Sports : Could the Chicago Bears move to Iowa? Senate bill aims to attract NFL team

By Robin Opsahl

As the Chicago Bears consider moving out of their longtime home of Illinois, state lawmakers are hoping to put Iowa in the running by offering economic development incentives to build a National Football League stadium in Iowa.

Senate File 2252, approved by a Senate subcommittee Thursday, would extend incentives through the Major Economic Growth Attraction (MEGA) program to projects building a professional sports stadium by an NFL franchise in Iowa. Though this discussion could involve other NFL teams, the bill was brought as the Chicago Bears aim to leave the century-old Soldier Field and build a new stadium. 

The discussion on where a new stadium will be have sparked considerable attention as the team has weighed moving outside of Illinois to northwest Indiana or other nearby areas, after discussions on financial assistance and tax breaks stalled with Illinois state government leaders.

Iowa’s MEGA program is currently focused on attracting large-scale development projects — more than $1 billion in capital investment — in fields like advanced manufacturing, biosciences, and research and development.

Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, said at the subcommittee meeting this incentive program could be used as a “Field of Dreams” parallel — instead of bringing ghosts of baseball players to Dyersville, Iowa like in the movie, it could bring an NFL stadium and team to Iowa.

“Vinny would say, ‘If you build it, they will come,’ and we’re going to apply that very same principle to a different sport,” Bousselot said, apparently referencing baseball broadcaster Vin Scully.

Lawmakers made numerous puns as they moved forward with the legislation.

“We are, as a state, always looking for inventive, innovative ways to bring tourism, attract jobs and investment to our state, and frankly, to Bear down when it comes to building our kingdom,” Bousselot said, referencing both the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs.

Sen. Scott Webster, R-Betterdorf, supported the legislation, as did Matt Eide, representing the city of Bettendorf, who said the city on the Iowa-Illinois border would “love the sound of the ‘Bettendorf Bears.'”

Sen. Renne Hardman, D-West Des Moines, did not sign off on the legislation at the meeting, saying she would consider the legislation before it is expected to go before the Senate Local Government Committee Monday to better understand how the state would finance the incentives — “not that I’m trying to do any fumbling,” she added.

Other Democrats, like House Minority Leader Brian Meyer, have pointed to the bill as one of the “ridiculous” proposals being discussed while lawmakers still have not moved legislation on issues like school funding, affordability and clean water.

“It’s all a game, it’s all a gimmick, I get it, but the time to get serious is upon us, and we need to focus on issues that really matter to people,” Meyer told reporters Thursday.