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Pritzker: No Bears stadium deal in 2024
The Chicago Bears hopes of securing a deal for a new stadium before the end of the year appear dim, according to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.
CHICAGO - The Chicago Bears' hopes of securing a deal for a new stadium before the end of the year appear dim, according to Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
The governor stated that the proposal the Bears submitted in April is not progressing.
The team had proposed a $3.2 billion domed stadium on the lakefront, which would require $900 million in upfront taxpayer funding. However, Governor Pritzker indicated that even if the Bears were to present an acceptable proposal, it is unlikely to be approved this year.
"I've made it clear to the Bears' leadership that it would be near impossible to get anything done 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 would have to wait until next spring," Pritzker said.
The governor also mentioned that there is currently no proposal that is acceptable to anyone he knows in the state legislature.
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The Chicago Bears announced plans for their new domed stadium along the lakefront Wednesday, one day before kicking off the NFL Draft with the top overall pick.