When the Chicago Bears first announced their $5B vision for Arlington Heights, they weren’t just drawing up blueprints for a football stadium. They were trying to redraw the playbook for what an NFL team could be. But every big plan comes with a big ask.

To turn this dream into a 21st-century reality, the Bears now want $855M in public funds to cover infrastructure upgrades. And that’s where the state of Illinois finds itself, in the familiar tension between big vision and bigger bills.

The $855M ask: What’s it for?

Team President Kevin Warren calls it transformational. “ The Chicago Bears belong to more than just Chicago. We belong to the entire state of Illinois,” Warren said . “We are at a pivotal juncture of the Chicago Bears franchise to build a new stadium, ” and it’s hard to

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