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Today’s quotable: ‘I made it clear to the Bears’ leadership that it would be near impossible to get anything done’

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Illinois

* From Gov. Pritzker’s first of two public appearances today…

Reporter: So you met with the Bears CEO a couple weeks ago. Any movement there in terms of a public financing deal? And also, have you called other mayors or governors in other states about maybe the best practices they have done that hasn’t worked?

Pritzker: Well, I’ve done a lot of research on this topic, but let me be clear, there isn’t much change. I mean, I made it clear to the Bears’ leadership that it would be near impossible to get anything done. If there was a proposal put on the table by them that could get done, you couldn’t actually get it done probably during the veto session and would have to wait until next spring. But in reality, there isn’t a proposal on the table right now that would be acceptable to anyone that I know in the legislature.

posted by Isabel Miller
Monday, Jul 29, 24 @ 12:54 pm

Comments

I had to check because I thought this might have been a Caleb Williams’ quote.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Monday, Jul 29, 24 @ 12:58 pm
I had a legislator recently tell me the Bears lobbyist could confidently tell them how much revenue would be generated by a new stadium, but couldn’t tell them how much revenue was being generated right now. That was the end of the conversation.

Comment by Former Downstater Monday, Jul 29, 24 @ 1:00 pm
News to no one that was paying attention. The Bears proposal for state, county, or city funds never had a shot, and yet the Bears seemingly bamboozled themselves into thinking that they could.

Not to mention they’ve been attempting to do so after they already bought the suburban land before having any agreement in place to get what they needed from the county or state (A.H. by itself isn’t big enough to give them what they wanted), which meant nobody had any reason to negotiate in good faith with them. At least if they were toying the idea of buying land, or if they bought land in a collar county or Hammond, Indiana, they might’ve had some negotiation room with Cook County and/or Springfield, but who was the bozo that convinced the Bears brass that already owning land elsewhere in Cook County would make Springfield or the Chicago-run county remotely supportive of anything they were wanting?

Comment by TJ Monday, Jul 29, 24 @ 1:06 pm
So he did not rule it out /S
What exactly are the Bears hearing?

Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Jul 29, 24 @ 1:07 pm
The Bears have plenty of money to build their own HQ without government handouts. President Warren knows this.

Comment by Jerry Monday, Jul 29, 24 @ 1:37 pm
I hope legislators, mayors, and governors have finally gotten tired of being lied to by lobbyists about pie in the sky revenue projections that are never reached in reality.

Comment by Homebody Monday, Jul 29, 24 @ 1:48 pm
Pritzker, Harmon, Welch: “No.”

Bears: “So you’re telling me there’s a chance.”

Rinse, repeat.

Comment by Roman Monday, Jul 29, 24 @ 2:01 pm
“I mean, I made it clear to the Bears’ leadership that it would be near impossible to get anything done”

I’m getting a flashback of the Bears front office being a repeat of the scene from Dumb and Dumber

–
Just at least you can do is level with me what are my chances.
Not good
You mean not good like one out of a hundred
I’d say more like one out of a Million.

So you’re telling me there’s a chance.
—

People hear what they want to hear.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Jul 29, 24 @ 2:47 pm
Homebody: Most pols are overly familiar with pie-in-the-sky projections.

Comment by Walker Monday, Jul 29, 24 @ 2:54 pm
I dunno, that press release with the stadium mock-ups looked pretty official to me /s
The thing is, there are people who still believe it’s already a done deal because of that press release.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Monday, Jul 29, 24 @ 3:50 pm
Hit the Heights of Arlington Heights…
You own the land…

Comment by Rahm’s Parking Meter Monday, Jul 29, 24 @ 4:39 pm