@ErikLambert1 Want Arlington Heights? Simple: sell 10% of the team, fund the $858M infrastructure upfront, and earn it back through future stadium district taxes and development revenue.
No taxpayer subsidies.
If it's a great investment, invest in it.
@ChiRuxinBGO@WindyCityCritic If a new A. H. Bears stadium is such a great investment, the Bears should finance the $850M+ infrastructure themselves and keep all the future tax revenue.
Keep the rewards, take the risk.
Not taxpayer subsidies.
@BillGuilfoil@Betsycashmoney@JJeffrey100 ISFA bonds are currently rated around BBB/BBB+ investment grade, not AAA.
So if 6% debt service is $36M per year
Better to allow naming rights to pay down the debt - that why any tax subsidies stadium is a “No Papa”
@BillGuilfoil@Betsycashmoney@JJeffrey100 If a new A. H. Bears stadium is such a great investment, the Bears should finance the $850M+ infrastructure themselves and keep all the future tax revenue.
Keep the rewards, take the risk.
Not taxpayer subsidies.
@RepKamBuckner@thekapman Most economists agree: taxpayer-funded stadium subsidies are a bad deal.
Illinois lawmakers understood that.
Meanwhile, taxpayers still owe roughly $589M on the Soldier Field renovation debt.
Bear Down.
@RepKamBuckner@thekapman The McCaskeys' push for a new stadium was always more of a want than a need.
This wasn't about football. It was about capturing revenue from non-NFL events and surrounding real estate development.
The Bears are not real estate developers or infrastructure financiers.
@dan_bernstein@312SportsChi Most economists agree: taxpayer-funded stadium subsidies are a bad deal.
Illinois lawmakers understood that.
Meanwhile, taxpayers still owe roughly $589M on the Soldier Field renovation debt.
Bear Down.
@dan_bernstein@312SportsChi The McCaskeys' push for a new stadium was always more of a want than a need.
This wasn't about football. It was about capturing revenue from non-NFL events and surrounding real estate development.
The Bears are not real estate developers or infrastructure financiers.
@thescorechicago@paschutz Most economists agree: taxpayer-funded stadium subsidies are a bad deal.
Illinois lawmakers understood that.
Meanwhile, taxpayers still owe roughly $589M on the Soldier Field renovation debt.
Bear Down.
@thescorechicago@paschutz The McCaskeys' push for a new stadium was always more of a want than a need.
This wasn't about football. It was about capturing revenue from non-NFL events and surrounding real estate development.
The Bears are not real estate developers or infrastructure financiers.
@thescorechicago@RepKamBuckner 3 days to approve a MegaPILOT and $858M in infrastructure, and push public stadium debt exposure toward $1.5B.
For a $9B NFL team.
Nothing says "good public policy" like approving it all at the last minute.
@North2North@ChicagoBears Good,Better, Best
Let the Megaproject bill rest.
Taxpayers still owe $589M on Soldier Field debt.
Now add another $858M for AH infrastructure, pushing Cook County stadium-related debt exposure near $1.5B.
Then add billions more in tax relief/subsidies the next 40 years ..
Punt !
@brendenmoore13 Good,Better, Best
Let the Megaproject bill rest.
Taxpayers still owe $589M on Soldier Field debt.
Now add another $858M for AH infrastructure, pushing Cook County stadium-related debt exposure near $1.5B.
Then add billions more in tax relief/subsidies the next 40 years ..
Punt !
@TheLTrain11@RepKamBuckner Now the Bears want another $858M in taxpayer-backed infrastructure debt while Illinois is broke?
That pushes taxpayers near $1.5B in stadium debt in Cook County!!
Why repeat the same failed playbook again?
Bear Down.
@WeldrSkeltr Soldier Field Renovation $600M
$400M Bonds ( owe today $589M)
$150M PSL season ticket holder
$25M NFL
$25M McCaskey’s
Soldier Field breakdown
$550M From Taxpayers & Season Ticket Holders…
Just $25M From the McCaskeys( 4.2% of the full $600M renovation)
@North2North Good. Better. Best.
Let the bill rest.
Illinois owes $589M on Soldier Field, runs a $2.6B deficit, and supposed to fund McCaskey tax certainty and an $858M infrastructure bill.
Maybe “better gets best” when the
Bears use their own checkbook. (Sell 10% of the team.)
Bears on 3.