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$50 to park? In the event that 10,000 cars parked at the game, the Bears would make a whopping half a million dollars off of parking alone for one game. Seriously? Bear linebacker Vinson Smith says his aggressiveness wont be affected by his third fine in three seasons, the latest for a rough hit during an exhibition game. If the Bears started the process of planning a new stadium at some point next year and the stadium took four years to complete -- from the design stage to the final day of construction -- they could cut an $84 million check to the city of Chicago in 2026 and start playing at their new stadium then. CHICAGO (WLS) -- As In anticipation of the Bears buying the property, the Arlington Heights village boardapproved a zoning change in June that will allow a football stadium to be built on the land, which is currently occupied by a horse racing track. Any of these options has enormous potential to spur economic growth for Chicago and contribute to making the Museum Campus a global, year-round destination.. Mayor Lori Lightfoot today rolled out her vision for the future of Soldier Field and, as expected, constructing a dome over the historic arena is one of the options. Soldier Field | History, Events, Renovation, & Facts According to a statement released by the team earlier this month, the Arlington Park site is the only site the team is considering for a new stadium. "All options include major programmatic changes and concourse space improvements and, most importantly, preserve historical components of Soldier Field including the colonnades," the city said. The hosting of any of those events would be a great boost to the economy, and the process of making the stadium capable of hosting those would also be a boost to Chicago's job market. As I have said numerous times, our door in City Hall remains open. Having opened in 1924, with renovations taking place in 2003, Soldier Field is the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League and Chicago Fire FC of Major League Soccer. Make international friendships? Team president Ted Phillips said the move was all about ensuring a strong future for the Bears. In February, Edgar proposed a $465-million project that would add a 72,000-seat domed stadium and expand McCormick Place. https://bearswire.usatoday.com/2021/05/27/chicago-bears-soldier-field-renovation-projects-approved/, 2023 NFL draft: Experts hand out grades for Bears, Bears' updated roster following 2023 NFL draft, Grading every Bears pick in the 2023 NFL draft, Bears 2023 NFL draft tracker: Pick-by-pick analysis, Bears assign jersey numbers for their 2023 draft class, Twitter reacts to the Bears' selection of WR Tyler Scott, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The approval involves financing for the 2015 scoreboard installation and the 2019 videoboard installation near the Walter Payton and George Halas statues. 11:44 am ET, get out of the lease in 2026 by paying a penalty, Ranking teams likely to land Williams in 2024 NFL Draft, Prisco's 2023 NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams, Exploring Titans' options at wide receiver, Cowboys' 'ship has not sailed' on bringing back Zeke, Best post-draft fits for top-remaining NFL free agents, Bears one step closer to leaving Soldier Field, Prisco's draft grades for all 32 teams: Eagles ace it, Best, worst, most interesting pick for all, Winners, losers from the draft: Crafty Colts, Undrafted free agent tracker: Team-by-team list of signings, 10 veteran moves that should happen post-2023 draft, Report: Bucs star Barrett's daughter, 2, drowns in pool, NFL schedule release target date, plus 5 things we know, Steelers' draft haul one the team hadn't seen in 38 years. Arlington Park owner expects 'world-class' Bears stadium, Mayor Lightfoot explores a stunning change to Soldier Field, At Harley-Davidson, a repo shortage is hitting the bottom line, Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson names more appointees to transition subcommittees, Booth, Kellogg top the U.S. News ranking of best MBA programs, Big Fulton Market apartment project moves forward with $125 million loan, New lawsuit over 'brazen' moves in Maple & Ash restaurant feud. She did promise taxpayers to be good fiduciaries., Any of those proposed renovations will allow Soldier Field to retain its role as an economic engine, Lightfoot said. Please enter valid email address to continue. But the Bears have a lease at Soldier Field through 2033. If the Bears aren't ready to buy the lease out in 2026, the fee would actually go down each year through 2033. According to published reports, the Bears' lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033, but would require them to pay the city only $84 million in damages if they were to break their lease in 2026, which would likely be the earliest they could expect to build and move into a new stadium in Arlington Heights. The Bears said in June that they made a bid for the land because they wanted to explore the possibility of building a new stadium there. 'Soldier Field must be a year-round destination,' Mayor Lightfoot says. With the team's purchase agreement now in place, Lightfoot might start taking the Bears' threat to leave more seriously, but in reality, it's probably too late for that. That land acquisition could close by as soon as early 2023. Everything else is noise.". And while the city has said that it intends to fight to keep the Bears at Soldier Field, the Bears continue to moved forward in purchasing the site of the former Arlington Rack Track, telling the Daily Herald earlier this month that that "the only potential project the Chicago Bears are exploring for a new stadium development is Arlington Park.". Soldier Field, part of Chicago's 57-acre iconic Museum Campus that's also home to the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum, is one of the smallest National Football League stadiums in the country. "I think that there's no possibility they're not gonna consider this plan. But should Bears choose to stay in our city, Soldier Field will be a top 10 tier stadium with a number of new features. Give your students the gift of international friendships. Soldier Field May Get a Dome In an email, team Executive Vice President Scott Hagel said the team would stand by its statement of July 7, when Lightfoots lakefront panel first urged that she consider a dome. Additional measures to provide new amenities include: Photo renderings of proposed options can be found here, These proposed renovations would vastly improve the visitor experience for hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans and tourists alike, said Jack Lavin, President and CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and member of the Museum Campus Working Group. I am excited to share these proposals for Soldier Field, said Richard S. Price, Executive Chairman of Mesirow. Jets' Aaron Rodgers expects a 'heaven' and 'hell' relationship with Zach Wilson, Top picks Christian Gonzalez, Keion White reflect Patriots' ideal identity, Big takeaways from the NFL draft: A historic QB class, the rebuilt AFC South and new GMs thriving, XFL semifinals: Defenders roll Sea Dragons, set up title showdown with Renegades, Bijan Robinson shares that this is his second stint with the Falcons. A roof on Soldier Field may be possible, but cost and Phase two: Decide to bid for a Super Bowl in five years, while adding only half of the seats needed to reach the minimum requirements. No timetable was set for the plan; construction would take three years during off-seasons. renovations Lightfoot also announced the launch of a website that features more details and photos of the proposed changes. Ticket sales and other revenue from Bears games would pay off the bonds and the Bears portion of the funding. Increase the number of traditional suites from 133 to 140. Option 3: Modify Soldier Field to be a multi-purpose stadium better suited for soccer while improving its flexibility to accommodate major concerts and a range of events. Each of the proposals would create not only an exceptional experience for fans and concertgoers but would also enhance the public amenities for the entire Museum Campus.. The dome would also turn the stadium into an enclosed, climate-controlled facility for conventions and other events, such as college basketballs Final Four tournament. Advertisement Initial reaction to the It also would allow them to reap the full benefits of stadium naming rights, as well as any other events held at a team-owned arena, such as concerts. During the reconstruction of Soldier Field, preparations in Champaign and Bourbonnais continue as they get ready to play host to the Bears. However, none of the options seem likely to convince the Bears to stay in Soldier Field. Taking a group abroad? Host a student! As part of a Dont miss the opportunity. "This announcement from the Bears comes in the midst of negotiations for improvements at Soldier Field. Phase one: Reduce the overall capacity of Soldier Field while destroying its historic image and forcing it off of the National Register of Historic Places. "We have informed the City of Chicago that we intend to honor our contractual commitments as we continue our due diligence and predevelopment activities on the Arlington Heights property. One big downside to Soldier Field is that it's the smallest stadium in the NFL. It might happen at a used car lot. Expand the opportunity for major sponsorships and naming rights. CHICAGO (CBS) -- As the Chicago Bears consider leaving the city for a new stadium in Arlington Heights, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Park District officials on Monday unveiled three options for renovating Soldier Field, including a possible dome over the lakefront arena. Although the Bears have been looking into making renovations at Soldier Field, they likely came to the conclusion that it was cost prohibitive unless the city Jim Edgar and Bear President Michael McCaskey only hours before presenting it publicly. The structure itself isn't the only problem with the current state of Soldier Field. Bears one step closer to ditching downtown Chicago after The third option calls for modifications to make Soldier Field a multipurpose stadium suited to host soccer games while also making it a viable location to accommodate major concerts and a range of events. All three options would preserve the stadium's iconic colonnades, while expanding capacity from 61,500 seats to 70,000 seats. Soldier Field The Chicago Bears have been trying to leave Soldier Field for 50 years. Unfortunately for the city of Chicago and the Chicago Bears, no one ever told them that. on This Day - Soldier Field | History, Events, Renovation, & Facts | Britan PHOTOS: Soldier Field through the years - WGN-TV "As a season-ticket holder and longtime Bears fan, I am committed to keeping the 'Chicago' name in our football team," Lightfoot said. Lightfoot laid out three options for construction of a dome: The first would fully enclose the stadium by rebuilding both end zones with columns that can support a dome structure. Soldier will never be what it once was thanks to the flying saucer permanently residing in the middle of the classic building. Adding new amenities to Soldier Field for private events and public use will support the Museum Campus and the entire city of Chicago, and drive vital revenue and job growth for our citys small and mid-size business community.. Yes, it can.. History of Soldier Field - Illinois Sports Facilities Authority The statement also said the proposal would "dramatically expand the opportunity for major sponsorships and naming rights.". Lightfooot said she hopes the Bears will stay. All Rights Reserved. Even with the addition of 5,000 new seats, the capacity would still be under the NFL's minimum capacity of 70,000 required to host a Super Bowl. Soldier Field renovation options Option 1: Fully enclose the stadium by rebuilding both endzones with columns that can support a dome structure. Want to discover the world? News. Discover another part of the world. The Bears even went as far as selecting an architect to design a west-side stadium, which would have put three of Chicago's five main sports teams within a few hundred feet of each other. section: | slug: bears-one-step-closer-to-ditching-downtown-chicago-after-making-major-land-purchase-35-miles-outside-of-city | sport: football | route: article_single.us | Here are the released renderings of a proposed "Dome" renovation of Soldier Field released by the Mayor's office today. Daley and construction officials said there is no other retractable roof like it in sports stadiums. Add six new major club and experiential areas. Anyone planning on commuting to the stadium for a Bears game is in for a stressful experience. Back in June, she said the bid for the Arlington land was just a negotiation tactic to get the city to help with the cost of any potential renovations at Soldier Field. The Bears lease at Soldier Field expires after the 1999 season, and McCaskey has threatened to leave Chicago after that if the aging stadium isnt replaced. The state is swimming in debt and may be helping the Sports Facilities Authority dig out of its Soldier Field hole for some time. Staying current is easy with Crain's news delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge. First published on July 25, 2022 / 2:37 PM. However, it makes no sense to spend the money to "improve" the building if the changes won't meet the requirements that the structure needs. renovations Despite the lack of details on the deal and whether it would be palatable to taxpayers, Lightfoot said the Bears would be foolish not to consider the offer and hinted the same deal is on the table for any other team looking to move. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Lightfoot said she last talked to Bears chairman George McCaskey two weeks ago and told him about these plans, though she did not say anything about his level of interest. The Bears said Monday that they stood by their previous statement in response to Lightfoot's proposal. Friends of the Parks perspective on a possible dome remains the same. Landmark Development released a Soldier Field renovation proposal video, showcasing a new dome. But the stadium must be a year-round destination.. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? All rights reserved, Pat McAfee Against City Putting a Dome Over Soldier Field, Former Bears Kicker Robbie Gould Supports Bears' Departing Soldier Field, How Much Could You Get in New $725M Facebook Settlement? Though the capacity has greatly varied over time, its current layout seats only 61,500, making it the smallest stadium in the NFL. It hurts.. And a retractable roof would be architecturally challenging, if not impossible. A renovation of Soldier Field about 20 years ago essentially consisted of building a new seating bowl structure within the confines of the original 1924 stadiums outer walls. It reduced the stadiums capacity but gave the Bears many other things they wanted. Suite 3200 amilies can welcome a foreign student in their home for 2-4 weeks in the summer or 2 weeks during fall, winter, or spring vacations. Everybody knows the sinking feeling you get after you shake hands on a deal, then realize you've been snookered. "What's also important Soldier Field remains a highly desired venue by many other sports activities, music and more," she said. This is clearly a negotiating tactic that the Bears have used before," Lightfoot said at the time. Soldier Field renovation - Chicago Tribune