ILLINOIS GOVERNOR SAYS "NO" TO BEARS' DOME REQUEST

     In an indication of the Bears' dissatisfaction with Chicago
Mayor Richard Daley's plan to renovate Soldier Field, team
officials have asked IL Gov. Jim Edgar to "dust off" his proposal
for a downtown dome, according to the CHICAGO TRIBUNE.  But Edgar
says a dome is not an option as long as the city has a viable
renovation plan.  Edgar also said the state will contribute a
$28M package of public works improvements to bolster Daley's
proposal.  Edgar questioned the Bears' request wondering if it
were an attempt to leverage more from the city, while the Gary
stadium project is "mired in problems."  Edgar:  "The issue is
the city's proposal on a renovation of Soldier Field or the site
with no money in Indiana, which I have to say seems, by the day,
to have more and more problems" (Kass & Pearson, CHICAGO TRIBUNE,
11/23).