Illinois lawmakers are open to using taxpayer money to help the Chicago Bears with a new stadium, but only if the team chooses the Michael Reese Hospital site near McCormick Place instead of the lakefront Museum Campus.
For the first time, Illinois lawmakers are expressing support for using taxpayer funds to assist the Chicago Bears in a potential stadium project, contingent upon the team selecting the Michael Reese Hospital site near McCormick Place over the lakefront Museum Campus. House Speaker Chris Welch underscored that the state is receptive to funding infrastructure improvements at the Michael Reese site, citing its potential to stimulate economic growth in the region.
'If they choose a site like Michael Reese that could use economic development, that’s a different conversation,' Welch stated. State Senator Kam Buckner, whose district encompasses the proposed site, confirmed that $466 million in surplus funds are available to support infrastructure such as roads and bridges. Governor JB Pritzker is also open to engaging in discussions with the Bears regarding the Michael Reese site, according to sources.The site, currently vacant, is owned by Farpoint Development, which has conceptualized mixed-use projects and reportedly even prepared stadium renderings to attract the Bears. While the Michael Reese site presents possibilities, its feasibility remains uncertain. Bears CEO Kevin Warren has voiced concerns about the site’s dimensions and logistical challenges posed by existing train tracks on the property. Warren, who previously maintained that the team's primary focus is on the Museum Campus, has also highlighted Arlington Heights as a compelling alternative, where the team already possesses 326 acres. The Bears aspire to commence construction in 2025, with Warren emphasizing that progress is steadily advancing. 'I remain steadfast the goal is to have shovels in the ground in 2025, and I’m confident we’ll have that,' he asserted
CHICAGO BEARS STADIUM MICHAEL REESE HOSPITAL TAXPAYER FUNDING ILLINOIS LAWMAKERS
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