Pritzker budget gives NASCAR, PGA up to $9 million in taxpayer money
The proposed Illinois budget gives money to NASCAR and PGA as lawmakers weigh a Bears stadium tax break, putting taxpayers on the hook for private sports costs.
Illinois’ proposed budget calls for spending as much as $9 million on golf and auto racing.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan reappropriates $5 million from the Fund for Illinois’ Future to NASCAR Events and Entertainment LLC for “costs associated with operating expenses,” using money first appropriated from general revenue in fiscal 2026.
The budget also would reappropriate up to $2.5 million from the Build Illinois Bond Fund for a NASCAR grant tied to “capital improvements.”
The same proposal carries forward $1 million from the Fund for Illinois’ Future for a grant to PGA Tour Enterprises LLC for “costs associated with the operation of a tournament,” plus up to $500,000 from the Build Illinois Bond Fund for PGA “infrastructure improvements.”
That’s $9 million sequestered for NASCAR- and PGA-related costs.
Major sports events bring visitors, hotel stays, restaurant spending and national attention. NASCAR said the 2024 Chicago Street Race generated $128 million in economic impact and $9.6 million in state and local tax revenue.
But “economic impact” is not the same as taxpayer benefit and is often overstated. Studies have shown that events would be held regardless of public incentive money and that economic impact would occur regardless because residents and visitors would find other events or activities to attend.
Another sports issue — how to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois — has highlighted the cost that can hit taxpayers when government does things such as spending money to manipulate who stays in or comes to Illinois. State lawmakers have advanced a “megaprojects” bill tied to the Bears’ proposed Arlington Heights stadium, a measure that could provide the team a major property tax break.
But that bill wouldn’t just give the Bears a tax break — it would go to any qualifying megaproject such as a new White Sox stadium or a massive mixed-use development like One Central.
Those kinds of breaks for megaprojects with minimal relief in the bill for homeowners is unfair. Illinois residents pay the highest property taxes in the nation.
Stadium subsidies have repeatedly failed to generate the new tax revenue, jobs or new businesses used to justify them. Illinois should instead welcome tourists and major events by lowering taxes that increase operational costs, improving services and making the state easier to invest in.
NASCAR, PGA and the Bears all have fans, sponsors, media deals and ticket revenue. They should be financed by their profits, not by further saddling taxpayers.