The Chicago Bears might not be packing their bags yet — but Indiana’s bid for the team picked up momentum Wednesday after senators approved legislation creating a state-run stadium authority that could finance and build a National Football League stadium in northwest Indiana.
Senate Bill 27, authored by Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, advanced to the House in a 46-2 vote. Only Sens. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, and Gary Byrne, R-Byrneville, voted against the bill.
kAm%96 AC@A@D2= 6DE23=:D96D E96 }@CE9H6DE x?5:2?2 $E25:F> pFE9@C:EJ[ 2 AF3=:4 3@5J E92E H@F=5 92G6 E96 A@H6C E@ 24BF:C6 =2?5[ :DDF6 =@?8\E6C> 3@?5D 2?5 7:?2?46 E96 4@?DECF4E:@? @7 2 AC@76DD:@?2= 7@@E32== DE25:F> 2?5 C6=2E65 724:=:E:6D]k^Am
kAmxE’D E96 =2E6DE DE6A 😕 x?5:2?2’D 677@CE E@ 4@FCE E96 r9:428@ q62CD[ H9@ 92G6 AF3=:4=J 6IA=@C65 C6=@42E:?8 2>:5 DE2==65 ?68@E:2E:@?D 😕 x==:?@:D @G6C 2 AC@A@D65 DE25:F> 56G6=@A>6?E 😕 pC=:?8E@? w6:89ED]k^Am
kAm|:D9=6C 42FE:@?65 E92E E96 4FCC6?E 5C27E “;FDE 4C62E6D E96 7C2>6H@C<” 2?5 E92E “2 =@E @7 @E96C 56E2:=D H:== ?665 E@ 36 25565” 367@C6 E96 =68:D=2E:@? 4@F=5 36 7:?2=:K65[ :?4=F5:?8 255:?8 =@42= C6AC6D6?E2E:@? E@ E96 2FE9@C:EJ’D 3@2C5 2?5 @FE=:?:?8 DA64:7:4 C6BF:C6>6?ED 2?5 4@>>:E>6?ED 7C@> A2CE:4:A2E:?8 =@42= 8@G6C?>6?ED] s:D4FDD:@?D H:E9 =@42= =6256CD 2C6 @?8@:?8[ 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmtG6? D@[ v@G] |:<6 qC2F? AC2:D65 E96 $6?2E6’D 24E:@?[ 42==:?8 :E 2 <6J DE6A 😕 x?5:2?2’D 677@CE E@ 2EEC24E E96 }u{ 7C2?49:D6]k^Am
kAm“x?5:2?2 😀 @A6? 7@C 3FD:?6DD 2?5 E96 r9:428@ q62CD 92G6 E2<6? ?@E:46[” qC2F? D2:5 😕 2 DE2E6>6?E] “%96 $6?2E6’D A2DD286 @7 $q af E@ 6DE23=:D9 2 }@CE9H6DE x?5:2?2 DE25:F> 2FE9@C:EJ 😀 E96 ?6IE 4C:E:42= DE6A 😕 E96 C:89E 5:C64E:@? E@ 3C:?8 E96 r9:428@ q62CD E@ E96 w@@D:6C DE2E6 2?5 E@ 8C@H x?5:2?2’D 64@?@>J]”k^Am
k9bmw@H E96 562= H@F=5 H@C
kAm$6?2E6 q:== af @FE=:?6D 2 DE25:F> 2FE9@C:EJ E92E H@F=5 36 C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C 24BF:C:?8 =2?5[ 4@?DECF4E:?8 E96 DE25:F> 2?5 :DDF:?8 3@?5D — H:E9 3@?5 >2EFC:E:6D @7 FA E@ c_ J62CD — E@ 7:?2?46 E96 AC@;64E]k^Am
kAm%96 DE2E6 H@F=5 @H? E96 DE25:F>[ H9:=6 2? }u{ 7C2?49:D6 H@F=5 =62D6 E96 724:=:EJ F?56C 2 =@?8\E6C> 28C66>6?E] %96 3:== C6BF:C6D 2?J }u{ E62> =62D:?8 E96 DE25:F> E@ 4@>>:E E@ 2 =62D6 @7 2E =62DE bd J62CD]k^Am
kAmq@?5 A2J>6?ED H@F=5 36 >256 AC:>2C:=J 7C@> =62D6 C6?E2= A2J>6?ED[ H9:49 E96 =68:D=2E:@? 2==@HD E@ 36 7F?565 E9C@F89 =@42= E2I C6G6?F6D[ :?4=F5:?8 AC@4665D 7C@> =@42= 6I4:D6 E2I6D[ 7@@5 2?5 36G6C286 E2I6D 2?5 :??<66A6C’D E2I6D] %96 3:== 5@6D ?@E DA64:7J H9:49 =@42= E2I6D H@F=5 36 FD65 @C 9@H >F49 C6G6?F6 H@F=5 36 A=65865[ 9@H6G6C]k^Am
kAm%96 2FE9@C:EJ’D E9C66\>6>36C 3@2C5 H@F=5 :?:E:2==J 4@?D:DE @7 E96 5:C64E@C @7 E96 x?5:2?2 ~77:46 @7 |2?286>6?E 2?5 qF586E @C 2 56D:8?66j 2?@E96C ~|q 2AA@:?E66[ 2?5 E96 DE2E6’D AF3=:4 7:?2?46 5:C64E@C]k^Am
kAm|:D9=6C D2:5 2? 255:E:@?2= =@42= C6AC6D6?E2E:@? 4@F=5 36 25565 =2E6C 2D ?68@E:2E:@?D AC@8C6DD]k^Am
kAm%96 =68:D=2E:@? 2=D@ =2JD @FE 2 =62D6\324< DECF4EFC6 4@>>@? 😕 =2C86 AF3=:4 DE25:F> 562=D] %9@D6 E6C>D H@F=5 2==@H E96 2FE9@C:EJ E@ 7:?2?46 2?5 @H? E96 724:=:EJ] %96 E62>[ >62?H9:=6[ H@F=5 @A6C2E6 :E[ <66A C6G6?F6 7C@> 82>6D 2?5 ?@?\7@@E32== 6G6?ED[ 2?5 36 C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C >2:?E6?2?46 2?5 :>AC@G6>6?ED]k^Am
kAmpE E96 6?5 @7 E96 =62D6 E6C>[ E96 E62> H@F=5 92G6 E96 @AE:@? E@ AFC492D6 E96 DE25:F> — 6:E96C 7@C E96 4@DE @7 2?J C6>2:?:?8 563E @C[ :7 E96 3@?5D 2C6 7F==J A2:5 @77[ 7@C S`[ 2D =@?8 2D 4@?5:E:@?D 😕 E96 =62D6 28C66>6?E 2C6 >6E]k^Am
Visit the Capital Chronicle at indianacapitalchronicle.com.