Le Journal

The Chicago Bears’ season has come to a close, and while the team isn’t ready to talk about their future yet, one storyline continues to linger for fans: the new stadium. Will the Bears stay in Illinois? The unexpected change in direction took a back seat to the team’s Cinderella season, but now, many are wondering: what’s next? Here’s a look at where things stand: Arlington Heights issues letter Two days before the Chicago Bears were set to play the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field, Arlington Heights officials made their most urgent push yet to bring the Bears’ stadium to the village, after the team’s surprise announcement last month that it was considering other locations, including northwest Indiana. “We are in a clutch situation, and what we do right now will determine what comes next for Illinois,” Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia wrote in a letter Friday to state lawmakers. “The team has been clear that at this point their choices are either the Arlington Heights site or Indiana.” The purpose of the letter was to urge the Illinois General Assembly to pass a “mega projects” bill, which would grant major tax breaks to developers and companies to help facilitate large-scale developments. Tinaglia reiterated that the team is not asking for taxpayer money to build a new stadium at the site of the former Arlington Park racetrack. Instead, the Bears would invest their own money to build a new $5 billion stadium, next to a new mixed-use entertainment district. The team would work directly with taxing bodies, including schools, to set taxing structures. The mayor said all three affected local school districts are in favor of a new mega projects bill. “This would be the largest private development project in the history of Illinois,” he wrote. New renderings show potential Indiana stadium Last week, the city of Gary, Indiana, released renderings of what a Bears stadium in the area could look like. On a website called “bearstadiumdistrict.com,” the city shared renderings of its “bold vision for a new Bears Stadium District” anchored by the I-80 and I-94 corridor in northwest Indiana. Conceptual renderings of the stadium also show plans for a promenade and mixed-use district in the area. Where exactly the stadium would be located within Gary is still undecided. “With three strategically positioned site options, we are ready to build a world-class destination that celebrates sports, culture, and community,” the website says. Courtesy: City of Gary, Indiana Courtesy: City of Gary, Indiana Courtesy: City of Gary, Indiana What has the team said? Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren announced the team would be exploring moving outside of Illinois in mid-December in an open letter to fans. Though the team has not made any decisions on where the team could land, and sources told NBC Chicago that Hammond, Wolf Lake and Gary were all potential locations being considered. Last week, the Bears sent out a survey to a large selection of fans asking their feelings on the possibility of a move to Indiana or Arlington Heights. The team said this is a normal part of the process of building a new stadium. The Bears are lobbying for the ability to create a Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILOT, program, meaning they would be able to negotiate an annual payment with Arlington Heights officials in lieu of a standard property tax assessment and payment. “We asked only for a commitment to essential local infrastructure (roads, utilities, and site improvements) which is more than typical for projects of this size,” Warren wrote. “Additionally, we sought reasonable property tax certainty to secure financing. We listened to state leadership and relied on their direction and guidance, yet our efforts have been met with no legislative partnership.” What are Illinois lawmakers saying? On Jan. 6, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch…

By Mohammed Tawfeeq, Aqeel Najim, Jonny Hallam, CNN (CNN) — Iraq’s government said Sunday that US forces have completed a “full withdrawal” from military facilities within the country’s federal territory, which excludes the semiautonomous Kurdistan region where US troops remain. Iraq’s Defense Ministry said the final contingent of US advisers has left al-Asad Air Base The post Iraq announces full withdrawal of US forces from its federal territory appeared first on KRDO.

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