When the Lake Forest Bears move on from Kevin Warren, remember Dec. 17.

Warren, the team president and CEO hired in January 2023 specifically because of his experience building a stadium while leading the Minnesota Vikings, issued an open letter last week explaining the franchise is expanding its search for a new arena site outside of Cook County to potentially include Northwestern Indiana.

“This is not about leverage,” Warren asserted, which has to be true because why else would Warren choose to release such a statement when the General Assembly is [and will remain] out of session and the football team he ostensibly leads is preparing for its most important regular season contest in at least seven years?

The football analysts can better explain the significance of the Bears hosting the Green Bay Packers on Saturday for a national television audience, but as a political observer I can’t begin to understand the logic behind squandering a rare amount of goodwill players and coaches earned on the field this season by choosing this moment to complain the efforts to fleece taxpayers “have been met with no legislative partnership.”

Warren’s statement was set on a tee for the politicians he’s courting to boot like an opening kickoff. None said it better than Rep. Kam Buckner, the Chicago Democrat whose House district includes Soldier Field:

“It’s true that public dollars for a new stadium has not been a legislative priority,” Buckner wrote. “That’s because giving public money to a professional sports franchise doesn’t crack the top 100 things the people of Illinois are asking for, expecting, or willing to tolerate right now.”

Republicans can disagree with whether the Democrats who control the General Assembly are delivering on the priorities Buckner cited for his caucus, but no sane GOP official would argue in favor of moving a stadium incentive package higher up the list.

“We have not asked for state taxpayer dollars to build the stadium at Arlington Park,” Warren wrote, after reminding everyone he sees no viable plan for the team to continue playing in city limits. “We asked only for a commitment to essential local infrastructure [roads, utilities and site improvements], which is more than typical for projects of this size.”

Taxpayer dollars fund essential infrastructure, and no sites need to be improved absent Warren’s real estate goals.

“Additionally, we sought reasonable property tax certainty to secure financing.”

That also is a request for taxpayer dollars. Not directly for the team, but that every public body handles increasing expenses while the Bears’ contribution stays flat. Translation: everyone else pays more.

Lawmakers aren’t partnering because the team wants more than it deserves. By refusing to accept that reality, Warren may seal his professional fate.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.