Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes denied claims that he and other Village Board members are pressuring area school districts to lower their property value estimates of the former Arlington International Racecourse – now owned by the Chicago Bears football team – hoping to keep the village in the running as a place for a new stadium.
“Village staff and board members are actively involved in pressuring the school districts to bend toward the Bears’ lowball property estimate through a memo of understanding,” village resident Keith Moens told the board at its Feb. 20 meeting.
The NFL team purchased the land last year for $197 million and have presented to Arlington Heights officials a redevelopment plan that calls for construction of a new stadium, residences, retail space and an entertainment district at the site.
But, since the Bears made that $5 billion proposal, other municipalities began to woo the team, too, including the city of Chicago where they currently play on the lakefront at Soldier Field.
During the public comment portion of the board meeting, Moens addressed trustees, citing an article in the Daily Herald asserting the pressure claim.
“In my opinion, the school districts are standing up for us taxpayers. If they (the school districts) need $160 million as an assessed value to cover the development of “Bears Town Illinois” out there, village staff and the Village Board should fully support them and that amount 100%. Why would we ever diminish our high quality education to subsidize the billionaire Bears?” he said.
Arlington Heights-based Township High School District 214 and Palatine- based Township High School District 211, along with feeder Palatine Community Consolidated School District 15, each draw property taxes from the now-demolished former racecourse site.
“We’re doing all we can to encourage both sides to talk even after this final decision. I’m hoping it’s not going to be final and put an end to the possibility of the Bears coming to Arlington Heights.”
The mayor agreed that the quality of education in Arlington Heights is high, saying that is a direct result of the amount of property taxes that go toward supporting area schools.
“We don’t want to diminish that,” Hayes told Moens. “There is no pressure being exerted by me or this board on the school districts to come to an agreement with the Bears. We’re doing all we can to encourage both sides to continue to talk and come to a reasonable solution that’s amenable to both sides.”
According to a Jan. 30 Chicago Tribune report, the Bears presented two appraisals of the 326-acre property – one $60 million and another $71 million – to the Cook County Board of (Tax) Review. Shortly after buying the land, the Bears demolished all of the former racetrack buildings in an effort to decrease the property value.
However, the school districts collectively estimate the land is valued at $160 million – which could greatly increase their property tax revenue.
Further, Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi established a land valuation of $192. But Friday, the BOR reduced the assessment to $125 million, with a tax bill of about $10 million.
School district officials have cautioned that setting the value of the property too low could result in other taxpayers having to pay more. But there has also been sentiment that the back-and-forth between the Bears and the school districts could become part of a deal-breaker for the team moving to Arlington Heights.
In a letter to the school superintendents last May, team President and CEO Kevin Warren said the school districts’ proposed valuation for the property is a “nonstarter” and “not viable.”
The Bears had been looking to pay annual tax payments of around $4.3 million
Hayes said he’s optimistic.
“We’ve been at it for four years and it’s going to be a long, long road and this is another hurdle we have to overcome,” Hayes said about the Bears and school districts’ ongoing tussle. “We’re doing all we can to encourage both sides to talk even after this final decision. I’m hoping it’s not going to be final and put an end to the possibility of the Bears coming to Arlington Heights.”
Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.
