It's past time for Chicago to go the bankruptcy route... and they shall only be the second (of many to come) formerly great municipality (after the D) to go this route.

Link: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/chicago-is-losing-the-bears-thanks-to-brandon-johnson/ar-AA24xsMD?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=6a1d89e6c1c14d9caa4670bdaaaf2610&ei=9

who can pay the amount being paid on the lease now by the Bears.

The issue of Public vs Private funding of sports enterprises has been studied from multiple angles, and the results are consistent...the Public always loses...it has nothing to do with 'Progressivism".

If you want to delve deeper into that topic, just say so...I've got so material that addresses that challenges your perception...and lack of awareness.


Link: https://journalistsresource.org/economics/sports-stadium-public-financing/

And just what will they tell all their pensioners when there is no money to sustain them after retirement?

This will be the biggest tragedy for today's state and city workers... the cookie jar will be empty.

major urban areas all across the country...and the world (I've got an IMF report on that)...are suffering from both the effects of COVID and technology, thus creating "Donut Effects" (see link). While Dems catering to Union pension demands is a genuine fault of theirs, it's a problem that is fixable, as former SJ Mayor, Sam Liccardo proved. This "Donut" problem, however is likely to be the 'New Normal' and not as easy to remedy.

Link: https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2024/12/for-major-u-s-cities-the-donut-effect-persists

And most residents of the Windy City will not be consoled over the loss of the Bears by the fact that the City won't be spending public funds to keep them in town .

IT'S A SYMBOL OF DECAY.

the "Donut Effect" took hold...because there was "Tax Revenue" from healthy downtown businesses...which are now diminished due to a) the COVID shock, and b) the technologies enabling 'Work From Home" jobs for higher salary employees...thus driving out the lower paid small business owners and employees.

You need to look at the Entire Balance Sheet...

The Dems put spending and taxes on steroids during and after COVID.

The problem you correctly acknowledge did exist prior to that time... but it got far far worse.

Politicians and public service union leaders took full advantage and now it's too later to reverse your donut.

There is very little incentive for investors to risk money in blue cities.

beyond their control (often thanks to 'Laissez-Faire' Republican policies...see Great Depression and Great Recession) set them back, but...like NYC...they recovered.

Link: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2025/08/05/big-cities-face-deficits-should-states-worry

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their mayors...so, if you apply the "Base Rate Fallacy", you're indicting the few GOP mayors.

Back to the my previous rebuttal...there are forces beyond political policy differences responsible for cities like Chicago deciding Not to underwrite private enterprises construction projects. Certainly worked in SF, when taxpayers required Warriors owners to put up their own money for a new Arena.

'Chicago’s pension system carries more than $53 billion in unfunded liabilities — more than all but six US states.'

This is the direct result of politicians abandoning their duty and doing the bidding of public unions.

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He's in charge of one of the worst run states in the country. He best not worry about Chicago losing the Bears and more about the state losing the Bears to Indiana. That's on him and his boys in the state chamber. They did work late into the night giving themselves a handsome raise but nothing on Arlington and the Bears. I've been to the different variations of Soldier Field in my long lifetime , including Bears games, but my lasting and greatest memory was seeing Pink Floyd in concert back on June 19, 1977.And, it's not front page news yet, but the White Sox are making noise about moving or a new stadium or something that will surely cost the taxpayers.