Illinois officials are racing against time in an effort to prevent the Chicago Bears from relocating to Indiana.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the state legislature has shifted its strategy. Instead of pursuing major property tax incentives, lawmakers are now considering the creation of local stadium-financing authorities.
The proposed legislation would grant municipalities ownership of the stadium and the underlying land.
As the Illinois legislative session reaches its final day, the Bears have indicated they intend to finalize their stadium location decision by late spring or early summer.
Under this current framework, the Bears would fund the construction of the stadium but would be exempt from property tax obligations.
This measure also provides Chicago with the flexibility needed to develop a long-term strategy to prevent the franchise from moving to Arlington Heights.
With Indiana already prepared to facilitate a stadium project in Hammond, the ultimate question remains whether the finalized Illinois plan will provide enough incentive for the Bears to remain within the state.