Updated Bill Aims to Explore the Possibility of a New Chicago Bears Stadium in Northwest Indiana
A new addition to the bill, Indiana General Assembly representative Ethan Manning, has joined efforts to explore the possibility of attracting the Chicago Bears to relocate across state borders. Recently, Manning was included as a coauthor on House Bill No. 1174, which focuses on establishing a professional sports commission for northwest Indiana. Although the bill's initial introduction did not explicitly mention the Bears, representative Earl Harris, the bill's author, openly referenced the team in an interview with Indianapolis news outlet FOX 59.
Harris stated, "With the Chicago Bears looking into options for a new location, this legislation will help make Northwest Indiana a more attractive option for them and other sports teams."
The primary goal of the bill is to create a commission responsible for conducting studies, formulating plans, and establishing a fund aimed at potentially enticing a professional sports team to northwest Indiana.
The Bears acquired Arlington Park last year for approximately $200 million, and it seems logical for them to construct a new stadium on the 326 acres of land they now own in the Chicago suburbs. However, negotiations regarding property taxes have hindered progress on the potential stadium project.
While the team is engaged in property tax discussions in Arlington Heights, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has held meetings with Bears President/CEO Kevin Warren to explore options for retaining the team within the city. Various suburban locations, such as Naperville, Waukegan, and Aurora, have also expressed interest. Nevertheless, Harris believes that Indiana holds a distinct advantage over all these locations.
"Things are much cheaper on our side of the state line," he noted.
Warren has emphasized the importance of making financially sound decisions in determining the team's future home, but the idea of relocating the Bears across the border appears to be a challenging endeavor.
| POLL | ||
3 MARS | 1 ANSWERS Updated Bill Aims to Explore the Possibility of a New Chicago Bears Stadium in Northwest Indiana Will the Bears move out of Soldier soon? | ||
| Yes | 0 | 0 % |
| No | 0 | 0 % |
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