Geoff Buchholz breaks down latest on talks between Gov. JB Pritzker, Bears
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What recent developments occurred in the talks between Gov. JB Pritzker and the Bears?
Rahimi Harris and Grody. Middays 10 to 2. On 104.3 The Score.
Warren chose not to be in that meeting. And indeed, they had instead one of their other leads who's been in every conversation with us as well. She's a terrific representative for them. And we trust her. And we had eight people in that discussion involving the legislators, involving the governor's office, involving the bears and their representatives. And so, again, lots of progress, but surprise this morning to wake up and see that statement.
That was J.B. Pritzker yesterday after the Bears decided to postpone their meeting with the ILGA regarding an infrastructure bill for Arlington Heights. This is Rahimi Harrison-Grody on 104.3 The Score. And we go out to our hotline. That is where we find WBBM Newsradio political editor Jeff Buchholz, who is right now joining us from Oak Park where an event held by the governor just wrapped up. Hi, Jeff.
Hey, Layla, how's it going today? Good to be with you here.
We appreciate having you on. What is the latest from what you observed? Because we understand J.B. Pritzker did speak about this issue today.
Yeah, he did. He was here at Oak Park and River Forest High School talking about a legislative initiative he has about cell phones in schools. But, of course, reporters can't be stopped if they have a question they need to get to him. And today the question really was about the Chicago Bears and the status of negotiations there. The governor told us that indeed there have been conversations back and forth at sort of a high staff level between the bears and the governor's people. And a lot of those conversations have been. apparently sort of walking back that statement that the governor has talked about. He first mentioned it yesterday when he was with reporters down in Collinsville. The statement from the Bears that talked about how the proposal that passed the House committee yesterday setting up the stadium authority was like the most significant development in their search for a new stadium, and they were committing to finishing the due diligence statement.
The governor, as you heard yesterday, and he said it again a little bit today, his nose was a little out of joint that the Bears' statement would have talked effusively about Indiana and the work that's been done there, but said nothing about the three hours of talks that they engaged in in Illinois and the fact that the Bears asked the Illinois leaders to put off consideration of the property tax measure that the Bears say they need for the Arlington Heights property. I'm a lot of the conversations today according to the governor over the last 24 hours have been the bear saying well We didn't mean that we're moving to Indiana, and we really only did that, we only put that statement out to mollify, was the word the governor used, the state of Indiana, which has made noises that they didn't really want to move forward with this unless they got some kind of a commitment from the Bears organization, and that statement apparently represented that.
So I guess a lot of the conversation that's been happening now was, well, what we really meant was blank, and And what we really didn't mean to suggest that we're moving to Indiana or whatever. And the governor again repeated that, you know, he's willing to help with infrastructure and he's not opposed to the it's called the pilot bill, the payment in lieu of taxes bill. This would let the bears lock in long term property tax rates for Arlington Park to head off what some estimates suggest would be a property tax bill on that property of between one hundred and two hundred million dollars.
What did Gov. Pritzker say about the Bears' infrastructure bill?
but that the state is really not going to spend money on a new stadium for the Bears. And also said that the Bears should consider affordability as they think about their ask, because as the governor pointed out, a lot of people can't afford to attend a Bears game.
Okay. So Jeff, just to make this clear, when you say mollify, you mean appease. So, so the Bears made that statement to appease the work that they had done with Indiana and,
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What recent developments occurred in the talks between Gov. JB Pritzker and the Bears?
0:01–3:48
2
What did Gov. Pritzker say about the Bears' infrastructure bill?
3:48–8:03
3
How are the Bears' negotiations impacting their relationship with Illinois?
8:03–10:38
4
What concerns did Gov. Pritzker express regarding the Bears' statements?
10:38–14:10
Speakers
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