BlindPass

NEW: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey threatens conference-led rules due to lack of progress: "We still believe we need national standards. If those can’t be achieved, then we’ll have to look at more conference-led regulation, but that’s the reality we’re facing." More via @PeteNakos: on3.com/news/sec-commi…

The Chicago #Bears are asking for about $1 billion dollars of our taxpayer money to support building infrastructure in and around Arlington Hts. where they hope to build their new stadium. This is why I've tried to follow the stadium saga closely. According to Illinois government officials the Bears have still not provided them with a traffic study that was due some time ago. Palatine Mayor Jim Schwantz stated that the Bears promised a traffic study six weeks after closing on the Arlington Park property. (Bears closed February 25, 2023.) Because the Bears are a private entity and are asking for public support for their stadium, the responsibility for a traffic study does belong to them . They deposited nearly $100,000 into a dedicated municipal escrow account to reimburse the village who voted and hired the consultants as required by law. The work was conducted by Sam Schwartz Consulting - now known as T.Y. Lin Great Lakes. The Bears paused the traffic & environmental studies in 2023 due to the property tax dispute with local school districts But, in August of 2025, Kevin Warren told reporters that the study was on his desk and they were still working on it with government officials. A few months later, the Bears again paused the effort to complete the study following the failure of the Mega Project bill (PILOT) in the fall legislative session. State Sen. Bill Cunningham, a co-sponsor of PILOT, recenty said, ""We can't appropriate state funds without some idea of how exactly they're going to be spent for those purposes without a traffic study." And, that's how it generally works. Traffic impact studies are almost universally required before government funding commitments are made for privately-driven development projects. Kevin Warren was brought into his role with the Chicago Bears to lead efforts in the building of a stadium in Arlington Hts., because of his work as COO in the development of U.S. Bank Stadium. Was he involved in securing a traffic study before construction began in Minneapolis? No. The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA) board was responsible for the study. Unlike in Illinois, MSFA was allowed to complete their traffic study after funding legislation was passed, because it was a public authority driving the project, unlike the Chicago Bears who are a private entity. Now, the Illinois General Assembly's regular spring session is scheduled to officially adjourn on May 31 and lawmakers are running out of time to pass PILOT, the bill the Bears state is integral to staying in Illinois If I am wrong on anything, please comment below. I always appreciate constructive criticism.

What some of our elected officials fail to realize is w/o economic development, there are no new revenues to spend on roads, infrastructure, public safety, parks, or transportation. Communities do not fund their future by standing still. They fund it through growth, investment, tourism, redevelopment, and expanding the tax base. Thriving communities create revenue. #Raysup

"I had multiple coaches tell me that 90% of the coaches in the SEC and 100% of the athletic directors in the SEC favor a 24-team model for playoff expansion." Don't miss @joelklatt's takeaways from Big Ten Spring Meetings and more in his upcoming episode, premiering Monday.

Yesterday, the CEO of the College Sports Commission said, “It is totally fine with us if the rules end up changing if there is consensus to change,” in response to calls to amend college sports’ failed salary cap Here’s why I think the rules will change: thecollegefrontoffice.substack.com/p/there-is-not…