Illinois lawmakers push back on Chicago Bears' Indiana stadium plan

By the numbers: Under the deal in Indiana Senate Bill 27, the state would issue bonds that would be paid for by an admission tax and a new professional sports development area that would capture retail, food and beverage and other taxes from properties around the stadium.

• The Bears would invest around $2 billion toward construction, while Indiana would kick in upward of $1 billion toward the construction and infrastructure to support the project, which would be owned by a state-created stadium authority.

The intrigue: Leaders from both states are singing different tunes.

What they're saying: "What a day for Northwest Indiana," Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston said. "What a day for Indiana."

The other side: While Indiana lawmakers rally, Illinois lawmakers say no deal is done. Instead, Gov. JB Pritzker says his office and the Bears have a framework for their own deal.

• "It's very disappointing to hear they would put that statement out but not say anything about the advancement that has been made in the state of Illinois," Pritzker said Thursday, suggesting the state and the team had "mostly agreed" on a bill after meeting Wednesday.
• "Illinois was ready to move this bill forward," Pritzker spokesperson Matt Hill wrote on social media. "After a productive three-hour meeting yesterday, the Bears leaders requested the ILGA (general assembly) pause the hearing to make further tweaks to the bill. This morning, we were surprised to see a statement lauding Indiana and ignoring Illinois."

Catch up quick: Talks about moving the team to Indiana got serious in the last few months as negotiations with Illinois leaders stalled.

• While the Bears had also promised to kick in $2 billion to build in Arlington Heights, Illinois leaders stopped short of guaranteeing the team any taxpayer money for construction or infrastructure costs.

Zoom in: The Bears have identified a possible site in Hammond near Wolf Lake, which straddles the Indiana/Illinois border and is about 20 miles from downtown Chicago.

• Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. described the planned entertainment district with hotels, restaurants and other amenities as "a separate city within the city of Hammond."
• "We're going to make a Bearsville right outside of this stadium," he said.

Yes, but: "I think the Bears are taking the responsible position to consider all their options," Illinois state Sen. Mark Walker said Thursday. Walker, who represents the Arlington Heights area, said he expected Indiana to move the bill forward.

• "It nowhere near means they're close to a deal yet."

The bottom line: Things could get ugly if the team decides to leave the state it's called home for over 100 years.

• "The Bears have to realize they just can't take advantage of taxpayers," former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said Thursday on The Score, noting that Illinois residents are still on the hook for the Soldier Field renovations from 2003.
• "I don't think it's fair for the Bears to just sort of take money for themselves and run away."

What we're watching: The Bears have publicly expressed their intentions before, and many analysts are skeptical that this play isn't more of the same negotiation tactics the team has used in the last few years.

• Also, if the Bears did make the move, the site would have to pass environmental inspection, and the NFL would need to sign off on moving the team to a different state.

What's next: The bill is expected to easily pass through the Indiana Statehouse in the coming days. It's unclear if Illinois will move forward with its own bill.

• The Bears have said they'd like to start construction on a stadium site this year.