(65 ILCS 100/2) (from Ch. 85, par. 6032)
Sec. 2. Legislative finding and declaration. It is hereby found that as a result of aging sports facilities in the metropolitan area of Chicago and the recent construction of modern facilities for professional sports teams in competing metropolitan areas in other states, there is a shortage in the Chicago metropolitan area of competitive modern sports facilities suitable for use by professional sports teams, as well as for other events.
It is further found that while government has constructed and owned many such sports facilities in Illinois and throughout the United States, it is desirable where possible for ownership and management to remain private so that public costs and burdens are reduced, efficiency enhanced, and development encouraged. Sports facilities operated by private enterprise face risks of a substantially different magnitude than most private businesses because of high debt costs, long amortization schedules, fluctuating patterns of utilization, changing trends in spectator and tourist interest, and unpredictable prospects which even optimum management sometimes cannot stabilize.
It is therefore necessary and appropriate for government to assist and cooperate in stabilizing the risks and burdens associated with private enterprises which engage in developing such facilities and to provide limited assistance and incentives to such enterprises. The government cooperation and incentives can realize the benefits of such facilities at much lower public cost than if government must fully construct and operate the projects.
It is further found that as a result of the costs to renovate or replace aging sports facilities, the difficulty of remodeling such facilities to include modern amenities, the intermittent utilization of such buildings as contrasted with other commercial buildings, the current high costs of taxable private financing, and the financial risk of promoting, developing and establishing new privately financed professional sports facilities without the assistance contemplated in this Act, the private sector is unable to construct economically adequate, fully competitive modern professional sports facilities.
It is further found that major professional sports and entertainment stadiums and facilities can promote the public interest in redevelopment of blighted neighborhoods and disadvantaged communities. Construction of such facilities can be planned so as to stimulate urban renewal and community redevelopment in neighborhoods afflicted with high unemployment, inadequate and substandard housing, and other social problems. It is an appropriate and desirable public purpose for government to facilitate, assist and cooperate in the development of such facilities so as to bring economic benefits to the local community and to help solve the social problems in blighted neighborhoods and disadvantaged communities.
It is further found that the creation of the modern professional sports facilities and the other results contemplated by this Act would stimulate economic activity in the City of Chicago, County of Cook and State of Illinois, including the creation and maintenance of jobs, the creation of new and lasting infrastructure and other improvements, and the retention and attraction of sports and entertainment events which generate economic activity.
It is further found that professional sports facilities are magnets for substantial intrastate and interstate tourism resulting in increased retail sales, hotel and restaurant sales and entertainment industry sales, all of which increase job availability, economic growth and State and local government tax revenues and enhance Illinois interstate tourism, which is a major industry in Illinois.
It is further found that in order to achieve the objectives of this Act and to realize the full economic benefits associated with the construction and operation of new professional sports facilities, it is desirable that construction be undertaken as expeditiously as possible, it being further found that immediate acquisition of a site or sites and construction of such a facility or facilities is in the public interest.
It is further found that the areas expected to be impacted by the professional sports facilities contemplated by this Act are severely blighted and in need of commercial development.
It is further found that the creation of the modern professional sports facilities and the other results contemplated by this Act constitute a public purpose and a public use and benefit in the public interest.
(Source: P.A. 86-110.)
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Last modified: February 18, 2015