BEARS WILL NOT CONTRIBUTE $15M TO FINANCE GARY STADIUM

     Bears VP Ted Phillips dismissed reports the team would kick
in $15M a year to build a stadium in Gary, IN, as "totally
inaccurate," thereby "dashing hopes" of some Gary city councilmen
that the project could go forward without a county income tax.
Phillips also said the Bears' deadline for passage of a Lake
County income tax remains March 31, despite talk that the team
had extended the deadline to '97.  Meanwhile, experts have told
Lake County leaders a stadium would cost $30-40M more than the
$312M previous estimate (Carroll & Biesen, MUNSTER TIMES, 1/30).
Lake County Council Member Morris Carter, who had earlier
indicated he would cast the vote killing the entire proposal said
his "statements had been based on a misunderstanding" and that he
remains undecided on the matter (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/31).