next year too. And unless Arlington Heights to let the Bears decide how much tax they want to pay into the Arlington Heights coffers, the Bears will remain in Chicago for the long run.
A lot of energy is being wasted by the Bears and the media outlets hoping to persuade Arlington Heights that the Bears should be able to tax themselves (e.g., decide how much to give to Arlington Heights). I hope Arlington Heights holds its ground and treats the Bears like any other business, instead of treating the Bears as a first among equals.
- TNR - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:49 am:
From the analysis:
== The bill requires the Indiana Sports Corporation, beginning July 1, 2027, to ensure that 20% of the money received by the Indiana Sports Corporation each biennium is used for events supported by the northwest Indiana stadium authority ==
That is the public funding source for the Colts stadium in Indianapolis. I wonder how folks there are going to react to a skim of their cash for a different region of the state.
Are the Bears creating a dynamic in Indiana similar to the one that has hobbled their Arlington Heights proposal in Illinois by asking members who represent the biggest city in the state to give something up for another municipality?
- Sox Fan - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:49 am:
The big winner is potentially going to be the Reinsdorf/Ishbia White Sox ownership group. All they have to do is wait out the Bears incompetence and pit all of these stadium sites against each other and choose the highest bidder.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:49 am:
===The Bears will not be playing in Indiana. ===
Their front office could screw up so bad that they wind up playing in Indiana and become a real estate developer in Arlington Heights.
- here we go again - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:50 am:
Billionaire owners of the Bears playing everyone like a fiddle. [Cue Mr. Burns from The Simpsons: “Exeeeeleeent.”]
- Think again - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:52 am:
=Their front office could screw up so bad that they wind up playing in Indiana and become a real estate developer in Arlington Heights=
The best of both worlds
- JB13 - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:53 am:
So it’s not a good use of taxpayer money to support game changing economic development in post-industrial wastelands?
Interesting take, Illinois Democrats.
- fs - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 10:56 am:
== how long until Chicago is in the market to lure a second NFL team to the region?==
The nfl gives teams veto power over a team potentially moving anywhere within a 75 mile radius. So the answer to your question is: likely never.
- Steve - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 11:26 am:
If Indiana wants the Bears rent-seeking off their taxpayers : let them.
- Rudy’s teeth - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 11:28 am:
A lack of infrastructure in the Region prohibits any feasible attempt to lure the Bears to Hammond. Recently the voters in Hammond refused to support a referendum to fund schools. The school system closed several elementary and high schools as a result.
The state of Indiana cuts funding for public education yet it plans to hike taxes to fund a stadium. Not likely.
- Paul - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 11:30 am:
A fiscal note on the proposed Chicago Bears stadium construction package shows Northwest Indiana residents could pay millions in new taxes:
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/bears-stadium-bill-opens-door-new-indiana-taxes
- Alton Sinkhole - Monday, Feb 23, 26 @ 11:36 am:
==The state of Indiana cuts funding for public education yet it plans to hike taxes to fund a stadium. Not likely.==
First: I agree 100% that they’re not going to end up in Hammond. But I wouldn’t be surprised if a surprising majority of people in Indiana would be fine with taxes for a FOOTBAW stadium and not public schools. It’s not much different from Louisiana, Alabama, or Mississippi in those ways.