Bears stadium proposal: Team faces uphill battle amid criticism from local leaders

The Chicago Bears’ new stadium proposal faces a long road ahead, as lawmakers, city officials, and park advocates struggle to come to a consensus on the viability of the project. The team recently released its full proposal for the stadium, requesting billions of dollars in public assistance to fund the venture, a request that has faced criticism from city and state leaders.

According to a report from NBC, Gov. J.B. Pritzker addressed the proposal in a meeting earlier this month, calling it a “non-starter” and stating that evidence of significant public benefit would be needed in order to gain his approval. According to the NBC report, the Bears are seeking approximately $2.3 billion in public funding for the project.

The project is facing additional push-back from park advocacy group, Friends of the Park. On May 8, Friends of the Park executive director April Gin criticized the plan, calling it a “manufactured emergency,” in a statement obtained by NBC. Friends of the Park reportedly works to protect public access to the lakefront, and believes the lakefront mega project could compromise this.

According to NBC, Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed his desire to find a solution to the stadium dilemma during a Wednesday meeting with state lawmakers. Johnson stated that the team’s existing home, Soldier Field, has failed to serve as a valuable public asset for Chicagoans. Johnson has largely expressed support for the Bears’ stadium proposal, emphasizing the potential long-term benefits to Chicagoans, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The Bears have expressed a desire to reach an agreement with local lawmakers that considers the needs of the public and provides a viable solution for all parties. Following a May 1 meeting with the Governor’s office, the team released a statement obtained by Chicago Star saying “We share a commitment to protecting the taxpayers of Illinois and look forward to further discussions.”