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Pritzker discusses Bears proposal, says it shouldn’t be highest priority, wants to make sure ‘taxpayers are getting a return on their investment’

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Illinois

* From Gov. Pritzker’s press conference today…

Q: Your reaction to seeing the Chicago Bears planning to put in $2 billion to what would be a publicly owned stadium. Are you at all leaving the door open to any public funding should the Bears make such an investment that would potentially fund the majority of the project?

Pritzker: You know, saying that you’re going to put private money, I think we all assumed that they were going to put private money. If they weren’t, then there’s no chance. And so that’s a good first step. But I haven’t heard a proposal that goes along with that $2 billion private investment that says that the state should be involved in anything. I want to say it one more time: We’re prioritizing the use of dollars here for people who need it, those dollars. Wealthy owners of sports teams - I respect that they run private businesses, they want them to be profitable, and they want constantly to provide better facilities for their customers - but I don’t think that should be the highest priority for the state of Illinois. And instead, I’m willing to listen to whatever it is that they’re proposing. But my number one concern is prioritizing the dollars and making sure that the taxpayers are getting a return on their investment.

Thoughts?

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:07 pm

Comments

A simple no to the idea would’ve been better. There are 3 privately funded NFL stadiums; Metlife (Jets/Giants), SoFi (Chargers/Rams), and Gillette (Patriots). The Bears should build the 4th. The State of Il shouldn’t be using tax money to help a Billionaires club.

Just my 2c.

Comment by Mason born Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:15 pm
=If they weren’t [going to put in private money], then there’s no chance.=

Methinks the Governor just shot a torpedo into Mr. Reinsdorf’s plan for a fully-public-funded ball park.

Comment by Colin O'Scopy Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:17 pm
=== I’m willing to listen to whatever it is that they’re proposing. ===

We’re now years deep into this saga without any concrete ask from the Bears. Do the Bears even know what they want from state government?

Comment by vern Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:18 pm
===Methinks===

You think right.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:19 pm
Is there any conceivable way both the Sox and Bears get public money? So far, Pritzker has avoided a definitive “no” to public money, but billions of dollars (or diversion of tax money) seems like a stretch.

Comment by Original Anon Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:19 pm
JB is being polite, but is still saying no. At least that is me reading between the lines.

Also “publicly owned” stadiums that private entities still get all the benefits from still deprive us of tax revenue from property taxes. It is always a grift on behalf of already extremely profitable private businesses.

Sports teams need major markets more than major markets need sports teams. LA did nothing and gave the NFL nothing and ended up getting two teams. They need us more than we need them.

Comment by Homebody Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:22 pm
let assume the Governor and mayor both go crazy and want to fund Bears do the Bears think Friend of the Parks are going to go along? they could delay this two years without trying. the Nears have a viable place that they own and could make a deal on tax’s for chump change by NFL standards and be up and running before they would be done in court in Chicago. No money except infrastructure for any stadium or ball park

Comment by DuPage Saint Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:25 pm
My apologies, the total cost of the White Sox project is $4 billion, Reinsdorf is asking for $2 billion that would come from TIF money in the project area, as well as an extension of the tourism tax.

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/pritzker-really-reluctant-to-commit-state-money-to-white-sox-south-loop-ballpark/3366278/?amp=1

So, it sounds to me like both Sox and Bears are offering to put up $2B.

Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:36 pm
===that would come from TIF money===

lol

Wrong.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:39 pm
I respect that the Governor has been consistent on his feelings towards public money going to stadiums. But I’m still concerned that when all is said and done, both teams will walk away with new stadiums with significant public assistance. Based on the past 30-40 years of stadium financing, that’s typically how these things go. Not sure what’s going to make Illinois/Chicago any different.

Comment by Sox Fan Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:40 pm
==Based on the past 30-40 years of stadium financing, that’s typically how these things go. Not sure what’s going to make Illinois/Chicago any different.==

More and more people are getting wise to the scam, and in parts of the country where elected officials do not have a “whatever I want” grip on their offices, the pushback is becoming more common. Because voters have 30 to 40 years of bearing firsthand witness to how much these deals actually do for them, and the idea that “Well they’re billionaires, obviously they know best what to do with money” becomes more and more laughable with every social media post.

Based on the last 30-40 years, the Raiders would have a new football stadium in Oakland and the Athletics would have two or three new ballparks.

Comment by Roadrager Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:45 pm
===Do the Bears even know what they want from state government===

Amen. Is this just another ploy to bring the school districts in Arlington back to the table?

Comment by Boone's is Back Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 12:50 pm
The Halas/McCaskey family has owned this franchise since 1921 and has always been a bossy tenant that never owned its stadium like many other teams.

As much as I enjoy sports, I am tired of all of the demands made by the Bears and other teams. Spend your own money and start paying property taxes already.

Comment by Gravitas Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 1:12 pm
Pump the brakes, there should be 0 comments or discussion of any kind until the bears and sox pay off debt from the ladt stadium builds! Were 20+ years out and still paying.nope.

Comment by Red headed step child Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 1:17 pm
Great response by the Governor. That’s how it is done.

Comment by Hannibal Lecter Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 1:17 pm
Keeping the Bears in the city should be a top priority and if that means there a mix of public and private financing then so be it. Presuming the move to Arlington Heights is still a possibility; the major potential impact on city could be the loss of further convention business at McCormick Place. If the Bears were able to build a “Bears City” surely this would compete with McCormick Place and the loss of tax revenue to the city could be significant.

Comment by Teve Demotte Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 1:23 pm
==There are 3 privately funded NFL stadiums;==

And 2 of them are shared by multiple NFL teams, which obviously lowers the cost of construction. We don’t have that option.

Comment by supplied_demand Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 1:34 pm
Agree with HL that this was a great response by JB. Starts out by pointing out that private money was ALWAYS going to have to be part of the deal or else there was no deal. Then throws a little credit their way for stepping forward with this proposal. No need to be effusive with praise since the Bears did what was always going to have to be done to get a new stadium. Maybe now the parties can start seeing if a deal can be done. I’m betting on JB doing a better job of this that Thompson did when he gave way too much to the Sox. There’s a new sheriff in town.

I’m also in agreement with Boone’s that this may just a way to beat down the AH school districts. Can’t blame the Bears for the tactic if true.

Comment by Original Rambler Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 1:38 pm
Perhaps the best response ever to public money for a sports stadium for professional teams came from former Governor Jesse Ventura, of all people.

“As soon as every school building in the State of Minnesota is new and state of the art, I will be happy to talk to the Twins and Vikings. Not a moment before”.

Bravo Governor/

Comment by Um, no Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 1:41 pm
=And 2 of them are shared by multiple NFL teams, which obviously lowers the cost of construction=

Not in LA - Rams payed the freight, Chargers pay rent.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 1:45 pm
=== may just a way to beat down the AH school districts===

Meh. That’s a short-term goal. Longer term they’d have to go back to the GA for the tax break they want.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 1:50 pm
=Based on the past 30-40 years of stadium financing, that’s typically how these things go.=

I would say that’s how things went. We now have the benefit of hindsight in evaluating the last two stadiums financed by the public. We’ve seen the value of these franchises soar. And as Roadranger points out, a lot of folks have wised up over the years.

Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 1:51 pm
5 stars to Pritzker for his answer. Basically, get to the end of the line, Bears and Sox…..

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 1:52 pm
That is a perfect way to answer the question.

Comment by So_Ill Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 1:53 pm
JB has just closed the door on any major public financing, give-aways, or any other expenditure of public money for sport’s team owners and their partner’s private gain. And he did it very politely, I might add.

Comment by thisjustinagain Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 2:01 pm
Thank you Governor Pritzker. There are many more compelling needs for state funding that remain umnet than propping up a billionaire’s sports team.

Comment by Manchester Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 2:12 pm
= Spend your own money and start paying property taxes already.=

Priorities number 1 and 1A of the things they DO NOT want to do.

I listened to a guest in the WGN TV news this morning (some kind of public financing consultant) and he spouted off about how the AH schools had overplayed their hand and basically should have gotten inline and given the bears a huge property tax break because that is how it is done. I laughed out loud because that is EXACTLY how it should not be done.

A new stadium does not bring new jobs, aside from temporary construction jobs and even that is questionable. It just moves jobs and revenue, but primarily moves more revenue to the team owners.

Not one public penny to these teams, which also happen to be my two favorite sports teams.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 2:14 pm
I am not predicting the downfall of two sports, but we really need to think long and hard about where these two sports will be in 30-40 years from now.

Baseball is in decline. International football (read: soccer) is gaining popularity in the US, the last bastion to conquer for FIFA. Adding the expense of taking a family of 4 or 5 to an MLB game and the long-term outlook isn’t rosy. Why saddle the taxpayers with the cost of financing a diminishing sport?

And American football, while still wildly popular, has seen a decline in viewership in recent years. Fears over concussions and injuries are keeping families from enrolling young Johnny in Pop Warner, grammar school and high school programs across the country. This sports downfall, while I am not predicting it, could be swift and final if there aren’t enough kids playing it. (And if kids won’t be playing it, they might not watch it on TV when they age).

Comment by Colin O'Scopy Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 2:25 pm
===I listened to a guest in the WGN TV news this morning (some kind of public financing consultant) and he spouted off about how the AH schools had overplayed their hand and basically should have gotten inline and given the bears a huge property tax break because that is how it is done. I laughed out loud because that is EXACTLY how it should not be done.===

100% agree. Arlington Heights really doesn’t have to do anything for anyone. That land is way too valuable to sit vacant forever. It’ll get redeveloped by someone with or without public assistance.

Comment by Sox Fan Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 2:31 pm
As the AH resident, sell it or build it and pay a fair share. I am all for a deal, but the Bears and the Districts look like a bunch of third graders fighting it out, and I am sure there are thousands of AH residents like me saying “call me when it’s over.”

Comment by Rahm's Parking Meter Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 3:22 pm
==the major potential impact on city could be the loss of further convention business at McCormick Place.==

Are you suggesting conventions in Chicago are contingent on the Bears playing at Soldier Field?

Comment by low level Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 3:28 pm
== And American football, while still wildly popular, has seen a decline in viewership in recent years.==

Source on this claim? Everything I’m seeing from ESPN and other news sites is it was up 7% last year.

Comment by Under Dawg Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 3:30 pm
=Source on this claim?=

Here are a couple:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/why-nfls-tv-ratings-declining/

https://www.quora.com/Most-youth-are-not-watching-NFL-and-football-in-schools-is-declining-Can-boomers-carry-the-NFL-for-much-longer

Comment by Colin O'Scopy Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 4:05 pm
=Everything I’m seeing from ESPN and other news sites is it was up 7% last year.=

Consider the source.

I know this, youth football and high school football are in decline.

Illinois now has 38 8-man football teams (at least count. It has become big enough that the IHSA will make it a sport. All of those teams actually represent more than 38 schools. 5 years ago they were all 11 man programs and 8 man didn’t exist.

Youth program numbers are in decline nationally (really a good thing actually). This will have a trickle up effect in time.

E sports programs are growing like wildfire.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 4:08 pm
How Bout
Mccaskey sells
Reinsdorf sells
State$$$to rebuild Arlington Park
Then a bill called be drafted

Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Mar 13, 24 @ 6:07 pm