Pritzker: State Not "Looking At" Funding New Bears Stadium
Governor JB Pritzker says the state isn’t “looking at” funding a new stadium for the Chicago Bears in suburban Arlington Heights. The state still owes hundreds of millions on bonds from the 2002 renovation of the Bears current home, Soldier Field, on the Chicago lakefront.
Governor JB Pritzker doesn’t appear like he wants the state involved in a potential move by the Chicago Bears from Soldier Field on the Chicago lakefront to suburban Arlington Heights.
Speaking at an event Monday, Pritzker said the state isn’t involved in discussion of funding a new stadium in the suburbs.
“That’s not something we’re looking at right now,” said Pritzker. “Obviously, there are private business decisions being made.”
The Bears have bid on the land currently housing Arlington International Racecourse, which is expected to close after this season. While the Chicago Park District owns and operates Soldier Field, where the Bears have played since 1971, the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority sold bonds totaling nearly $400 million to renovate Soldier Field in 2002.
Numerous NFL facilities have been built with a portion, or even a majority, of taxpayer dollars. The cost of a new stadium has skyrocketed in the past two decades. Allegiant Stadium, which opened in Las Vegas last year, cost nearly $2 billion to construct. AT&T Stadium in Dallas, which opened in 2009, cost around $1.5 billion to construct. U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened in Minneapolis in 2016, cost around $1.1 billion to construct. All were built with a combination of private and taxpayer dollars.
The Bears lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033, but financing and construction would need to begin years in advance to meet that deadline.