Share
Illinois lawmakers overnight said they don’t seem to have the votes to pass the megaprojects bill that the Bears want to build a new stadium in Arlington Heights, according to multiple outlets.
CHICAGO – State lawmakers are up against a midnight deadline on Sunday to pass major pieces of legislation, including a deal aimed at keeping the Bears in Illinois.
Overnight, a key lawmaker said that the so-called "megaprojects" bill aimed at providing property tax relief to the Bears to build a new stadium in suburban Arlington Heights doesn’t have sufficient support to pass the Senate.
What we know:
State Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago), the point person on the legislation, said the provisions like allowing for a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, in the megaprojects bill did not have enough support among Senate Democrats.
"There is not support in the Senate Democratic Caucus to pass a bill like that right now. But we're not giving up," Cunningham said. "We're working on an alternative plan. We have a couple of ideas in the work that we are working through with some Democratic Caucus members. And we're hopeful we'll have a more clear path, a better plan, some better framework."
A new bill was expected to be filed on Sunday.
That new bill could include a framework that would have the Bears pay for a new stadium on publicly owned land.
State Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago), whose district includes Soldier Field and led the effort to pass the megaprojects bill in the House, said this latest effort from the Senate was taking on a different "complexion" than his bill. While the exact details of the bill were not clear as of midday, Buckner said lawmakers simply wanted to "create the mechanisms" to keep the Bears in Illinois.
"I want to get on with this and get past this, give the Bears what they need to stay in the state. But we’ll see what happens," Buckner said.
The backstory:
The latest developments come as lawmakers are also expected to take up a number of important issues, including the budget for the next fiscal year.
The legislative session ends at midnight, although bills can pass afterward. They would just require a higher threshold for approval in the General Assembly.
This latest news also comes about three months after Indiana lawmakers swiftly passed legislation establishing funding for a potential stadium for the Bears in Hammond, which included tax hikes.
The Bears have previously said they would choose between Arlington Heights and Hammond for the site of a new stadium.
What we don’t know:
The exact details of a new bill, including when it would be filed and voted on, were unclear as of Sunday morning.
The information in this story was provided by reporting from multiple outlets, state legislative sources, and previous Fox Chicago reporting.
All the morning news in under five minutes.
By clicking Sign Up, I confirm
that I have read and agree
to the Privacy Policy
and Terms of Service.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX Television Stations
Leave a Reply