HR0742LRB102 26739 LAW 37636 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Professional sports franchises often relocate to
3address seating capacity limits, restructure debt, modernize
4the stadium experience, or to gain full authority over a new
5stadium; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The Chicago Bears professional football team has
7expressed a willingness to consider property in the Village of
8Arlington Heights; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Chicago Bears fans have also expressed an
10openness towards the team moving, with a recent informal
11survey of 6,000 people by Patch.com indicating that over 70
12percent of correspondents said they would like to see the team
13move; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The former Arlington Park presents itself as a
15fresh development opportunity for the Village of Arlington
16Heights and the Chicago Bears team; it is conveniently
17situated off a major highway, just a 20-minute drive from
18O'Hare International Airport, and, crucially, it has its own
19dedicated stop on the Metra commuter rail line; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The economics of major professional sport leagues
21have been changing dramatically in recent years; from

 

 

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1television and streaming rights to team-sanctioned legalized
2sports betting, worldwide merchandising deals, and massive
3media empires, teams have become huge corporate conglomerates
4with wide-ranging interests far beyond the stadium; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The location of the Chicago Bears team matters
6much less than their name, which implies that the team is one
7with Chicago so long as the team keeps its namesake; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Moving to a stadium in Arlington Heights presents
9an economic opportunity for a top-of-the-line stadium
10featuring a higher capacity and burgeoning entertainment,
11restaurant, and retail industry; the Arlington Heights
12location also provides easier access via the State's roadways
13and Metra commuter rail lines; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
15HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
16we urge the owners of the Chicago Bears to move the team to
17Arlington Park; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That the Chicago Bears organization should move
19to the Arlington Heights location without requesting
20incentives from local or state government that would go toward
21stadium construction; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
2delivered to the Chicago Bears organization, Chicago Mayor
3Lori Lightfoot, and Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes.