The topic of the Chicago Bears' new stadium potentially breaking ground in Indiana is still a sore spot for the fan base.
News broke that a meeting in Illinois to discuss the Senate bill regarding the Bears' new stadium was cancelled, followed by Indiana coming in with a new deal, and the Bears leaving open the possibility of a move out of state. While appearing on 104.3 The Score, ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio shared his thoughts on the situation with the Bears, Illinois, and Indiana.
"If Indiana really wants it and they're willing to do a bad deal for the Indiana taxpayers, it's a good deal for the Bears. And if along the way it wakes Illinois up to put something on the table that would get the Bears to stay in the state, then they will. They're in a great situation."
Are the Bears playing this new stadium strategy smart?
Over the past three years, Illinois has not been able to reach an agreement with the Bears. It feels like, over the last few months, the Bears' franchise has gotten so frustrated that it's now an all-out bidding war for the stadium.
Florio is on the money: Indiana taxpayers would be getting the raw end of the deal, with the Bears committing $2 billion to build the stadium in Hammond, Indiana, and the rest of it being paid in some capacity by Indiana. That is what Illinois has avoided all along to make sure taxpayers don't get that kind of deal, while also ensuring they don't have their ticket prices raised.
At the same time, the state of Illinois has had three years to work something out, so it was bound to happen that the Bears would explore other options. They were trying to call the Bears' bluff, and the franchise responded by bringing Indiana to the table.
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Essentially, everyone appears to be a loser except for the Bears, who will somehow get their way and have the best deal possible. Bears fans will have to decide whether this is a good situation or a mess.