Bears Stadium news

[Sammy Sofa]

52 minutes ago, WrigleyField 22 said:

No complaint by me if they ever sell, but forced by who? 

Me.

[Outshined_One]

There were a lot of doomsday articles a few years back about how the McCaskeys would be forced to sell after Virginia's death due to the ludicrous number of possible heirs who could attempt to take over management of the team, which would have resulted in a probate mess similar to the one the Broncos had with the Bowlen family.  I always took the AH purchase as an incentive for buyers when the team was to have been put up for sale.

I'm impressed there has been complete radio silence on that front since she died.  Either the heirs got their horsefeathers together and lined up behind George, or they've been exceedingly good keeping any intra-family squabbles out of the public eye.

[WrigleyField 22]

1 hour ago, Sammy Sofa said:

Me.

I support this plan

[Derwood]

1 hour ago, Sammy Sofa said:

Me.

[WrigleyField 22]

So there are some actual details of Indianas financial commitment coming out. A lot of amendments to original bill got pushed through, so there may be some things I need to update, but from what I can tell:

 

https://www.wishtv.com/news/chicago-bears-stadium-taxes-indiana/

 

I believe only the food/bev, hotel, and ticket taxes can directly back the bonds. Per the high end estimates from that article, that would be $35M annually, which would equate to about $500M in bond borrowing capacity. Indiana House speaker said Bears have pledged $2B. So anything over $2.5B is coming from Bears lease payments or from refinancing over time. Any tax over that $35M estimate would effectively reduce the Bears lease payments though. 

 

Since I don't think tolls or income tax can back bonds per the bill language I'm assuming tolls will pay for any add-on infrastructure that isn't part of the immediate site "capital improvements". I'd guess the local income tax is a replacement to property tax. Not sure what the rate is, but likely makes IL more competetive given Lake County IN is only 0.45% lower today. Of course that's mostly players problem, so Bears won't care much.

 

Its both a shakedown of residents, and not all *that much* money in stadium terms.  Bears will still pick up a big bill.  And a 12% ticket tax is definitely an indirect tax on Bears revenue, in a already less desirable location that might not be able to justify the ticket prices AH could demand. 

[Tryptamine]

So following a new stadium at whatever location they choose, what do we think the per person cost will be to watch a Bear game? Ticket, food, drink, travel and I think it's going to be somewhere around $700 a person.

Edited February 23 by Tryptamine

[mul21]

19 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

So following a new stadium at whatever location they choose, what do we think the per person cost will be to watch a Bear game? Ticket, food, drink, travel and I think it's going to be somewhere around $700 a person.

Are we talking average here or lowest price point?  I spent less than that to go to the Rams game, so that seems high for regular season games.

[Tryptamine]

2 minutes ago, mul21 said:

Are we talking average here or lowest price point?  I spent less than that to go to the Rams game, so that seems high for regular season games.

Average. I imagine you could go to a game sans food/drink with horsefeathers seats for like $200-300

[WrigleyField 22]

24 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

So following a new stadium at whatever location they choose, what do we think the per person cost will be to watch a Bear game? Ticket, food, drink, travel and I think it's going to be somewhere around $700 a person.

Pritzkers insistence on affordability measures is interesting though I'm extremely skeptical they can actually design something around it that isn't some shell game. 

[WrigleyField 22]

My brother in law who is a season ticket holder just made a comment his two tickets will be in the 3k range. He's in 400 level. So that's somehwere in the $150+ range for face value per ticket on low end now? 

[CubinNY]

1 hour ago, WrigleyField 22 said:

I support this plan

I don't know how they value franchises, but I would think it's a double whammy for them. They aren't worth as much without their own stadium, and that's why they cannot afford one, lol. 

If I were them, I'd take on 49% partnership/owners to finance the stadium in AH, and build an entertainment district like the dickheads who own the Cubs are doing. They don't have to share any of that with the NFL. 

[WrigleyField 22]

13 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

I don't know how they value franchises, but I would think it's a double whammy for them. They aren't worth as much without their own stadium, and that's why they cannot afford one, lol. 

If I were them, I'd take on 49% partnership/owners to finance the stadium in AH, and build an entertainment district like the dickheads who own the Cubs are doing. They don't have to share any of that with the NFL. 

Splitting off too much of the franchise will be the issue with the league rules. That's part of their liquidity issue. 

 

Accross all rumors they seem to have narrowed in at like $2B, maybe $2.5B that they're offering up. That can build a stadium. But it can't build a entertainment district too. So whatever liquidity they can muster is probably reliant on a diversified plan and not just dumping into a stadium

 

NFLs contribution/loan, naming rights, and PSLs probably pushes $1B together. So they've managed to find another $1B in cash on hand or financing tied to a entertainment district type investment. 

 

Thats my best guess of the situation. 

[Outshined_One]

Across the street from the AH site on Euclid is the Rolling Meadows courthouse complex, which was built in the early 70s.  If you include the courthouse parking lot, the complex is roughly a tenth the size of the AH site.  Multiple county and state offices are located on-site.  It's not the worst municipal courthouse in Cook County (Maywood), but its facilities are dated, and if the Bears stadium goes forward, there's going to be a substantial uptick in cases that will go through their doors.

I've always wondered why the Bears haven't proposed some sort of a deal with Cook County, where the Bears would take over the Rolling Meadows complex in exchange for setting aside a part of the AH site for a new courthouse, perhaps along with something along the lines of new facilities for Illinois State Police and AH police/fire to handle the inevitable stresses that will be associated with the new stadium.  I imagine that would cause AH to change its tune really quickly regarding property taxes, plus that kind of a deal would provide plenty of incentives from Cook County and Illinois to provide the sorts of financing the Bears need to get the AH stadium built.

I'm fully aware of the headaches involved with papering over a deal of that magnitude, but everyone involved would walk away claiming victory, and a shitload of beaks would get wet as a result.

[WrigleyField 22]

33 minutes ago, Outshined_One said:

Across the street from the AH site on Euclid is the Rolling Meadows courthouse complex, which was built in the early 70s.  If you include the courthouse parking lot, the complex is roughly a tenth the size of the AH site.  Multiple county and state offices are located on-site.  It's not the worst municipal courthouse in Cook County (Maywood), but its facilities are dated, and if the Bears stadium goes forward, there's going to be a substantial uptick in cases that will go through their doors.

I've always wondered why the Bears haven't proposed some sort of a deal with Cook County, where the Bears would take over the Rolling Meadows complex in exchange for setting aside a part of the AH site for a new courthouse, perhaps along with something along the lines of new facilities for Illinois State Police and AH police/fire to handle the inevitable stresses that will be associated with the new stadium.  I imagine that would cause AH to change its tune really quickly regarding property taxes, plus that kind of a deal would provide plenty of incentives from Cook County and Illinois to provide the sorts of financing the Bears need to get the AH stadium built.

I'm fully aware of the headaches involved with papering over a deal of that magnitude, but everyone involved would walk away claiming victory, and a shitload of beaks would get wet as a result.

Probably too niche. But sounds like the path is going to be wetting the beaks. We have a SF post-Bears plan and that will probably be the combined infrastructure bill to get Chicago votes on board. 

[Brian707]

2 hours ago, WrigleyField 22 said:

My brother in law who is a season ticket holder just made a comment his two tickets will be in the 3k range. He's in 400 level. So that's somehwere in the $150+ range for face value per ticket on low end now? 

Yes I'm in the 400s. It averages out to $150 per game. But each game is priced differently.  Preseason like $50. A game vs the Browns $105. Packers $230. Cowboys $270. Thats what it was like in 2025

 Also. Just got my invoice for 2026. While the ticket prices increased on average 13% the cheap seats are closer to 20%

Edited February 23 by Brian707

[Soul]

3 hours ago, Outshined_One said:

Across the street from the AH site on Euclid is the Rolling Meadows courthouse complex, which was built in the early 70s.  If you include the courthouse parking lot, the complex is roughly a tenth the size of the AH site.  Multiple county and state offices are located on-site.  It's not the worst municipal courthouse in Cook County (Maywood), but its facilities are dated, and if the Bears stadium goes forward, there's going to be a substantial uptick in cases that will go through their doors.

I've always wondered why the Bears haven't proposed some sort of a deal with Cook County, where the Bears would take over the Rolling Meadows complex in exchange for setting aside a part of the AH site for a new courthouse, perhaps along with something along the lines of new facilities for Illinois State Police and AH police/fire to handle the inevitable stresses that will be associated with the new stadium.  I imagine that would cause AH to change its tune really quickly regarding property taxes, plus that kind of a deal would provide plenty of incentives from Cook County and Illinois to provide the sorts of financing the Bears need to get the AH stadium built.

I'm fully aware of the headaches involved with papering over a deal of that magnitude, but everyone involved would walk away claiming victory, and a shitload of beaks would get wet as a result.

I think that’s a great idea.  I wonder if something like that has been tossed on the ideas table at some point.  It would seem to be one more chip that could be played.  Gonna take a lot of chips.

[Wilson A2000]

“The tug-of-war over the Chicago Bears continues between Springfield and Indianapolis. Illinois legislators filed a bill late Wednesday evening outlining tax breaks for the team in an effort to lure them to Arlington Heights. That bill is expected to be brought up in a committee meeting on Thursday morning in Springfield. In Indiana, lawmakers are expected to send a bill to their governor on Thursday, clearing the way to fund a stadium in Hammond.”

 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Just move to WI and at least piss off some Packers fans too 

[WrigleyField 22]

Sounds like PILOT bill will go up to committee. Can view text here if so inclined. 

https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/FullText?LegDocId=209446&DocName=10400HB0910ham001&DocNum=910&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=156588&GAID=18&SessionID=114&SpecSess=&Session=

 

Can include fixed payments or subject to adjustment (over 40 years any municipality that doesn't enact some minimum adj for inflation is crazy)

Provides sales tax exemption on building materials for 7-10 years with possible 5 year extension.

Interestingly, mega project can't contain residential dwelling. Interesting addition that perhaps carves out the full development from any agreement re: Bears

$500 investment or $250m and $100m with full time job requirements attached

Incentive period is 23-40 years. Company required to operate site for minimum 20.

Any other questions shoot them my way, I'll try to answer

[minnesotacubsfan]

On 2/23/2026 at 2:05 PM, Outshined_One said:

Across the street from the AH site on Euclid is the Rolling Meadows courthouse complex, which was built in the early 70s.  If you include the courthouse parking lot, the complex is roughly a tenth the size of the AH site.  Multiple county and state offices are located on-site.  It's not the worst municipal courthouse in Cook County (Maywood), but its facilities are dated, and if the Bears stadium goes forward, there's going to be a substantial uptick in cases that will go through their doors.

I've always wondered why the Bears haven't proposed some sort of a deal with Cook County, where the Bears would take over the Rolling Meadows complex in exchange for setting aside a part of the AH site for a new courthouse, perhaps along with something along the lines of new facilities for Illinois State Police and AH police/fire to handle the inevitable stresses that will be associated with the new stadium.  I imagine that would cause AH to change its tune really quickly regarding property taxes, plus that kind of a deal would provide plenty of incentives from Cook County and Illinois to provide the sorts of financing the Bears need to get the AH stadium built.

I'm fully aware of the headaches involved with papering over a deal of that magnitude, but everyone involved would walk away claiming victory, and a shitload of beaks would get wet as a result.

I dont understand why they would have to take over the Rolling Meadows facility in that case, they could simply offer part of their site as a replacement and it would still be a reasonable gesture. If the Bears are struggling to finance a stadium, taking over a 1970's building wont really help them financially. 

[WrigleyField 22]

House Bill 910 passes committee 13-7, but sounds like it has significant issues to work out. I don't think we'll see a House vote today, though they could. More ammemdments to come, but House will enter a recess until March 18

[UMFan83]

25 minutes ago, WrigleyField 22 said:

House Bill 910 passes committee 13-7, but sounds like it has significant issues to work out. I don't think we'll see a House vote today, though they could. More ammemdments to come, but House will enter a recess until March 18

that doesn't sound promising

[Outshined_One]

1 hour ago, minnesotacubsfan said:

I dont understand why they would have to take over the Rolling Meadows facility in that case, they could simply offer part of their site as a replacement and it would still be a reasonable gesture. If the Bears are struggling to finance a stadium, taking over a 1970's building wont really help them financially. 

I was thinking more along the lines of an in-kind transaction, so the Bears ended up with a substantial plot of land they could use for offices/hotels/parking/whatever to offset the loss of the space they'd convey to the County/State/AH.  If the Bears are opening up the AH site for new government facilities, the county won't have much use for their current site.

[MidoreX]

14 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

that doesn't sound promising

The city will be the holdup, they won't vote for the bears to leave city lines without getting a bunch of money

[WrigleyField 22]

4 minutes ago, MidoreX said:

The city will be the holdup, they won't vote for the bears to leave city lines without getting a bunch of money

That, but also the bill itself has issues too, even if they handed Chicago $500M for museum campus infrastructure today.