'Mega Project Calculator' Claims Bears Stadium Would Erase Billions In School Funding

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — While state lawmakers in Springfield continue debating the passage of a "megaprojects" bill intended to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois, a teacher union says the legislation will reduce revenue for schools and public services.

According to the Illinois Federation of Teachers, building a new stadium at the former Arlington International Racecourse with assistance from HB910 would mean local school districts would receive over $5 billion less in funding over the course of 40 years.

That number was obtained from IFT's new “Mega Project, Mega Loss” Calculator. According to the statewide labor union that boasts 103,000 members, visitors can use the interactive online tool to select a mega project and their location and calculate how much money a town and its schools would receive based on current rates. The calculator also shows how much local school districts are set to lose if the statewide tax code rewrite were to go into effect.

"At a time when the state owes its students $6 billion from Pre-K to PhD and the Governor’s withholding of promised but not delivered funds under the evidence-based formula is pushing districts into unnecessary deficits that harm school children’s educational experience, the Illinois Federation of Teachers is urging legislators to choose development models that do not reduce revenue for schools and public services,"IFT said in a statement.

The current legislative session adjourns on May 31, meaning the next few weeks could prove crucial in preventing the NFL team from moving to nearby Hammond, Indiana.

Last month, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed off on Senate Bill 27, which passed the state's senate by a vote of 45-4 after being advanced by the Indiana House of Representatives by a 95-4 vote. The bill is intended for the state to commit up to $1 billion to help finance the project in Hammond.

An amended megaproject bill with new tax breaks intended to keep the team in "The Prairie State" was approved by the Illinois House on April 22 by a vote of 78-32. HB910 has been in front of the Senate since that government branch reconvened from a break the next week, but has still not been put to the floor for a vote.

HB910 allows for any megaproject involving an investment of $500 million or more to negotiate a freeze on its property tax assessment. The bill, which has stalled since first being introduced in 2024, moved forward after things progressed in Indiana's bid.

IFT said the "megaproject calculator" is intended for any Illinois resident, school board member, superintendent, parent, or educator.

"The site provides examples such as an Amazon warehouse, car battery plant, new corporate headquarters, or the McCaskey’s stadium for the Bears," the teachers union said.

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