What to know about Mayor Johnson's Hail Mary to keep Bears in Chicago

Key Points:

• Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is meeting with Illinois lawmakers in Springfield to advocate for new revenue sources and efforts to keep the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field amid the team's stadium relocation considerations.
• Johnson criticized the Bears' potential move to Arlington Heights or Hammond, Indiana, calling it "foolish" and emphasizing the economic benefits of staying on Chicago's lakefront.
• The mayor expressed concerns about a Senate bill offering property tax freezes to developers, including the Bears, noting it provides negligible relief to homeowners and lacks equity for working residents.
• Johnson is also lobbying against proposed cuts to the local government distributive fund, which could reduce Chicago's state income tax revenue by over $12 million, and supports new revenue ideas like a digital ad tax.
• Progressive lawmakers, including state Sen. Robert Peters, are backing efforts to renovate Soldier Field and maintain it as a premier venue, with or without the Bears, while the team plans to update stadium plans by late spring or early summer.