Peoria Standard

In September of 2021, the Chicago Bears purchased the rights to buy the land at Arlington Park.

Since that time, there has been significant pushback from organizations like Americans for Prosperity and from Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot. As discussions progress, the main concern for Lightfoot is keeping the historic NFL team in Chicago, while others are concerned about the impact the new stadium might have on taxpayers.

Bears team officials have stated the Arlington Heights project would be one of the largest the state has ever seen, having a $9.4 billion impact and creating 48,000 jobs; The Center Square reported recently. Experts who have evaluated other NFL stadium projects have expressed skepticism of the team officials’ projections.

Desi Anderson, Republican state senate candidate for District 46, recently made a statement regarding the Bears’ move to Arlington Heights.

"The Chicago Bears leaving Chicago is symbolic of the current administration in Illinois," she told the Peoria Standard. "The Bears are on their way to the Chicago suburbs to build a new dome, but one thing isn’t being discussed - how much taxpayers in Illinois will have to contribute. I completely disagree with the Chicago Bears - who are owned by one of the richest families in the country - receiving taxpayer dollars for their new complex from towns in my district like Goodfield or Bartonville.

"If my opponent Senator Dave Koehler really is 'business friendly,' he will oppose any effort that uses taxpayer dollars to pay for the Chicago Bears’ new development. It’s time the 46th district sends someone to Springfield that will support the constituents in the district instead of appealing to Chicago big money groups."

The Bears stated in an open letter that they would not be seeking public funding for direct construction; however, they may be looking for assistance from the surrounding district.

“While the Bears will seek no public funding for direct stadium structure construction, given the broad, long-term public benefits of this project, we look forward to partnering with the various governmental bodies to secure additional funding and assistance needed to support the feasibility of the remainder of the development,” the organization said in the letter.

Americans for Prosperity is an organization that “engages in broad-based grassroots outreach to advocate for long-term solutions to the country’s biggest problems that prevent people from realizing their incredible potential — unsustainable government spending and debt.” The organization drafted an anti-corporate welfare ordinance that prohibits the Village of Arlington Heights from “offering or extending any financial incentive to any business or corporation to operate in the village.”

The organization petitioned to have the ordinance voted on at the upcoming Village of Arlington Heights board meeting on Monday, Sept. 19; The Center Square report said. The signatures needed were 1% of the registered voters in Arlington Heights.