Arlington Heights leaders, Bears fans attend rally urging lawmakers in Springfield to keep team in Illinois
The battle for the Chicago Bears' new stadium home continues to heat up after Portage, Indiana, and Iowa threw their hats in the race with incentives to try to lure the team out of Illinois.
Now, leaders in Arlington Heights and surrounding suburbs say this is no longer about their city vs. Chicago jockeying for the team. Now, attention has shifted to the very real possibility of the Bears leaving Illinois altogether.
"I think we are weeks away, not months. I think we are weeks away," said Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia.
Tinaglia said his staff has met weekly with the Bears to try to make a deal for the team to build on the more than 300 acres they purchased three years ago in the northwest suburb.
"I think it's possible that the needle has moved a little bit in our direction, finally," he said. "It's about saving Cook County and Illinois from a loss."
On Wednesday, leaders in Arlington Heights, surrounding suburbs, and even some Bears fans rallied to try to keep the team in Illinois.
"It is meant to make a little noise before the legislators head down to Springfield Monday and to create a sense of urgency," said Heather Larson, CEO and president of Meet Chicago Northwest.
Bears fan Dave Lacerra was also in attendance for the rally.
"I'm confident in this room, I'm not confident in Springfield, but I'm willing for them to get me there," he said.
They are encouraging lawmakers in Springfield to support a bill that would allow the Bears to negotiate property tax rates.
The Bears also want the state to pay for infrastructure costs.
Mary Beth Canty is the state representative for Arlington Heights.
"The process takes so long because we are going to make sure that we do right by the taxpayers of Illinois. That we do right by workers and families in Illinois," she said.
Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana, in addition to the three different proposed sites in Gary and now Portage, Indiana, has unveiled "Halas Harbor" as a potential new home for the Bears.
"We have the financing and the local leadership ready to embark on a major development," said Portage Mayou Austin Bonta.
Back across the border in Illinois, Larson said they took Indiana's new stadium proposals seriously. Tinaglia had a message for Springfield.
"Please, hurry up and let's get this done," he said.
Along with Illinois and Indiana, Iowa is also pitching the Bears. Legislation was just filed to try to incentivize the team to look at their state. Some rally attendees laughed, and others chalked that idea up to nothing more than a distraction.
