Pritzker rejects – Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says he wouldn’t “foist” billions onto taxpayers, as lawmakers failed to pass a measure to keep the Bears in the state—leaving the door open for a move to Indiana.
Illinois lawmakers couldn’t get the job done Monday, and the Bears’ future suddenly feels less fixed than it did just days ago. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker made clear why: he wasn’t prepared to put billions of taxpayer dollars on the table for a billionaire-owned family and team.
“The reality is that I wasn’t willing to give up billions of dollars of taxpayer money in order to give it to a billionaire-owned family. or team. and believe very much that the incentives that we provide for businesses are to be similar to the incentives we provide to this type of business. ” Pritzker said Monday.
He added that even with the deep emotional pull the franchise has across Chicago and Illinois. the guiding principle still came back to who would carry the cost. “As much of an emotional connection as many of us have to the Bears. and to keeping them in the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois. [the] No. 1 principle is we’re not going to foist this on the taxpayers of the state of Illinois.”.
The immediate consequence is stark: the Illinois legislature failed to pass a measure that would keep the Bears in the state. With that failure, “the door is now open for the Bears to exit for Indiana.”
That looming possibility has already raised doubts about how real Indiana’s threat is. There’s a chance Indiana “was and is a bluff. ” the Bears’ own language—and timing—suggesting pressure more than a concrete plan. The Bears said they were evaluating options in Arlington Heights and Indiana. yet the claim comes with a sharp contradiction: “there is no current option in Arlington Heights. ” even as Indiana enters the picture.
If Indiana is being used as leverage. the pressure seems to be landing—yet it isn’t clear it’s working. The question now is whether the move being dangled for Indiana can still reshape the situation after Pritzker’s refusal to attach taxpayer money to the Bears’ owners. and after Illinois lawmakers failed to pass the measure meant to keep the team in-state.
Illinois J.B. Pritzker Chicago Bears Indiana Arlington Heights taxpayer money stadium incentives Illinois legislature
So he’s just like refusing because “billionaire”?? Bears will be gone anyways.
I don’t get why lawmakers “failed” like… did they even show up? If it’s about billions then why even talk about it at all.
Isn’t Indiana threat fake though? I heard it was just a bluff so Pritzker would cave, but now the Bears can’t even do Arlington Heights? Kinda sounds like nobody has a plan.
Pritzker always says taxpayer money like we’re the ones who asked for a billionaire to own a team. But also if lawmakers can’t pass the measure then that’s on them. I’m sure Indiana will swoop in and then magically the same incentives will happen anyway, watch. Bears leaving feels like doom just because politics can’t get it together.