IL House Approves Bears Stadium Tax Breaks

The Illinois House approved House Bill 910 on April 22, giving the Chicago Bears their biggest legislative win yet in the push for a new Arlington Heights stadium. (chicago.suntimes.com) (wgntv.com) The vote was 78-32 after the House Revenue Committee advanced the measure 15-5 earlier that day. The bill now goes to the Illinois Senate. (cbsnews.com) (nbcchicago.com) At the center of the bill is a property-tax structure the Bears have said they need in Arlington Heights. It would let megaproject developers negotiate long-term payments in lieu of taxes, or PILOTs, instead of facing rising assessments on large sites. (nbcchicago.com) (cbsnews.com) CBS Chicago reported the revised bill would allow those assessment freezes and PILOT agreements for 25 to 45 years. Lawmakers rewrote the proposal shortly before the vote to add more taxpayer and school protections. (cbsnews.com) (abc7chicago.com) One of those changes directs half of a developer’s payment to property-tax relief. NBC Chicago reported that share would be split so 60% goes to homeowners near the project and 40% goes to the state’s property-tax relief fund. (nbcchicago.com) Supporters framed the bill as a way to keep the Bears in Illinois without writing a direct state check for stadium construction. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office called the House vote “an important step” and said any legislation must protect taxpayers. (chicago.suntimes.com) Critics said the tax structure could still shift costs onto other property owners and local schools. Americans for Prosperity Illinois told NBC Chicago it wants changes to stop “hundreds of millions of dollars” in tax burden from landing on surrounding communities. (nbcchicago.com) The Bears did not treat the House vote as a final green light. In a statement after passage, the team said it “welcome[s] the progress” but that “additional amendments are necessary” to make Arlington Heights feasible. (abc7chicago.com) (nprillinois.org) That caution reflects the broader leverage fight around the project. Bears President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Warren said in December the team was ready to invest more than $2 billion in Arlington Heights, while also expanding its search to Northwest Indiana. (chicagobears.com) Indiana is the pressure point behind the Illinois debate. Capitol News Illinois reported Hoosier lawmakers have already offered more than $1 billion in public subsidies for a stadium near Hammond, and Illinois senators now decide whether House Bill 910 is enough to keep the Bears. (nprillinois.org)