You better be at .500 or better.
Want A New Stadium In Chicago, Win Games
February 24, 2025
Here is proposed legislation in Illinois that is going to go nowhere. Before Illinois taxpayers have to fork up money to build a football stadium in Chicago or Arlington Heights, House member Bob Morgan wants to link the National Football League’s Chicago Bears franchise’s win-loss record to the allocation of money. Morgan’s proposed bill is called Da Bears Stadium Oversight Act. Morgan’s legislation stipulates in order for a franchise to become eligible for public financing, a professional sports team must have achieved a .500 record in at least three out of the last five previous regular seasons. At this point, the McCaskey family’s Bears business would not meet Morgan’s threshold. The team’s last .500 season was in 2020 when the team won eight and lost eight. In the last four seasons, the team went six and 11, three and 14, seven and ten and in 2024, five and 12. Under the terms of the Morgan proposal, the McCaskey family’s business would need to win more games than lose in 2025, 2026 and 2027. The McCaskey family has been told no state money will be available for their project from the Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker.
Morgan’s bill would also apply to Chicago’s other pro sports franchises including Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox franchise and Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire FC franchise. Those two franchise owners are seeking to build new stadiums using taxpayers money. Jerry Reinsdorf’s White Sox business actually would qualify for Morgan’s legislation despite the fact that the team has lost 222 of its last 324 games. The Fire FC team has had five straight losing seasons. The McCaskey family wants to build a stadium-village in the south parking lot of Chicago’s Soldier Field and wants about $2 billion in public subsidies. The stadium game continues in Chicago.
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Illinois House member Bob Morgan
