HR0795 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0795 LRB103 40669 MST 73408 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The recent push regarding new stadiums for the Chicago Bears, White Sox, and Red Stars has sparked a critical discussion on the most prudent use of our resources, particularly in the context of our State's pressing needs in affordable housing, education, economic development, and violence prevention; and

WHEREAS, There are so many competing interests at stake with this issue, including lakefront protection; it is important to make sure we keep our sports teams playing and growing in Chicago but in a way that benefits everyone fairly; and

WHEREAS, It has been almost four decades since the General Assembly created the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority that controls and spends a 2% hotel tax on every visitor to every hotel room in the entire City of Chicago, with all of those funds exclusively spent on stadium construction for two professional sports teams; and

WHEREAS, It is time for the current General Assembly, stakeholders, and the general public to reassess whether public policies implemented almost four decades ago are the highest and best use of resources; and

WHEREAS, Building two new stadiums with public funds is at least twice as expensive as building one new stadium that can serve two or more professional sports teams; and

WHEREAS, The threat of litigation for building any new facility on the lakefront and the success of that litigation against the proposed Lucas Museum suggests policymakers should consider other locations besides the lakefront; and

WHEREAS, The vast expanse of land along 35th Street and the Dan Ryan that is owned and managed by the State of Illinois through the Sports Facilities Authority is currently occupied by an aging stadium and large parking lots that remain empty most of the year; and

WHEREAS, It must be considered whether a vibrant new urban neighborhood filled with homes, apartments, shops, and attractions bustling with activity conveniently linked to public transit and major thoroughfares is a better use for state-owned land than a stadium with parking lots; and

WHEREAS, In less than a decade, the current debt owed by the Sports Facilities Authority is scheduled to be paid, providing policymakers a clean slate with the opportunity to either eliminate the hotel tax or allocate those substantial revenues to other uses, potentially including, but not limited to, transportation infrastructure, educational facilities, affordable housing, and economic development around tourism; and

WHEREAS, While major sports events in Chicago bring overnight visitors who stay in hotels, so do numerous other events, such as trade shows, conventions, and live music concerts, and permanent attractions, such as universities, restaurants, theaters, and parks, which raises the question whether it is fair for all visitors to pay a tax exclusively for sports stadiums if most overnight guests do not visit Chicago for the purpose of attending a sporting event; and

WHEREAS, All of the other industries that bring overnight guests to Chicago have capital and operating needs for enhancing their offerings and attractions, which raises the question whether the revenues from the hotel tax should be spread among all industries that attract overnight visitors or should continue to be focused exclusively on professional sports teams; and

WHEREAS, The ongoing viability of professional sports teams that are winning championships in privately-owned and operated facilities reminds policymakers that there is a path for Chicago sports teams to grow and thrive without direct taxpayer support; and

WHEREAS, Public universities and high schools in Chicago also have ongoing needs for large facilities for sports events, graduations, and concerts, and they might have an appropriate role to play in this development discussion, especially the University of Illinois Chicago with its aging pavilion; and

WHEREAS, There is an overwhelming need for more investment in the west and south sides of Chicago, especially for affordable housing built around new high schools, particularly in Austin, and funds for those developments must be considered at the same time as potential public funds for professional sports stadiums; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we call for the highest and best use of state-owned land; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority is urged to proactively request proposals from developers for building housing and attractions on all of its land, including, but not limited to, the stadium and the parking lots for the benefit of the public and taxpayers with a goal of moving as much of the land into the property tax rolls as possible; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority is urged to report on how much of the outstanding debt could be paid off by selling its existing assets to a private developer; and be it further

RESOLVED, That all professional sports teams seeking a new stadium are urged to collaborate on finding one stadium solution that can serve more than one team in a private-sector led development to share the cost and keep the stadium filled for more of the year; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the tens of millions of annual revenues from the 2% hotel tax should be considered as a source for all of our budget challenges; and be it further

RESOLVED, That it would be a loss to Chicago and the rest of Illinois for any professional sports team to relocate to another state; and be it further

RESOLVED, That with the current climate, the Sports Facilities Authority, the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago, Cook County, Friends of the Park, stakeholders, and the general public are urged to join together to evaluate the highest and best use of resources for the benefits of businesses and taxpayers; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we express confidence in our State's ability to dream big, think big, and collaboratively find the highest and best use of our land and taxes to grow our economy and keep all of our professional sports teams winning championships in Chicago.