WILL MCDOME PROPOSAL BE THE KEY TO KEEPING BEARS FROM GARY?

     IL Gov. Jim Edgar, who had pledged support for Chicago Mayor
Richard Daley's plan to reconstruct Soldier Field, now believes a
multipurpose domed stadium at McCormick Place "would be a plus
for the city of Chicago."  According to the CHICAGO TRIBUNE,
Edgar's "abrupt shift" over McDome comes on the heels of a
breakdown in talks between the Bears and the city over the $156M
improvement.  Edgar suggested the same Daley-backed tourism taxes
used to expand the McCormick Place exhibition center in 1991
could be used to build McDome.  Daley argues taxpayers ewer
burdened enough by the original $1B expansion (Pearson & Kass,
CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/22).