The Indiana Senate approved a stadium authority bill that would help bring the Chicago Bears to Northwest Indiana Wednesday.
Senate Bill 27, authored by State Senators Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, and Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, would establish the Northwest Indiana stadium authority to “acquire, construct, equip, own, lease, and finance” a sports stadium.
The bill would establish a three-member board: the director of the office of management and budget, the public finance director or designee and another member appointed by the office of management and budget.
The authority would work toward acquiring, financing, constructing and leasing land and capital improvements. It would also have the power to finance, improve, construct, reconstruct, renovate, purchase, lease, acquire, and equip land and capital improvements, according to the bill.
The bill would require a National Football League team to enter into a lease for the stadium for at least 35 years. After the term of the lease, the lessee would have the option to purchase the capital improvement for $1 if certain conditions are met.
Under the bill, the authority could issue bonds, and the lease rental payments could be made from local excise taxes, food and beverage tax and innkeeper’s tax.
The Senate Appropriations Committee amended the bill to remove the authority’s goal of 15% participation by minority businesses and 5% participation from women’s businesses to participate in the procurement and contracting process.
“This bill just creates the framework. There’s a lot of other details that will need to be added as well. For instance, we’ll have to add locals to the board. There’ll be some requirements from the local units. We’re continuing discussions with them,” Mishler said Wednesday.
When the bill was heard on second reading Tuesday, five amendments were filed for the bill, but none of the amendments were moved for consideration by the Senate. That means the bill moved forward for final consideration without being amended by the whole Senate.
One of the amendments was to reinstate the participation percentages for minority businesses and women’s businesses. Two amendments increased the number of people on the board appointed by a combination of the Speaker of the House, the Senate President Pro Tem and minority floor leaders.
State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago, said the bill would benefit the entire state. While it’s not clear if the Chicago Bears will come to Northwest Indiana, it is important for the state to support the region in trying to court the team, he said.
“I think it adds a dual component. We already know the contributions and the benefit that the Indianapolis Colts has to the southern part and the mid part of the state. That same kind of benefit could develop in Northwest Indiana,” Randolph said. “The more support that we show for this bill, the better chance that reality could very well occur.”
The Senate passed the bill 46-2, with State Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, and State Sen. Gary Byrne, R-Byrneville, voting against the bill. The bill moves forward to the House.
After the vote, Gov. Mike Braun issued a statement calling the Senate’s vote “the next critical step in the right direction to bring the Chicago Bears to the Hoosier state and to grow Indiana’s economy.”
“Indiana is open for business and the Chicago Bears have taken notice,” Braun said.
With the filing of Senate Bill 27, the City of Gary has proposed three locations for a potential Chicago Bears stadium.
With Indiana legislation filed to support financing a northwest Indiana stadium, Gary officials identified three “plug-and-play” sites: Gary West End Entertainment District, Buffington Harbor and Miller Beach, according to a press release.
On Jan. 10, Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren and Chairman George McCaskey took NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on a tour of the Arlington Heights site the team owns, and two sites in Northwest Indiana, including one near Wolf Lake in Hammond, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The tour took place before the Bears’ epic come-from-behind victory over the archrival Packers. The visit is significant because the National Football League may loan $200 million or more for the stadium project, if it is approved by league owners, according to the Chicago Tribune.
During his state of the state address Jan. 14, Braun touted Indiana’s strong business environment as part of the reason that the Bears have looked to Northwest Indiana to build a stadium.
“We are working hard to bring the Chicago Bears to the Hoosier state so they can really see what a great place is to have a business. We’ll work hard to do it. Let’s get it across the finish line,” Braun said.
