Lawmakers Discussing New Bears Stadium Bill

SPRINGFIELD –  Illinois lawmakers are discussing new legislation designed to help the Bears build a new stadium in Arlington Heights as the spring legislative session comes to an end.  The measure would give municipalities in Cook County with more than 70-thousand residents the ability to create a Municipal Stadium Authority.  The Bears would finance the building of the stadium but would then turn it over to the stadium authority to lease it.  That means the team wouldn’t pay any property taxes on the stadium.  However, they would still have to pay property taxes on any development surrounding a stadium.