Plans to build a new stadium for the Bears are facing serious difficulties, and the chances of them happening any time soon appear slim. The Governor of Illinois, expressed his belief that it is slim to none that an agreement can be reached this year.

"It will be almost impossible to achieve anything"

At a press conference at the end of July, SB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois, explained that the last legislative session of the year will be in November and, in the absence of any concrete proposal on the table, it seems almost impossible to reach a deal by next spring.

I’ve done a lot of research on this topic, but let me be clear: There isn’t much change. I made it clear to the Bears’ leadership that it would be near impossible to get anything done - Pritzker said. He added that there is currently no proposal that is acceptable to anyone in the legislature. If there was a proposal put on the table by then that could get done, you couldn’t actually get it done, probably, during the veto session, and it would have to wait until next spring he added.

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Future of project in doubt

Despite the protracted talks and lack of consensus, the Bears are still not giving up on their plans to build a new stadium for the Chicago Bears. However, the lack of consensus with the state of Illinois may prompt the team to consider alternative sites such as Arlington Heights or other suburban communities, which could become a reality if the situation does not change soon.

In April, the Bears team unveiled plans to build a modern stadium in downtown Chicago, near the current Soldier Field. The project would involve significant investment in infrastructure and would be designed to accommodate major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four. While the Bears have pledged an equity contribution of more than $2 billion, the project would also require significant public funding, including $1.5 billion for infrastructure upgrades around the stadium and a $1.5 billion loan.

Pritzker and Warren met for the first time in June and the meeting was described as cordial, although it did not produce concrete results. Any agreement on public financing is still a long way off, meaning that the ambitious plans for a new stadium could be delayed.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the long-term cost to taxpayers associated with the proposal would be at least $4.8 billion over four decades. Pritzker has been adamantly opposed to public funding for the project from the outset, although Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren has continued to push for the project.

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