Cooperate with Chicago to get Bears stadium

The mayor of Arlington Heights wants Illinois politicians to come together and support the mega-project bill to keep the Bears in Illinois. He said this is not about Arlington Heights or Chicago. He said supporting the bill would be good for the state to keep a pro football team. The problem is that the Bears had a signed lease with the city of Chicago at Soldier Field until 2033.

Now you want Illinois politicians, including some who represent the city of Chicago, to bail your city out of the mess you created and pass the mega-project bill. Why should any politician who represents the city of Chicago risk ending their political career to bail your city out of this mess? If you want to get that bill passed, I suggest you take your own advice and invite Chicago officials to the table, because, as you said, it is about doing what is best for the state of Illinois.

Arlington Heights should offer to share the land with the city of Chicago as long as the Bears, a pro football organization, and the stadium exist on the land. Doing so would likely get the mega-project bill funded, as the Bears would be playing partly in Chicago and Arlington Heights, with the city of Chicago gaining revenue from stadium events, but more importantly, Arlington Heights would gain a big city backing when competing for large events against big cities such as Miami and Atlanta.

Tron Griffin

Wheaton