The Bears do not have a right to taxpayer money

Chicago Bears

Until Wednesday, I had never felt the urge to hug an anonymous source. Then I read Tina Sfondeles’ story in the Sun-Times about the hurdles the Bears face in potential talks with Gov. J.B. Pritzker on a new downtown stadium.

Pritzker has been skeptical about public money being used to feed teams’ lust for shiny stadiums, including the $1.2 billion in bonds the Bears want the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority to issue to help pay for a replacement for Soldier Field. That money would come from a 2% tax on Chicago hotel rooms that was used to help build Guaranteed Rate Field in 1991 and renovate Soldier Field in 2002. You know, the Soldier Field that isn’t good enough anymore.

Enter my new favorite person, a source “with knowledge of Pritzker’s thinking.’’

“The money that comes from this hotel tax does not belong to the Bears. It does not belong to the White Sox. It does not belong to any sports team. That belongs to the taxpayer,” the source said. “There needs to be an evolution of thinking in the way that owners and sports teams approach asking and paying for sports stadiums. Because we are in a different world than what we were in 30 years ago. And it seems like everybody else understands that except for the people on these teams.”

Yes. Exactly. Amen.

If you watched or listened to the Bears announce their plans for a $4.7 billion stadium last week, you might have been taken in by the artist renderings, the big plans and the pep rally-like atmosphere. You are forgiven. Eyes are naturally attracted to glittering objects. It’s why no one tunes into a press conference for a new self-storage facility.

The Bears didn’t go into detail on the funding of this particular glittering object because they don’t want you feeling their hand in your pocket. They’re trying to sell you on the idea that no Illinois taxpayer money would be used to build a new stadium, but it’s semantics. Because the tax is added to Chicago hotel bills, the dodge is that out-of-town suckers will be the ones helping to pay for the bonds that will fund a new Soldier Field.

There are at least two problems with that thinking. One, plenty of Bears fans from Illinois towns not named “Chicago” spend a night at a downtown hotel before or after a game. So they’ll see the 2% hotel tax on their bill — not just Bob from Wichita, Kansas, who is in town for the National Grain Elevator Convention. Two, taxes aren’t a one-time, one-place unpleasantry. Think of wherever you are or wherever you travel to as part of a big vat of taxes. If you’re not paying the 2% hotel tax on a new Soldier Field, maybe you’re going to Las Vegas to see a show or go to a casino. Guess what? Forty percent of the Raiders’ glitzy Allegiant Stadium is backed by Las Vegas hotel room taxes.

If you don’t pay here, you’ll pay there.

For the longest time, major sports teams in America have expected cities and states to help pay for new stadiums, lest those teams take their bats and balls to another, more “appreciative” locale. Cities and states caved in because they feared losing teams and being seen as less than major-league. The owners almost always won this game. It’s what getting dunked on looks like.

But something feels different this time, which is reflected in the anonymous source’s read on the current climate toward billionaire sports team owners who want public help to build their cash cows. The White Sox are asking for public money to replace Guaranteed Rate Field, and to say that there’s not an appetite for it would be an understatement. It doesn’t help that Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf’s baseball team is lousy. It also doesn’t help that Reinsdorf is using the same pay-or-else threat he used to get the current stadium built.

The Bears clearly were hoping that what looks like a rosier future for the football team would cover up some of the distaste over taxpayer money being used on a new stadium. The day after they unveiled their plans for the domed stadium, they used the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft on USC’s Caleb Williams, who is supposed to be the great quarterback they haven’t had in 70 years. Taxpayer money? What taxpayer money? We have a QB!

Don’t let the Bears distract you. They’re probably dismissive of Pritzker, his thinking and people with knowledge of his thinking. But that thinking is looking out for you, the taxpayer. The Bears are looking out for the Bears.

Here's an air hug for you, anonymous source, whoever you are.