1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Well, last weekend is a state of the state speech 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: to Indiana. Governor Mike Broun said this, we are. 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 2: Working hard to bring the Chicago Bears to the Hoosier 4 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 2: State so they can really see what a great place 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 2: is to have a business. We'll work hard to do it. 6 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 2: Let's get it across the finish line. 7 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: That's what everybody in the chamber yelled. Who who hoos yours? 8 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 2: Got us? 9 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: A good morning to our friend there just across the 10 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: state line, Governor, Mike bron Governor, welcome back to WLS. 11 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,560 Speaker 2: Good morning, sir, good morning, and good to be back 12 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:34,519 Speaker 2: on Sure. 13 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:36,559 Speaker 1: I have to ask you, this would be something this 14 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: would be the coupdata if you could pull this off. 15 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: My first question this morning regarding the Bears as how 16 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:42,880 Speaker 1: do you get this done? 17 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 2: Well, let's look at how long it's taken to get 18 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 2: to this point. I think the Bears organization has been 19 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 2: talking to your brilliant governance in the state and governor 20 00:00:55,840 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 2: and the mayor of Chicago for years. It's not just recently. 21 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 2: Because they knew the day was coming where they had 22 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 2: to do something about a new venue. And when you 23 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 2: let it go to this point, I would think Illinoisans 24 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 2: and Chicagoans would be upset that it's advanced this far. 25 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 2: A lot of stuff that still needs to happen. I 26 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 2: think even as aloof as Pritzker and the mayor of 27 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 2: Chicago have been about it, basically saying, hey, you're on 28 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:31,960 Speaker 2: your own in this navigation, they can sense that this 29 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 2: is getting down to a point and they know the timeline. 30 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 2: And we've been just very easy to do business with 31 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 2: or a state of reasonable and low regulations. We're the 32 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 2: only state in the northern half of the country that 33 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 2: have had people moving into it. And that same kind 34 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 2: of hospitality is now being felt by the Bears organization, 35 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 2: and there's no guarantee of anything. I'm one of the 36 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 2: few governors in the country that actually have signed the 37 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 2: front side of a paycheck and main street entrepreneur that 38 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:10,799 Speaker 2: did build a national company, and I've been through similar 39 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 2: kind of forks in the road to where you need 40 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 2: to know what to do not to get ahead of 41 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 2: your skis. But when you've got an economy like ours, 42 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 2: it's growing twice the rate of Illinois and Ohio's three 43 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 2: times out of Kentucky's, six times out of Michigan, which 44 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 2: has been under liberal governance for a good while. They 45 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 2: see the advantages property taxes alone, not to mention what 46 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 2: they'd be able to get out of a new facility. 47 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 2: Because we got a triple A credit rating. You'd have 48 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 2: to research to see what the state of Illinois is. 49 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 2: I'm guessing it's in single digits or worse. Those things 50 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:59,679 Speaker 2: add up, and they've now been out there under serious 51 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 2: screw in terms of what it would be like. And 52 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 2: this isn't exactly something new. I mean, New York's franchises 53 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 2: are both in a neighboring state. But to me, that's 54 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 2: kind of like jumping from the frying pan into the 55 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 2: fire here. Here, there's no comparison in terms of where 56 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 2: you'd get better value out of a facility and a 57 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 2: better business partner long term. And it's arguably easier to 58 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:27,520 Speaker 2: get to than it would be fighting traffic going up 59 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 2: to Arlington Heights. 60 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 1: Go Governor Mike Brown is here, great State of Indiana. 61 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: Have you done any specific economic impact statements on this? 62 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 2: Now? 63 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 1: I've seen renderings of stadiums that have been put forth 64 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: both by the mayors of Hammond and Gary, and they 65 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: look fabulous. I mean, you can do a lot with 66 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: a CAD program and a laptop. But have you looked 67 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: into what the economic impact might be as it relates 68 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: to the Bears. I know you mentioned what it might mean, 69 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: but is there any hard numbers there. 70 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 2: Well, all you'll have to do is look at what 71 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 2: happened when Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis. So we've got 72 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 2: a test case. And if you've been to Lucas Oil 73 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 2: Stadium and you know, with it and other things we've done, 74 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 2: we're now probably the top convention destination, marginally from where 75 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 2: they used to be and obviously a lot of that 76 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 2: used to be in Chicago. They're not going to big 77 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: venues or that cumbersome to deal with. And all I 78 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 2: can tell you is that the economic development impact is 79 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 2: all there in a blueprint of what we did with 80 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 2: the Colts, and the region for Indiana is the second 81 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 2: largest center of population next to Indianapolis in Metro County. 82 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 2: So we've got that, not as an abstract discussion, a 83 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 2: real one and you'll get a lot more bang for 84 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 2: your buck long term, and in the facility that's put 85 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 2: up in the first place. 86 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: Talk about the meetings that took place. It was when 87 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:07,720 Speaker 1: Green Bay was playing the Bears. I know that Roger 88 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: Goodell and some of the NFL big wigs, along with 89 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 1: Bear's top brass, they were in Arlington Heights and then 90 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: they did come to Indiana. Did you have any partaking 91 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 1: in any of those meeting. 92 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 2: We've been mostly working behind the scenes because even here 93 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 2: in Indiana, you've got liberal media that would cast this 94 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 2: as something that might be a fool's errand simply because 95 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 2: I'm an entrepreneurial conservative governor and we got a legislature 96 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 2: that is staying ahead of it in terms of anything 97 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 2: we need to do. This does remind me of what 98 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 2: it would be like trying to craft a deal in 99 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 2: any of the states that have people in businesses moving 100 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 2: out of there, and sadly Illinois is number three, along 101 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 2: with California and New York. So sure they're doing it. 102 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 2: And again, Ray, this has not just happened overnight. The 103 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 2: Bears have been trying to work with state government and 104 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 2: the mayor I think close to three years, and I 105 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 2: think the bluff was called. It's got some timeliness to 106 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:14,919 Speaker 2: it in terms of their having to do something based 107 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 2: upon their current setup at Soldiers Field, and we're just 108 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:22,839 Speaker 2: being good accommodating business partners like you would in anything. 109 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 2: I don't think it will be because we've made it difficult. 110 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 2: I don't doubt that there will be a wake up call. 111 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 2: If they haven't gotten it, you're just snoozing, sleeping at 112 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 2: the wheel with Pritzker and the city. But this has 113 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:45,679 Speaker 2: had discussions going on for a good while, based upon 114 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 2: being rebuffed by the state and the city along the way, 115 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 2: and it's been a long journey. It hasn't just happened overnight. 116 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 1: You know, stadiums are always a hot button issue, right 117 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: they're taxpayers. I don't believe taxpayers should bear the bird 118 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:03,039 Speaker 1: for a stadium to be built. If you're going to 119 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: go there and use it, put a user tax on it. 120 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 1: We hear that the Chicago White Sox are looking for 121 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 1: a new place to play. Has there been any talk 122 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: of maybe a dual purpose stadium between the White Sox 123 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: and the Barris at least on your end of these conversations. 124 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 2: No, there has not been, But of course we've thought 125 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 2: about that. And I think if this eventuates and it's 126 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 2: got a fairly sharp windw I think, before we know 127 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 2: one way or the other, sure that would be a likelihood. 128 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 2: I think when you take a close look ray what 129 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 2: it's like to do business in this state versus what 130 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 2: it's like to do business in Illinois. We've got businesses moving, 131 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 2: especially the ones that workforce wouldn't be an issue where 132 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 2: they're near the border. They're becoming citizens of Indiana because 133 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 2: they're getting so many more benefits. We got the lowest 134 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 2: or second lowest tax rate of any state that charges 135 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 2: one around three percent on income. We are a low 136 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 2: regulation state. Well, you know I told you that. I 137 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 2: don't know if I mentioned I think I did. The 138 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 2: economic growth rates ours is twice that of Illinois and 139 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 2: Ohio three times at of Kentucky six times Michigan. And 140 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 2: look at Michigan is arguably the place that's turned the 141 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 2: most into liberal governance. So there's so many things that 142 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 2: stand out. We're the biggest manufacturing state per capita, right 143 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 2: up there with Wisconsin. 144 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: Now you're just bragging. Now you're just. 145 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 2: Telling your stuff though that that makes a difference. 146 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: If I were a betting man, could you give me 147 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: a do you think in a percentage chance, what do 148 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: you think the chances of Indiana bailable pull this off? 149 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 2: Are? Is it? 150 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: I mean, I mean, you know, you look at things 151 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 1: that have gone on in Indiana this year, who on 152 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 1: a team would have gone sixteen and no and won 153 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:03,119 Speaker 1: a national tain championship? 154 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 2: Right? 155 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: Can you what are the percentages did that? If I 156 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: want to go put this on red in Vegas, this 157 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: is going to happen. 158 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 2: Well, we're an entrepreneurial state run by an entrepreneurial governor 159 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 2: and a legislature that is generally going to be accommodating 160 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 2: on issues like this, and we've shown that I would 161 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 2: put it in that category of fifty to fifty and 162 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 2: the naysayers say it's more like ninety ten, that it 163 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 2: won't happen, and the people that have been complacent about it, 164 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 2: your own leadership in Illinois probably never thought it would 165 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 2: get to this point. So we don't do anything. We're 166 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 2: over performers, always understated, and I think that describes the 167 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 2: Hoosiers terms of what we did, and for my wife 168 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 2: went there in three of our four kids, and until 169 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 2: I actually was for the Miami game in the Ohio 170 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:06,080 Speaker 2: State game, very similar and I think Ohio State and 171 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:10,959 Speaker 2: Miami were the two best teams other than Indiana. Those 172 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 2: weren't decided until basically the last minute of each game 173 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 2: and against two iconic programs, but metaphoric of kind of 174 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 2: what we're like as a state. We just produce. We 175 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 2: do it year after year, and it's based upon that 176 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:35,359 Speaker 2: kind of main street tough toughness and always being overlooked, 177 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:36,439 Speaker 2: and we overperform. 178 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:39,679 Speaker 1: Don't ever underestimate the ones that are quiet. Governor Mike 179 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: Brown is going hunting bear. We'll have to keep an 180 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 1: eye open to see if this happens. I wish you well. 181 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know where to place this in 182 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 1: my childhood with my dad sitting at Soldier or as 183 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 1: he'd call it, Soldiers Field, but you know, it has 184 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 1: to make economic sense for the Chicago Bears. And if 185 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 1: a Pritzker and Brandon Johnson fumbled the ball on this, 186 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: it'll be of epic consequence and proportions. My friend, It's 187 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 1: always good to have you on, Governor Mike Brown, Great 188 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:07,200 Speaker 1: State of Indiana. I didn't want to bring this up, 189 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:08,679 Speaker 1: and I know you're short on time, but I hear 190 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: Joliet's trying to steal the indeed five hundred. I kid you, 191 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: I can, buddy, It's always good to have you on. 192 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 1: Sersay Height to the white Forest. We appreciate you