Throughout the process, the school districts receive numerous questions, rumors and inquiries regarding the redevelopment of Arlington Park.  This page will be updated as we receive general questions from the community.   

What is the school districts’ role in the redevelopment of Arlington Park and how will it impact the school districts?

School districts traditionally have not had a formal role in the redevelopment process of properties.  As a governmental entity, school districts are impacted by development activity by providing a public service to students generated from housing.  

Any school district’s primary focus must be on long-term interests, educational advancement and overall well-being of students.

Districts 15, 211 and 214 are committed to balancing the interests of all stakeholders in our communities, including our students, families and taxpayers. Our primary focus remains on ensuring a fair and beneficial outcome for all parties. The Bears stadium proposal is a complex issue with many moving parts, and all three districts are actively involved in ongoing discussions to arrive at the best possible resolution.

While we recognize the potential benefits of the Bears' move, we are also mindful of the inherent risks in the negotiation process and disputed matters and are doing our due diligence.

Do the school districts support the redevelopment of Arlington Park by the Chicago Bears?

All three school districts in question fully support the Bears and the redevelopment of Arlington Park and are in regular communication with the decision-makers regarding this project.

We have always supported the Bears’ potential move to Arlington Heights, recognizing it could be an exciting opportunity for our community and our students, for example, with potential collaborations through our Career Pathways program at the high school level. We are excited about the potential benefits it could bring to our community.

Are any meetings planned with the Chicago Bears?

We plan to meet with the Bears in the near future and continue our support for their redevelopment of Arlington Park.

Who are the school districts talking to about the redevelopment?

Districts 15, 211 and 214 are committed to maintaining an open dialogue with all stakeholders, including the Bears, the Village of Arlington Heights, legislators, and other decision-makers, to ensure the best possible outcome for our community. We believe in a collaborative approach to ensure that the Bears' potential move to Arlington Heights benefits everyone in our community.

Why do the school districts believe they need a “seat at the table?”

Due to this project’s magnitude and potential impact on our three school districts and the thousands of students we serve, we need to have a permanent seat at the table. We are currently at the table and believe this should continue so that we have the opportunity to ensure that any agreements or legislation provide a fair deal for students and are subject to approval by the school districts.

How much do the schools stand to lose/gain financially by the redevelopment?

The fiscal and community implications of this deal continue to remain unknown. All three school districts involved are considering the long-term implications of any decisions related to the Bears' move to our community.

Who sets the value of the property when it comes to property taxes?

Beyond the market price of the land, the Cook County Assessor and Board of Review are the ultimate arbiters when it comes to setting the valuation of the property.  While there is precedent for developers and school districts to help speed the process by recommending a settlement to the Board of Review for these types of major projects, the school districts do not determine the value.

How do Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts play a role in the redevelopment process and why was it set at $95 million for the 2022 tax year?

TIFs are utilized by municipalities to help spur economic development and must meet stringent state laws.  For more information, please visit the research and information page of this website.

The suggested $95 million assessed value for the site represents a compromise on the property's value, given the disparate valuation points from the Bears and the Cook County Assessor. We believe this could provide the property tax certainty the Bears desire while setting the value higher than in prior years based on the market rate for properties of this type.

Our duty as a school district is to represent the interests of our students and their families, as well as our taxpayers, which includes stepping in when developments could significantly affect these interests.  

• District 15 currently has 6 TIF districts that divert $4.6 million away annually.

• District 211 currently has 14 TIF districts.

• District 214 currently has 19 tax increment finance (TIF) districts that divert $11 million away annually.

Property tax issues on this project will impact residents not living in Arlington Heights, ranging from Hanover Park to Wheeling, which are all communities served by school districts 15, 211, and 214. 

How do TIFs cost taxpayers?

The Cook County Clerk has noted that TIF districts in Cook County increase the average homeowner's property tax bill almost by 10%. Further, TIF districts run for up to 23 years and are often extended for an additional 12 years.  Please see additional information on the research and information page of this website.

How will the 2023 and 2024 tax years be settled?

The Cook County Assessor will set the valuation.  Similar to other properties in which school districts have worked with developers, we have requested that all communication with the Bears regarding property tax issues be conducted through our attorneys to streamline the process and ensure clarity in communications. Representatives from the school districts have been in regular contact with representatives from the Bears from the beginning. Churchill Downs, Inc settled the 2022 property taxes, and we believe the Cook County Assessor will have the 2023 assessment done soon.

How is the United Center valued for Property Tax Purposes?

The United Center, home of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Chicago Bulls, opened in mid-1994.  From the date it opened until approximately 2017, the United Center was not assessed as typical real property in Illinois at its ‘fair cash value’.  Instead, the United Center was the subject of a unique provision in Illinois law giving it special treatment as a ‘sports stadium property’.  In the early 1990’s the General Assembly added Sections 10-205 through 10-220 to the Property Tax Code that provided a formula for an assessment for the United Center based upon its income generating capacity.  The legislation does not mention the United Center but instead states that it applies to municipalities with more than 2,000,000 inhabitants and a stadium with a seating a capacity between 18,000 and 28,000 built primarily for holding professional sports events.

The formula for valuing this unique facility (i.e., the United Center) defines the assessment as 20% of its fair cash value which is then defined as being “equal to 4 times the annual net income (revenues net of all expenses, including interest, income taxes, and all property maintenance or replacement expenditures whether or not capital in nature, but not including depreciation) actually earned by its owners from the property.”   The legislation also provided minimum tax payments for the first three years of the special tax treatment.  The term of this special assessment provision ran for 22 years or roughly from 1995 to 2017.  Since 2018 the United Center has been valued as all other real property without this special treatment.

You can read the statutory language creating the special tax treatment for the United Center here.