Push for stadium aid doomed to fail

Let me begin by saying that I’m in the middle-of-the-road about the Bears developing a new stadium in Arlington Heights. While I think it would benefit the Bears and the Northwest Suburbs, I’m afraid that my local taxes are going to rise dramatically to pay for all of the infrastructure improvements (electrical, natural gas, water, sewers and roadway modifications) that will be needed to house 75,000 fans, not to mention the residential and other commercial developments that might be constructed.

For the last few months, the Bears seem to be intent on building a new stadium on the lakefront using taxpayer money. It seems to me that the Bears are passing up a great opportunity to own their own stadium, collect their own parking fees and benefit from beer and hot dog sales all because of the local taxes. Additionally, the team is passing on the redevelopment of land not used by the new stadium to battle with groups that want the lakeshore to be maintained in its current state.

I agree with Gov. Pritzker that the rest of Illinois has no appetite for subsidizing a new Bears (and/or Sox) stadium. I lived in the Peoria area for over 20 years before moving north and still have family and friends living there, and can tell you that many downstaters already believe that too many of their tax dollars already go to the Chicago Area (defined as anything north of Joliet) for “things” that do not benefit the entire state. To ask for more money is doomed to fail in The General Assembly.

Jim Adair

Arlington Heights