IL House Passes Bears Stadium Bill

The Illinois House voted 78-32 late Wednesday to advance a bill the Chicago Bears say they need to pursue a stadium project in Arlington Heights. (wgntv.com) The measure, House Bill 910, moved first through the House Revenue and Finance Committee on a 15-5 vote and now heads to the Illinois Senate. State Rep. Kam Buckner, a Chicago Democrat, has led the push in the House. (nbcchicago.com) At the center of the bill is a Payment in Lieu of Taxes structure, known as a PILOT, that would let the Bears negotiate fixed payments with Arlington Heights and other local taxing bodies instead of paying standard property taxes on the former racetrack site. (nprillinois.org) That tax fight has stalled the Arlington Heights plan since the team bought the old Arlington International Racecourse property in 2023 and then clashed with local school districts and other taxing bodies over the site’s assessed value. The new House version is meant to give the team long-term tax certainty while also directing part of the package toward broader property-tax relief. (capitolnewsillinois.com) The vote also landed in the middle of Illinois’ competition with Indiana, where officials have been trying to lure the Bears to a proposed stadium site in Hammond. Illinois lawmakers framed the bill as a step to keep the franchise from leaving the state. (chicago.suntimes.com) Supporters said the revised bill was broader than an earlier Bears-only proposal and could apply to other large developments. Critics said school districts and other local governments could still lose out if a private developer pays less than it would under the normal property-tax system. (capitolnewsillinois.com) The Bears did not treat the House vote as the end of the fight. In a statement after passage, the team said “additional amendments are necessary” to make the Arlington Heights site workable and said infrastructure funding still needs to be aligned. (wgntv.com) Governor JB Pritzker’s office welcomed the House action, while Senate leaders signaled they would review the measure on their own timetable. The next test is whether senators accept the House approach or rewrite it before spring adjournment. (nbcchicago.com)