Hammond mayor dismisses new report Illinois near deal to build Bears stadium

Yet another turn has been taken in the ongoing saga of whether a new Chicago Bears stadium will be built in Illinois or Indiana. According to reporting Thursday by Crain’s Chicago Business, a deal to keep the Bears in the state of Illinois is “gaining momentum,” and confidence is growing that a vote in the Illinois General Assembly following the midterm elections could get a pact across the finish line. According to the report, that deal would focus on allowing Illinois municipalities, including Arlington Heights, to set up a stadium district that could allow the Bears to build a stadium on public land, and to not owe property taxes on it, a point of contention that has kept the team from reaching a deal to stay in the state. The deal would also likely keep the door open for Chicago to make its best pitch for a Bears stadium, likely earning votes from city-based lawmakers that balked over agreeing to a deal that would only pave the way for the team to build a stadium in subu