Commentary: Braun, leaders should reject Chicago Bears

It’s time to punt, Indiana. Take your ball and go home because the Chicago Bears don’t deserve us.

Gov. Mike Braun and a bipartisan team of lawmakers crafted a package to lure the NFL team to Indiana with little notice and a lot of effort in February.

Indiana’s deal involves about $1 billion in public funding.

But since the bill passed, the Bears have dragged out their supposed “due diligence” for nearly nine months.

I think everyone knew the bid was a bit of a Hail Mary, but Indiana entered into good faith negotiations and voted to raise tolls and local hospitality taxes to attract the team to the Wolf Lake/Hammond area.

Illinois lawmakers, meanwhile, squandered months of time and left town in June with no deal for the Bears.

And yet, Indiana is still waiting in the red zone.

The team on Friday released this statement: “We appreciate the recent engagement from Illinois leadership to explore legislation which has allowed us to share our feedback. We expect productive dialogue with both leadership teams in the coming weeks.”

In the coming weeks? I’ve definitely heard that before. And so has Braun, who reacted with umbrage.

“We encourage the Chicago Bears to fully commit to a stadium in Indiana because it is nearly time for the state to shift its energy and resources to the next opportunity,” he said in a statement.

‘Our focus is on Hammond’: Bears keep stadium sights on Indiana

To add insult to injury, it appears Illinois will essentially lift the framework of the deal Indiana passed and use it to secure the Bears. We all know it’s coming.

So instead of being strung along anymore, Braun and legislative leaders should spike the offer and reduce the leverage they gave the team to get a deal in Illinois.

While having a second NFL team would be a feather in our cap, it’s fair to say it’s unclear if Indiana taxpayers would be better off. They would pay additional tolls, restaurant, admission and hotel taxes in northwest Indiana with what return? Some temporary construction jobs? After that, only low-wage part-time jobs would remain.

In an analysis of the economic impacts of sports stadiums over four decades, through the early 2020s, researchers found little to no economic benefits for taxpayers or communities, including per capita income. Other research has concluded that effects on job growth have similarly been negligible.

Instead, Indiana should take that $1 billion and invest it in Hoosier students, improved roads, energy expansion or other worthwhile causes.

Some of the fees have already been raised, as state officials moved forward with an amendment to the Indiana Toll Road lease increasing rates to free up some infrastructure cash. Indiana already has $300 million in hand from the road’s private operator and an additional $400 million will be paid in 2027 and 2028.

It’s too late to reverse those hikes, but lawmakers should call an audible and apply that money to other important infrastructure projects or send a small rebate back to Hoosiers.

Indiana has an amazing track record of high-quality sports in this state, and we don’t need to wait around for the Bears to fumble the ball even further.