>> WITH THE BEARS POSSIBLY
SAYING SO LONG TO HISTORIC
SOLDIER FIELD, THERE MAY BE
POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES FOR THE
MAYOR.
OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM
TAKES A DEEP DIVE ON THIS AND
MUCH MORE.
WELCOME BACK AMANDA VINICKY,
HEATHER CHERONE AND PARIS
SCHUTZ.
SO AS WE HEARD EARLIER, MAYOR
LIGHTFOOT HAD A LOT TO SAY ABOUT
THE BEARS MOVING TO ARLINGTON
HEIGHTS AND THE FUTURE OF
SOLDIER FIELD.
HERE SHE IS AGAIN.
>> THE VENUE IS A VERY WELL
SOUGHT AFTER VENUE.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT A WAITING LIST
FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO 2022.
I'M VERY BULLISH ABOUT WHAT THE
FUTURE HOLDS FOR SOLDIER FIELD.
I HOPE THE BEARS ARE PART OF IT
BUT I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAXIMIZE
AND CATALYZE THAT ASSET.
>> HEATHER COULD THIS BE A
POLITICAL BLOW FOR MAYOR
LIGHTFOOT?
IS SHE GOING TO GO DOWN IN
HISTORY AS THE MAYOR THAT LOST
THE BEARS TO THE BURBS?
>> ABSOLUTELY PEOPLE HAVE AN
ATTACHMENT TO THE BEARS.
CHICAGO MIGHT BE A DIVIDED
BASEBALL TOWN BUT A LOT OF
PEOPLE LOVE THE BEARS AND LOVED
THE BEARS FOR A LONGTIME.
WHICH IS THE TEAM IS EMBODIED
THAT WORKING CLASS SALT OF THE
EARTH CHICAGO SELF IMAGE THAT
THE CITY LIKES TO HAVE.
I ALSO THINK IT'S INTERESTING
THAT THE BEARS SAY THE DEAL IN
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS COULD CLOSE AS
EARLY AS LATE 2022 OR EARLY
2023.
IF MAYOR LIGHTFOOT SEEKS A
SECOND TERM SHE WILL BE ON A
BALLOT IN FEBRUARY 2023.
WHICH ALMOST PROMISES THAT
HEADLINES ABOUT THE BEARS
LOOMING DEPARTURE IF IT IS
FINALIZED WOULD BE FRONT AND
CENTER FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHICH
COULD MAKE CONVINCING PEOPLE TO
GIVE HER ANOTHER FOUR YEARS IN
OFFICE DIFFICULT TO SAY THE
LEAST.
>> PARIS, IS THIS ANOTHER
EXAMPLE OF HOW THE MAYOR HANDLES
MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS?
>> I DON'T THINK THE MAYOR DID
HERSELF OR THE CITY FAVORS BY
THE REACTION SAYING THE BEARS
OUGHT TO FOCUS ON BEING RELEVANT
PAST OCTOBER.
THE TONE NOW IS DIFFERENT IT
FEELS LIKE THIS WON'T CLOSE FOR
AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR BUT IT
FEELS LIKE IT IS A DONE DEAL
EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT AND SPOKE
FOLKS I SPOKE TO SAID THERE'S
ALMOST NOTHING THE MAYOR WOULD
HAVE DONE OTHER THAN PREEMPTING
ANY TALK OF ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
AND HAVING A TEAM GO TO THE
BEARS AND SAY LOOK WE GET IT
SOLDIER FIELD IS NOT COMPARABLE
TO THE NEW NFL STADIUMS AND YOU
CANNOT MAKE IT SUCH AS MARC
GANIS SAYS SO LET'S TALK ABOUT
THE 78 OR LIKE MICHAEL REESE OR
LIKE NEAR McCORMICK PLACE THAT
YOU CAN BUILD A GIANT DOME AND
ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS.
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT
WILL HAPPEN AT SOLDIER FIELD AND
ACCORDING TO EVERYONE I TALKED
TO FEELS LIKE IT'S TOO LATE.
>> AMANDA YOU ARE STILL AT
SOLDIER FIELD WOULD THE STATE
KICK IN FOR A NEW STADIUM IN
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS?
>> YES, THAT IS ANOTHER WORD
THAT WE DID NOT TALK ABOUT THAT
IS THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IT
WILL COST TO MOVE THE BEARS --
THAT IT WILL BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
THAT IT WILL COST THE BEARS TO
BUILD THIS NEW STADIUM.
AND SO, YES, THE QUESTION IS
WILL THEY DO THAT ON THEIR OWN?
I MEAN, IT'S NOT AS IF THE
BEARS' OWNERS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO
BE GREAT SPENDERS HERE OR LIKING
TO GO INTO DEBT.
THAT IS A QUESTION.
WILL THEY ASK THE STATE?
BUT, OF COURSE THEY WILL BE
ASKING THE STATE FOR MONEY.
IS THERE ANY APPETITE
PARTICULARLY AFTER A PANDEMIC
WHEN PEOPLE ARE REALLY HURTING
IN THEIR OWN POCKETS IT DOESN'T
MATTER IF YOU ARE A GREAT FAN OF
THE BEARS IF YOU WANT TO WATCH
THEM YOU ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT
TICKET PRICES NOT WANTING YOUR
MONEY TO GO TOWARD A NEW
STADIUM.
SO I THINK THAT IT IS GOING TO
BE VERY DIFFICULT TO GET
ANYTHING LIKE THAT THROUGH THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT THIS POINT.
SAVE FOR BY THE WAY ANY
POTENTIAL SUPPORT FOR SOME
ROADS, CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT SORT OF THING THAT IS
TYPICAL.
>> AND PARIS, YOU ARE A SEASON
TICKET HOLDER, SPEAKING ABOUT
THE POLITICS, COULD THE CITY'S
PARK DISTRICT COMMISSIONER IS HE
GOING TO TAKE HEAT FOR THIS?
>> GIVEN THE BBEZ REPORTS ABOUT
THE E-MAILS SURE HE COULD AND IF
MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT IS IN
POLITICAL TROUBLE HE COULD BE A
FALL GUY WHERE HIS JOB MIGHT BE
IN TROUBLE.
BUT ALL OF THIS PUTS A NEW LIGHT
ON THE DEAL TO RENOVATE SOLDIER
FIELD THAT TAXPAYERS WILL BE
PAYING FOR UNTIL 2033.
NO MATTER IF THE TEAM PLAYS
THERE OR NOT.
AND IT WILL COST AFTER DEFT AND
INTEREST A BILLION DOLLARS.
HERE IS WHAT WE GOT FOR THE DEAL
BACK IN 2001.
THE SMALL STADIUM IN THE NFL A
LOSS OF THAT HISTORIC LANDMARK
STATUS WHERE YOU CANNOT HAVE A
SUPER BOWL OR NCAA.
MARC GANIS SAYS THIS WAS A BUM
DEAL NOW THAT THE BEARS WANT OUT
AND THE STADIUM IS NOT
COMPARABLE TO THE NEW STADIUMS.
ONE POINT, 25 YEARS AGO WHEN THE
BEARS TALKED ABOUT GOING TO
GARY, PLANET PARK WAS THE
PROPOSAL.
ELK GROVE VILLAGE THEY ALMOST
HAD NO LEVERAGE BECAUSE THE FANS
WERE LIKE YOU CANNOT TAKE THE
BEARS AWAY FROM THE LAKEFRONT.
WHAT I HEAR TODAY IS YOU KNOW,
IT MAKES SENSE THAT THE BEAR
WOULDS GO TO ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
TO BUILD THE NEW DEVELOPMENT
BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT'S
HAPPENED IN LA A BEAUTIFUL
STADIUM IN LAS VEGAS AND THERE
IS NOT THAT NOSTALGIC CONNECTION
BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE SAME
SOLDIER FIELD THAT YOU SAT AND
WATCHED THE ' 85 BEARS IN.
SO IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT
ATMOSPHERE WHERE I THINK THE
BEARS DO NOT RISK LOSING FANS OR
GETTING BAD PR BY MOVING AWAY.
>> AND THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON IN
THE NFL FOR A TEAM TO HAVE THE
NAME OF THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
OR THE GIANTS AND BE OUTSIDE THE
CITY.
THE GIANTS PLAY IN JERSEY.
>> SAN FRANCISCO PLAY IN SANTA
CLARA LIKE 45 MILES SOUTH OF SAN
FRANCISCO IT'S HARD TO GET THERE
FROM SAN FRANCISCO.
NONE IS UNPRECEDENTED.
>> PARIS TOUCHED YOU TALKED ON
IT GETTING TO ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
WOULD BE EASIER.
THE TRANSPORTATION AND THE
DIFFICULTIES IN GETTING TO
SOLDIER FIELD ON GAME DAY.
AND A FRUSTRATION WITH THAT
WHICH IS AGAIN WHY FANS ARE
ONBOARD WITH THE MOVE.
>> ONE MORE THING AS A SEASON
TICKET HOLDER IT IS A GOOD PLACE
TO WATCH THE GAME.
IT IS A GOOD ATMOSPHERE AND GOOD
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG FROM A FAN
PERSPECTIVE IT'S CLEAR IN THE
NFL TODAY THERE'S NOTHING YOU
CAN DO TO MAKE IT COMPARABLE TO
THE PALACES BUILT.
>> PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS IN TOWN
YESTERDAY TO BREAK GROUND ON HIS
PRESIDENTIAL CENTER HERE IS WHY
HE SAID HE CHOSE THAT LOCATION.
>> IT IS SURROUNDED BY VIBRANT
NEIGHBORHOODS AND A COMMUNITY
WHERE WE BELIEVE WE CAN HELP
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
JACKSON PARK ALSO HAPPENS TO
HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART
BECAUSE IT WAS LITERALLY MY
ENTRY WAY INTO CHICAGO.
>> THEY HAD A LIMITED AUDIENCE
YESTERDAY.
>> SO TWO THINGS WERE HAPPENING.
ONE, THERE IS STILL A PANDEMIC
GOING ON.
PRESIDENT OBAMA TOOK A LOT OF
HEAT FOR SCHEDULING A BIG
BIRTHDAY BASH ON MARTHA'S
VINEYARD THIS SUMMER.
AND I AM SURE THEY DID NOT WANT
THE OPTICS OF SORT OF A BIG DOG
AND PONY SHOW WHILE PEOPLE ARE
DYING EVERYDAY FROM COVID-19.
ALSO, THIS LOCATION JACKSON PARK
IS STILL CONTROVERSIAL.
THERE IS A PENDING LAWSUIT AND A
LOT OF PEOPLE WERE VERY UPSET TO
SEE THE WORK START AT JACKSON
PARK BY TEARING DOWN LITERALLY
HUNDREDS OF TREES THAT WILL BE
REPLACED BUT THAT WAS REALLY
HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SEE.
IT HAD A DUAL BENEFIT ALTHOUGH
IT DID SERVE TO MUTE THE
CELEBRATION OF WHAT MAYOR LORI
LIGHTFOOT AND GOVERNOR J.B.
PRITZKER ARE HOPING SERVES AS A
CATALYST NOT JUST WOODLAWN AND
SOUTH SHORE BUT THE SOUTH SIDE
WHICH HAS FACED DECADES OF
DISINVESTMENT AND ALL THE ILLS
THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.
>> HEATHER MENTIONED THIS BUT
THERE IS STILL A LEGAL CHALLENGE
FROM PROTECT OUR PARKS, CORRECT?
>> YES.
PROTECT OUR PARKS IS TRYING TO
MOVE FORWARD ON THREE FRONTS
DESPITE ALREADY GETTING REJECTED
BY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.
TRYING AGAIN.
THEY WERE FRUSTRATED THAT
YESTERDAY'S EVENT ALBEIT THIS
MALLER ONE --
SMALLER ONE WENT FORWARD AND WHY
ALL THE PUMP WHEN THERE ARE THE
LEGAL CHALLENGES.
IT SEEMS AS IF THE CITY THE
OBAMAS NOT ALL THAT WORRIED
ABOUT THAT AND BRIEFLY I WILL
ADD SINCE I WAS THERE, IT WAS A
BIT STRANGE.
I COUNTED 16 INDIVIDUALS
ACTUALLY SEATED.
THE DIGNITARIES WHO HAD
INVITATIONS THERE WERE I DON'T
KNOW ROUGHLY THAT MUCH MEDIA.
SO YOU HAD THE FORMER PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES KNOWN FOR
HIS ORATORY SKILLS GIVING ONE OF
THOSE CLASSIC INSPIRATIONAL
SPEECHES AND THERE WAS MUTED
APPLAUSE NOT BECAUSE THE PEOPLE
IN ATTENDANCE WEREN'T EXCITED
BUT BECAUSE THERE WERE SO FEW OF
THEM IN THIS HUGE EMPTY SPACE.
AND TO PUT IN MIND THE SCALE OF
THIS ARLINGTON HEIGHTS BEARS
ARENA THAT IS HOW MANY ACRES?
VERSUS THE 20 ACRES THAT THE
OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IS
GOING TO RECEIVE.
I MEAN THIS IS A HUGE, HUGE
SPACE THAT THE BEARS WOULD BE
TAKING OVER IN ARLINGTON
HEIGHTS.
IT'S WORTHY OF POINTING OUT IN
TERMS OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN THERE.
>> IT'S THE SAME SIZE AS THE
LOOP.
>> SO MOVING ON TO POLITICS,
MORE POLITICS FORMER ALDERMAN
MUNOZ PLEADS GUILTY TO USING
CAMPAIGN FUNDS FOR PERSONAL USE.
REMIND US WHO HE IS AND WHAT ARE
THE CHARGE HE IS PLEADING TO.
>> ALDERMAN MUNOZ REPRESENTED
THE 22nd WARD INCLUDING
LITTLE VILLAGE FOR 25 YEARS.
HE DID NOT RUN FOR REELECTION IN
2019 AFTER BY THE TIME HE LEFT
OFFICE, THIS SORT OF ISSUE WITH
THE CAMPAIGN FUNDS WITH THE
PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS WAS KNOWN.
AND THIS WEEK HE PLED GUILTY.
HE ACKNOWLEDGED HE TOOK $16,000
FROM THE CAMPAIGN FUND, USE TO
DO TO PAY A RELATIVE'S TUITION.
AND COULD BE SENTENCED TO
BETWEEN 10 AND 16 MONTHS IN
PRISON.
IT WILL BE UP TO A JUDGE TO
ISSUE THAT FINAL SENTENCE
SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST OF THE
YEAR.
AND IT CAPS OFF WHAT WAS REALLY
A DECADES LONG CAREER IN LITTLE
VILLAGE AS ONE OF THE FIRST
LATINOS TO RISE TO REAL
POLITICAL POWER ON THE CITY
COUNCIL.
HE LED THE PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS AT
ONE POINT AND HE WAS SOMEBODY
THAT A LOT OF OTHER ALDERMEN
LOOKED TO TO LEAD THE
PROGRESSIVE PUSH AGAINST MAYOR
RAHM EMANUEL WHILE IN OFFICE.
>> AND A LITTLE BIT OF NATIONAL
NEWS.
PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS SCHEDULED TO
BE IN CHICAGO TODAY TO TOUT
UNITED AIRLINES COVID VACCINE
MANDATE BUT CANCELED TO KEEP
WORKING ON NEGOTIATIONS ON
CAPITOL HILL.
HEATHER, WHAT KIND OF MESSAGE
DOES THAT SEND WITH THAT VISIT?
UNITED AIRLINES IS SET TO FIRE
SEVERAL HUNDRED EMPLOYEES FOR
NOT GETTING THE COVID VACCINE?
>> BUT THAT IS JUST ABOUT 1% OR
LESS OF THEIR TOTAL WORKFORCE.
AND I THINK IT TELLS YOU A
LITTLE BIT HOW DIFFICULT THINGS
ARE ON CAPITOL HILL FOR THE
PRESIDENT RIGHT NOW THAT THE
EASIEST THING FOR HIM RIGHT NOW
IS IMPOSES VACCINE MANDATES ON
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
EMPLOYEES, WHICH NOW HAVE A MORE
THAN 90% VACCINATION RATE.
THAN TRYING TO GET HIS
INFRASTRUCTURE BILLS THROUGH THE
HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND THAT
TOOK PRIORITY THIS WEEK.
I KNOW THAT SEVERAL ALDERMEN ARE
HOPEFUL THAT THE PRESIDENT COMES
BACK AND HELPS PUSH VACCINE
MANDATES.
THE CITY EMPLOYEE VACCINE
MANDATE IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE
EFFECT OCTOBER 15TH WHICH MEANS
CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE TO GET THEIR
FINAL DOSE OF THE VACCINE BY
FRIDAY.
>> AND PARIS, THE 20 SECONDS,
ARE DEMOCRATS FROM BOTH SIDES
ARE THEY DOOMING THE PRESIDENT'S
PRIORITIES HERE?
>> IT COMES DOWN TO THE
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS ARE GOING IT
ALONE ON THE 4 PLUS BILLION OF
INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILD BACK
BETTER AND THEY HAVE TO FUND THE
GOVERNMENT AND THE DEBT CEILING
THE DIVIDE IS BETWEEN MODERATE
DEMOCRATS AND PROGRESSIVES IT'S
COMING DOWN TO THE TWO SENATORS
SINEMA FROM ARIZONA AND MANCHIN
FROM WEST VIRGINIA MANCHIN
SAYING IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE HE
WANTS TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL.
PROGRESSIVES SAYING THAT IS WHAT
IT IS.
WE NEED THE CLIMATE STUFF AND WE
NEED IT TO BE THAT MUCH MONEY.
IT DOESN'T SEEM ANY DEAL
EMERGING YET AND THEY HAVE TO DO
IT SOON.