If the Chicago Bears decide to build their new stadium in Northwest Indiana, the South Shore Convention and Visitor Authority will be ready to chip in however it’s needed.
SSCVA President and CEO Phil Taillon at the authority’s last meeting of the year Thursday evening said that he’s already been involved in phone calls about the potential move. Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren on Wednesday confirmed the possibility of crossing state lines, the Tribune reported.
“Northwest Indiana is in our home marketing area,” Warren said. “From a TV, media, radio rights standpoint and our fan base, it’s an extension of Chicago. It seems like it would provide a viable opportunity.”
What to know about the Chicago Bears’ possible move from Soldier Field
While Taillon isn’t sure that the SSCVA would have a “formal role” in the negotiation, it’ll “certainly be involved,” he said. It’s already, for example, raised $80,000 — with $50,000 of that coming from the Lake County Council — to put together a market study toward the effort.
In the four meetings in which Taillon has participated in his role on the state’s Sports Development Commission, he’s met with pro sports team owners and now has a better understanding for what they want.
“The state of Illinois isn’t responding well, mostly to infrastructure requests, and that’s why they reached out to us,” Taillon told the Post-Tribune. “Indiana has some of the best pro sports incentives, like the Super TIF,” which is a tax increment financing tool that “enhances local incentives for hotel and select developments, leverages state initiatives to provide more tax reimbursement, and supports Council priorities for development initiatives,” according to OpenGov.com.
“From my perspective, this project would be transformational and would change Northwest Indiana in so many ways. Even if we have only a 10% chance, we’re taking the right steps.”
The Bears aren’t the only professional sports team that could be headed to Northwest Indiana, as an offshoot of the hugely popular Savannah Bananas Banana Ball Championship League baseball team could also be there. SSCVA Board member Terry Velligan asked Taillon if he’d heard anything more about them coming; Taillon said he won’t hear anything until spring and that if they do come, they would play out of Railcats Stadium.
“We know Indianapolis is getting its own team (the Indianapolis Clowns), so even if we don’t, there will be plenty of opportunities for them to come here,” he said.
On the financial side, Chief Financial Officer Nicole Wolverton told the board that the innkeeper’s tax for November was down $137,000 — in part due to a late payment of $93,000, bringing the real total to -$44,000. Year-to-date, however, the innkeeper’s tax is still up $100,000, she said.
In other business, the board unanimously voted to re-elect Board Chair Andy Qunell, Vice Chair Matt Maloney, and Secretary Chareice White to the board’s executive team. It also voted Crossroads Chamber Executive Director Deann Patena to replace Brent Brasheir as the board’s treasurer.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
