Sen. Bill Cunningham said a PILOT bill is off the table, the Bears have had several previously undisclosed meetings with the city of Chicago, and Senate Dems want Chicago to be on an “equal plane” in competing for a new stadium.
With just over 24 hours left in the spring legislative session, several major issues remain in flux. Lawmakers are getting closer to finalizing the budget, the Bears megaproject bill remains a coinflip, hemp and cannabis reform was showing some signs of life, but sources tell us the governor’s housi
As lawmakers barrel towards their May 31 adjournment deadline, there’s been little movement in negotiations over a megaprojects bill that would clear the path for the Chicago Bears build a new domed stadium in Arlington Heights — and not across the state line in Hammond, Indiana.
With just 10 days before state lawmakers wrap up their spring session, there’s “substantial opposition” to megaprojects legislation that would ostensibly clear the path for the Chicago Bears to build a new domed stadium in Arlington Heights, a top negotiator told Capitol News Illinois.
Gov. JB Pritzker dismissed a last-ditch pitch from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to keep the Chicago Bears from leaving city limits, telling reporters Monday morning that the mayor had “no plan” to do so.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson tested his clout in Springfield this week by – publicly and privately – urging state lawmakers to reject a megaprojects bill that would clear the way for the team to leave the city’s lakefront for a domed stadium in suburban Arlington Heights.
Rep. Kam Buckner is pushing back on Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s characterization of his megaprojects bill as a giveaway for large developers that would harm Chicago.
House Democrats went to a private caucus ahead of a vote on an amended megaprojects bill that could help the Chicago Bears move to Arlington Heights. Democrats also wanted to consider a constitutional amendment to tax millionaires this week. Both bills have thin margins toward passage.
