>> WE KNOW BY NOW THE WHITE SOX ARE REPORTEDLY ASKING THE STATE FOR UPWARDS OF A BILLION DOLLARS IN PUBLIC FINANCING FOR THEIR GLEAMING.

NEW PLANS IN THE SOUTH LOOP.

THE RIDE STARTS REQUEST SEEMS TO HAVE OPENED PANDORA'S BOX.

THE CHICAGO RED STARS, WOMEN SOCCER TEAM NOW WANT IN ON THE PUBLIC SUBSIDY GAME AND CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS REPORTS THE CUBS WON 30 MILLION DOLLARS IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO BOOST SECURITY AROUND WRIGLEY FIELD.

LET'S NOT FORGET THE BEARS AND THEIR PLANS FOR A NEW STADIUM EITHER IN ARLINGTON HEIGHTS OR POSSIBLY IN CHICAGO.

GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER SEEM TO CALL TIMEOUT ON THE PUBLIC SUBSIDY PALOOZA.

>> THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS ARE PRECIOUS AND THE IDEA OF TAKING TAX THAT PAIR DOLLARS AND SUBSIDIZING THE BUILDING OF A STADIUM.

>> AS OPPOSED TO, FOR EXAMPLE, SUBSIDIZING THE BUILDING OF A BIRTHING CENTER.

JUST A GOOD EXAMPLE DOES NOT SEEM LIKE THE YOU KNOW, WELL, THE TO HAVE HIGHER PRIORITY.

SO THIS IS THE GOVERNOR YESTERDAY.

WE'VE GOT OUR OWN TEAM OF STATE LAWMAKERS HERE TO GIVE US THEIR THOUGHTS ON PUBLIC SUBSIDIES FOR STADIUMS.

DEMOCRATIC STATE REPRESENTATIVE KAM BUCKNER WHOSE DISTRICT COVERS >> SEVERAL NEAR NORTH SIDE AND SOUTH SIDE NEIGHBORHOODS IN CHICAGO, INCLUDING SOLDIER FIELD.

I BELIEVE, CORRECT.

OKAY.

ROSEMONT THERE.

BRAD STEVENS WHO ALSO SERVES AS A REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND DEMOCRATIC STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARK WALKER WHOSE NORTHWEST SUBURBAN DISTRICT INCLUDES ARLINGTON HEIGHTS.

WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU GUYS ALL HERE.

SO LET'S START WITH A JERRY REINSDORF.

IS IT TO SPRINGFIELD LAST WEEK, REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS, THE GOVERNOR SAYS MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THESE TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE PRECIOUS, BUT REINSDORF HISTORY OF GETTING THE TAXPAYERS TO BUILD A STADIUM SITS ALSO PRECIOUS.

WHAT HE'S SAYING.

THIS CLOSED DOOR MEETING.

>> HE WAS YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO THE VEST, TALKED ABOUT WHAT THE PLAN WAS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT AND REALLY WASN'T SPECIFIC ABOUT HOW MUCH AND OF OF WHICH OF THAT BUCKET, THE >> TIF DOLLARS THE THE OVER THE POTENTIAL FOR THE OVERLAY.

AND AGAIN, THE 2% HOTEL TAX.

IT'S ALREADY IN PLACE THAT AIR TALKING ABOUT IS HE WANTS A TAX, A SALES TAX OVERLAY DISTRICT WITH THE MONEY WOULD BE DIVERTED.

>> TO THE STADIUM INSTEAD OF TO THE TAXING BODIES.

IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S A BACKSTOP.

IF THERE WAS A SHORTFALL TV, THE DEATHS ARE WHAT YOU THINK OF THE FINANCIAL PART OF THIS IS A STATE CAN GO FOR IT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IT'S WAY TOO EARLY TO TALK ABOUT.

THERE WASN'T INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO US.

IT'S JUST WE'RE GOING TO WE WANT TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACCESS THESE FUNDS AND REALLY KNOW.

DOWN AND DIRTY NUMBERS YET.

REPRESENTATIVE BUCKNER, YOU ARE ON HAND TO GREET A REINSDORF WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE STATEHOUSE.

WHAT ELSE YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM?

I THINK IS THAT REPRESENTATIVE STEPHEN SAID IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

>> WHAT THE DETAILS OF THEY LOOK LIKE.

WE KNOW WE'RE HEARING NUMBERS LIKE BILLION DOLLARS HERE IN A MILLION DOLLARS.

THERE.

I'M PRETTY SOON.

WE TALK ABOUT REAL MONEY WE PUT TOGETHER RIGHT?

BUT, YOU KNOW, AS WE FIND OURSELVES SOLELY SITUATED WITHIN STADIUM, HUNGER GAMES AND IN THE STATE OF THE CITY RIGHT NOW.

I THINK IT WITH THE PEOPLE DESERVE TO DO HEAR FROM THESE FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

BUT WE'RE WILLING TO DO WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHAT THE FINAL NUMBERS ARE, RIGHT.

WE CAN JUST TALK ABOUT IN THE ABSTRACT WHEN YOU SOME REAL MEMBERS REPRESENTED.

WELL, COULD YOU THINK THIS IS A RYAN STORES MAY BE OPENING SHOT HERE WITH THE HOPES THAT MAYBE >> LAWMAKERS COME MEET HIM IN THE MIDDLE SOME KIND OF PLAN.

>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S ENOUGH DETAILS TO KNOW WHAT HIS POSITION IS RIGHT NOW.

WHAT I WANT TO HEAR FROM HIM IS A STATEMENT THAT THIS IS THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT AND THE BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITIES IN PROTECTION OF LOCAL BUSINESSES, INVESTMENT IN HOUSING.

THAT KIND OF THING THAT WE ALWAYS ASK FOR THESE PROJECTS.

NOW, LOOKING FOR THAT KIND PAYBACK TO THE PUBLIC BEFORE WE CONSIDER GETTING AND IT REPRESENTED STEVENS RELATED MIDWEST DID THROW OUT SOME NUMBERS.

PROJECTIONS OF IT'S GOING TO BOOST THE ECONOMY BY THIS MUCH.

BUT THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIKE ALLEN SANDERSON THAT THE U OF C YOU SAYS USUALLY YOU TAKE THAT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.

THOSE PROJECTIONS.

>> THEY SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE REALLY TALKED ABOUT.

IT'S AN OVERALL 9 BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.

AND YOU KNOW, I'M >> SELF-PROCLAIMED DEVELOPMENT GEEK.

I LIKE TO SEE THIS STUFF AND SEE IT TO FRUITION AND SEE IF IT REALLY PAYS OFF.

I'VE ALWAYS COME FROM THE SCHOOL THAT YOU HAVE TO UNDER PROMISE AND OVER DELIVER AND AGAIN TO PROVIDE ANY TYPE OF SUBSIDY.

WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S LONG-TERM BENEFIT FOR THE TAXPAYERS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

A WIN-WIN SITUATION LOOKS LIKE FOR THE TAXPAYERS AND THE WHITE SOX HERE.

WE'VE GOT SOME ROOMS AND SPACE TO FIGURE WHAT THAT FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT IS.

BUT GOING TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE FACT THAT ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR PRITZKER HAVE REALLY HUMANS JOB OF MOVING THE STATEMENT TO FINANCIALLY MORE A STABLE POSITION, RIGHT WERE BETWEEN 9 CREDIT GRAZE IN THE 6 BALANCE BUDGETS WE CAN NOW WALK BACKWARDS SO THAT WE CAN'T GO BACKWARDS.

AND SO I THINK REPRESENTATIVE STEVE OVER WALKER'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE FOR THE PEOPLE OF ILLINOIS PEOPLE, CHICAGO, THIS CAN BE RE A HASH OF 1990, OR 2001.

WE'RE IN A NEW DAY AND AGE.

WE HAVE TO ACT THE PART WHERE THEY THEY CREATED THE ILLINOIS SPORTS FACILITY AUTHORITY JUST OFFER THE PUBLIC FINANCING.

AND THAT IS.

>> COMING FROM THAT 2% HOTEL TAX, WHICH ARRIVES ARE FLIGHTS TO EXTEND ITS AT SOMETHING.

THAT LAWMAKERS ARE OPEN TO.

I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THESE THESE DOLLARS AND IN THE ABSTRACT.

BUT I THINK MOST FOLKS HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE FACT THAT IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE PUBLIC MONEY SPENT JUNCTURE IT HAS TO MAKE SENSE FOR THE TOTALITY OF CIRCUMSTANCES FOR THE PEOPLE OF STATE OF BUT WE CANNOT LEAVE TAXPAYERS ON THE HOOK.

ALL RIGHT.

I REPRESENT WATER.

THERE'S A LOT THAT BIG PROPERTY OF LAND MOVING ON TO THE BEARS IN ARLINGTON >> THEY'RE DISAPPOINTED THAT IT'S NOT VALUE ASSESS LOWER SO THEY CAN CUT THEIR PROPERTY TAX BILL.

IS IT LOOKING KIND OF GLOOMY FOR THEIR PROSPECTS OF BUILDING THIS BIG GRAND FACILITY?

THEY WANT TO BUILD THEIR.

I CAN'T SPEAK FOR HIM.

>> BUT I I'M I THINK IT'S LOOKING PRETTY POSITIVE.

THEY MADE AN INVESTMENT.

THE PROPERTY IS IS BIG ENOUGH THAT SPEAKING UP FOR THE WHOLE LOOP TO FIT INTO YOU CAN HAVE COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT AND WE'RE CLOSE TO AN AGREEMENT NOW.

I BELIEVE I'M KEVIN WARREN.

WHEN HE SAYS HE'S FALLEN IN LOVE WITH CHICAGO.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

I FALL IN LOVE WITH CHICAGO.

AND I BELIEVE HIM WHEN HE SAYS HE'S LOOKING AT ALL THOSE OPTIONS.

SO I I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS SOME KIND OF NEGOTIATION TACTIC.

I THINK HE'S WEIGHING THE PROS AND CONS THE PRESIDENT OF THE BEARS A CEO WEIGHING JUST LIKE WE DO KNOW, GM RYAN POLES, DOES HE LOVE JUSTIN FIELDS OR DOES HE CALEB WILLIAMS IN THE DRAFT?

SO IT'S KIND OF THE SAME THING.

THEY THEY ALL DON'T KNOW YET.

WHAT IS INTERESTING TO ME IS JUST THIS PERIOD.

THEY SAID YOU WITH HOLD UP A LITTLE AND TALKING BECAUSE WE HAVE.

>> A COUPLE HIGHER PRIORITY IS TO FIGURE MEETING, YOU KNOW, THE DRAFT AND IN OUR MANAGEMENT.

SO SO, BUT YOU KNOW, REPRESENTED.

BUT THERE YOU WROTE A COLUMN SAYING YOU REALLY WANT THE BEARS TO STAY IN CHICAGO IN THE SOUTH LOT SOUTH OF SOLDIER FIELD.

THEY ARE REPORTEDLY CONSIDERING THAT.

YOU POSSIBLE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MIGHT MIGHT BE AN OPTION.

BUT WITH THAT INVOLVE PUBLIC FINANCING, I THINK IS POSSIBLE RIGHT HERE.

YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT'S LEFT IN THE U.S. FOR.

>> KIND OF BONDING SPACE.

I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO TALK ABOUT WEATHER MAKE PIER IN PA COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH WITH THE LANDLORD SITUATION THAT THERE WAS A PUBLIC PRIVATE AGENCY THAT OWNS NAVY PIER MCCORMICK PLACE.

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND SO THERE'S SOME OPTIONS THERE.

BUT BUT AS WAS PREVIOUSLY STATE, I THINK THAT THE BEARS ARE KIND OF WAITING TO SEE WHERE THINGS ARE.

BUT I'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS.

I WANT THE BEARS IN CHICAGO.

I THINK ONE THING SUPER COOL ABOUT OUR CITY IS THEY'RE ALL OF OUR SPORTS TEAMS PLAY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.

AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, PIERS, I SAY TO HIM THAT IF THE BEARS HAVE DECIDED THEY WANT TO REMAIN MARRIED TO THE CITY OF CHICAGO, THEY GOT TO STOP DATING OTHER CITIES.

OTHER CITIES LIKE ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ATTRACTIVE OTHER WE'VE GOT UNITE FOR CHICAGO HERE.

BRAD STEVENS, YOU'RE KIND OF LIKE GEOGRAPHICALLY RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.

WHERE DO YOU FALL DOWN ON?

>> AND THE I I THINK THAT WHAT'S GOT TO HAPPEN IS THEY'VE GOT TO MAKE THEIR PITCH.

WE HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN ANYTHING THAT'S REALLY ROCK SOLID YET.

YOU ONE WAY, I LIKE TO SEE IT OUT ONLY HEIGHTS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GREAT PARCEL.

IT'S GOT BETTER ACCESSIBILITY BY ROADWAYS.

BUT THEN AGAIN, I I BELIEVE REPRESENT BUCKNER SAID CHICAGO'S TEAM THEY THEY NEED TO BE IN CHICAGO.

SO IT'S A TOSS-UP.

ONE THING I WANT MENTION IS THAT THE WHITE SOX ARE LOOKING TO EXTEND THE HOTEL TAX FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THERE IN PERPETUITY.

THAT MONEY IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO TO THE SPORTS FACILITIES AUTHORITY.

SO IT'S A MATTER OF EXTENDING THE BONDING AUTHORITY ABIDING FOR THE THESE PORTS.

ALTHOUGH THE HOTEL TAC TO FALL SHORT LIKE IT DID IN COVID, THEN.

>> OTHER TAX CHANGES LIKE THE CITY OF CHICAGO HAVE TO SORT OF PICK UP THE SLACK, WHICH THEY HAD TO DO IN IN CERTAIN YEARS.

WHAT ABOUT THE RED STARS NOW THEY WANT IN THE GAME FOR STADIUM.

A RED STAR SEASON TICKET HOLDER.

WOW.

I LOVE WOMEN SOCCER.

I THINK THEY PLAY SOCCER IN CERTAIN WAYS BETTER THAN THE MEN DO.

>> WE'LL SEE.

YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE GETTING ABOUT 4,000 AVERAGE ATTENDANCE AND MUCH SO SURE WHAT THEY BELIEVE THEIR FUTURE NEEDS ARE GOING TO BE.

I DON'T SEE IT IN THE 60,000 SHEETZ STADIUM FOR SURE.

WHERE DO YOU THINK THEY MIGHT FIT?

I'M GOING TO LIFT MISSUS, RICKETTS.

TELL WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO SO PREDICTIONS HERE IS SOME KIND OF WHITE SOX PACKAGE GOING TO HAPPEN BY THE END OF SPRING SESSION.

>> I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING.

THAT'S THAT'S A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.

LET'S NOT FORGET THIS ELECTION YEAR.

REPRESENTATIVE BUCK THERE.

>> WE'LL A I'LL NEVER SAY NEVER SPRINGFIELD CAN OPERATE VERY QUICKLY WHEN IT NEEDS TO.

BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT THE APPETITE FOR THIS CURRENT SPACE GET THAT LITTLE THING CALLED THE BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

THINK THE BEARS ARE NEW ARE CLOSE AND THEY REQUIRE MUCH LESS STATE