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Lawmakers trying to ensure women’s sports aren’t left out of any Chicago Bears stadium deal

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Lawmakers trying to ensure women’s sports aren’t left out of any Chicago Bears stadium deal

As the Chicago Bears’ proposed lakefront stadium plans remain in Springfield purgatory, some Democratic lawmakers are using the opportunity to begin discussions about public funding for women’s professional sports facilities should the Bears’ plans see movement in the legislature.

An unorthodox proposal filed earlier this month, which faces long odds of passage before lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn the spring session on Friday, calls for the state to set aside an unspecified amount of funding for a women’s sports stadium if Illinois helps finance a new home for the Bears, the Chicago White Sox or any other men’s pro team.

While the legislation is ambiguous in parts and likely to change if it comes up for a legislative vote, it strikes on the issue of equity, politically popular among Democrats, that many Illinois elected officials have raised in recent months as the Bears and White Sox have come to the statehouse with their hands out.

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