CHICAGO (WLS) — There could be movement in Springfield on a bill that impacts the next Bears stadium.
State lawmakers are considering tax breaks for big construction projects. That may entice the team to build in Arlington Heights.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
State Rep. Kam Buckner said he left the Capitol at 3 a.m. and returned at 6:30 a.m. working to get a bill through before the spring session ends May 31.
He said he’s optimistic the mega-projects bill will go to the house committee for a vote Wednesday.
“We are in a decent spot,” Rep. Buckner said. “The conversations were good. We had a lot of positive feedback from my colleagues and we’ll see what today has in store for us.”
Delegations continue Wednesday as Illinois lawmakers race to get this deal across the finish line and determine the fate of the Chicago Bears.
The latest changes to the mega-projects bill are aimed at winning over lawmakers concerned about the long-term impact on regular taxpayers.
Sources said the Illinois Federation of Teachers is lobbying for language in the bill that would guarantee big developments won’t drain school funds.
“We know that we have seen a tremendous rise in property tax rates for people who live in this state,” Buckner said. “So what I said is, if let’s find ways to create some property tax certainty for corporations and developers, then we should do the same for the people who live in the state. And so this bill is an attempt to do that.”
After productive conversations Tuesday, Buckner said, they’ll be filing an amendment today based on feedback.
Then, it will be sent to committee – hopefully – for a vote.
The Bears have owned the former home of the Arlington race track for more than three years now.
But they have yet to put a shovel in the ground while they wait for a deal that allows them to negotiate potentially lower property taxes.
The Bears have said Chicago is no longer in the running, but they are still considering moving to Indiana where lawmakers there already approved an incentive deal for the team.
Marc Ganis, who handles big ticket sports transactions, said the Bears clearly favor Arlington Heights but Hammond, Indiana’s deal comes with significant government support and no property taxes.
“The owners want to know what in the world is holding this up?” Ganis said. “And if things just don’t look right in Illinois, you know what here’s our nod, go ahead and finish it up in Indiana if you need to.”
In a poll conducted by Suffolk University in Boston, 56% of people said they’d rather see the team move to Arlington Heights, compared to 10% who prefer Indiana.
Another 26% said they didn’t care either way.
The Bears are expected to meet with NFL leadership next week to share an update on their stadium search, adding more pressure for Illinois lawmakers to get a bill passed.
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
