Home Team Act: Bears' Stadium Plans in Jeopardy

0:00It's March 27th. This is NFL News Today, Powered by AI, Your Grid Iron Update. I'm Cory with the Story. A new federal bill called the Home Team Act could impact the Chicago Bear Stadium plans. Introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Representative Greg Kazar of Texas, it requires sports team owners to give one year notice before, relocating to another state, or sell the team at a fair price set by appraisers. This comes as the bear's eye moves outside Chicago City limits. The bears have pursued a new stadium in Arlington Heights, Illinois, but need state approval for property tax changes that's stalled in Springfield. Without that, they're considering sites in Northwest Indiana, like Hammond, where they could build without city involvement. Chicago politicians and some fans see the bill as leverage to keep the team local, especially with the current lease at Soldier Field running until, 2033. Senator JB Pritzker has urged quicker action on the Arlington Heights deal. Critics argue that measure unfairly singles-out sports franchises compared to other businesses,

1:04even if the bears stay in the broader market. They worry about corruption risks in determining sale prices and say it interferes with private decisions on jobs and development. With the Illinois House adjourning soon and bears officials growing impatient, the push for Indiana options heats up, leaving the fate of this. Little Bill and local talks up in the air.