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Politics

At a Great Price

The True Cost of the Sears Headquarters Deal

The historic $500 million Sears deal with Illinois was one of the United States’ first major tax incentive agreements to relocate a corporate headquarters — but in almost every way, it failed to deliver on what was promised.

The Big Empty: How Corporate Headquarters Have Abandoned America’s Suburbs

by David Bernstein for The Daily Herald,

Sears Helped Build a Giant Entertainment Arena. Now, a Suburb Pays Millions to Keep It Running.

by David Bernstein for The Daily Herald,

Nearing Bankruptcy, Sears Claimed Fast-Food Workers and Baristas as Employees to Keep Tax Breaks

by David Bernstein for The Daily Herald,

The Sears Headquarters Deal Cost Taxpayers $500 Million. 30 Years Later, There’s Little to Show for It.

by David Bernstein for The Daily Herald,

Sears’ Headquarters Was Supposed to Turn a Sleepy Suburb Into a Boomtown. It Never Happened.

by David Bernstein for The Daily Herald,

How We Reported on the $500 Million Sears Deal

by ProPublica,