103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2596
 
Introduced 10/18/2023, by Sen. Robert Peters
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 

 
New Act

     Creates the Fan-Funded Stadium Act. Provides that, if any professional sports team (i) uses a tax-supported facility for most of its home games during the regular season of the professional sports league in which the team participates and (ii) receives financial assistance from the State or a political subdivision of the State, then that professional sports team shall not cease playing most of its home games at the tax-supported facility and begin playing most of its home games elsewhere unless the owner of the professional sports team enters into an agreement with the municipality in which the tax-supported facility is located permitting the team to play most of its home games elsewhere or gives the municipality in which the facility is located not less than 6 months' advance notice of the owner's intention for the team to cease playing most of its home games at the facility and gives the municipality or any individual or group of individuals who reside in the area the opportunity to purchase the team.
  


LRB103 34140 HLH 64045 b

 
 
A BILL FOR
 

  
SB2596LRB103 34140 HLH 64045 b


  
1    AN ACT concerning sports facilities.
  
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
3represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
5Fan-Funded Stadium Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions.  As used in this Act:
7    "Government subsidy" means a method of financing the 
8construction or renovation of a tax-supported facility using 
9State or municipal bonds,  tax exemptions, or direct payments 
10of public moneys.
11    "Tax-supported facility" means a sports stadium located in 
12the State that is constructed or renovated, in whole or in 
13part, using a government subsidy, whether that construction or 
14renovation occurred before, on, or after the effective date of 
15this Act.
 
16    Section 10. Professional sports teams; home games.  If    any 
17professional sports team (i) uses a tax-supported facility for 
18most of its home games during the regular season of the 
19professional sports league in which the team participates and 
20(ii) receives financial assistance from the State or a 
21political subdivision of the State, then that professional 
22sports team shall not cease playing most of its home games at 
 
 
SB2596- 2 -LRB103 34140 HLH 64045 b

1the tax-supported facility and begin playing most of its home 
2games elsewhere unless the owner of the professional sports 
3team either:
4        (1) enters into an agreement with the municipality in 
5    which the tax-supported facility is located permitting the 
6    team to play most of its home games elsewhere; or
7        (2) gives the municipality in which the facility is 
8    located not less than 6 months' advance notice of the 
9    owner's intention for the team to cease playing most of 
10    its home games at the facility and, during the 6 months 
11    after that notice, gives the municipality or any 
12    individual or group of individuals who reside in the area 
13    the opportunity to purchase the team.
  
 
14    Section 15. Enforcement.   If a professional sports team 
15does not comply with the provisions of this Act, then the 
16municipality in which the tax-supported facility is located 
17may file a complaint in the circuit court for the county in 
18which the tax-supported facility is located seeking injunctive 
19relief, actual damages, or both.