Bleachers set up for close look at construction. 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. Plenty of cities have two NFL teams, she said. Soldier Field rehab can proceed despite benefits to the team. Last year he was fined $12,000 for a hit on St. Louis quarterback Chris Miller. Many options were explored for the Bears, including a brand new stadium in suburban Arlington Heights as well as a new stadium just to the south side of Chicago Stadium on the city's West Side. New Bill Aims to Jump-Start Bears Stadium Negotiations 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 Daley said the renovation would be financed with $175 million from the Bears, $160 million in taxes on hotel stays and restaurant meals in Chicago, and $60 million from Soldier Field revenue bonds. Who would pay for it? 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. Background papers distributed by the mayors press office indicate the stadium would be expanded to up to 70,000 seats, from 61,500 now. 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. LIghtfoot was asked about the lease back in May and she seemed pretty convinced that the Bears wouldn't be able to get out of it. But even after the renovation, Soldier Field remained the smallest capacity stadium in the NFL an issue Bears leadership has said hamstrings the team. The proposal includes the idea of building a dome over Soldier Field so it could be used year-round, along with removing Burnham Harbor and replacing it with parking floating pavilions. Giving the Bears the opportunity to possibly sell naming rights to the stadium was also floated. The Chicago Tribune did some digging back in July and found that the Bears would be able to get out of the lease in 2026 by paying a penaltyof $84 million. By choosing the option of a retractable roof and thus an indoor/outdoor facility, the city would possibly be in a better position to host events such as the Super Bowl, college bowl games and even events such as the NCAA Final Four while keeping their home field advantage in the cold weather. 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. This expert team has done an impressive job bringing these three options to life, said Martin Cabrera, CEO of Cabrera Capital. 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. He said it was aimed at resolving the often bitter differences the three men have had on a new stadium. In an email, the head of Friends of the Parks, a civic group that sued and ended up blocking the proposed Lucas Museum just south of Soldier Field, said legal action (again) by her organization again is on the table. NFL owners approve two Soldier Field renovation projects Soldier Field Gets Glitzy Overhaul (And Much More Food) "What we are doing is making a compelling case for the Bears to stay in Chicago.". The Bears said Monday that they stood by their previous statement in response to Lightfoot's proposal. Soldier Field 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 Chicago Bears have been trying to leave Soldier Field for 50 years. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Heres What A Soldier Field Dome Could Look Like Under Mayo The name was changed to Soldier Field to honor those who had fought in World War I. Give your students the gift of international friendships. As part of a nearly $400 million reconstruction project, the majority of Soldier Field was demolished with the exception of the exterior. The new Soldier Field broke ground on January 19, 2002. In just 20 months, the shortest construction time for a modern day stadium on record, the Project was completed. renovations Ideally, the Bears and Chicago will find a way to expand the stadium without making it even more of an eyesore than it already is. In 1994, Smith was fined $8,000 for fighting with Tampa Bays Tyji Armstrong. While clearly some members of (Lightfoots) Reimagining the Lakefront Working Group worked closely with the mayor to devise this plan, Friends of the Parks was not invited to be part of any vetting of actual plans for a dome at any time, even though it was a member of the group, Juanita Irizarry said. Since I guess I kicked a hornet's nest in Chicago some claritythe Bears' stadium project financing that was approved today by the owners relates back to video boards that went up in 2015, statues built in 2019. Im more than willing to take a look at his proposal and see if its doable and hes indicated hes willing to take a look at other options too, Edgar said. The state is swimming in debt and may be helping the Sports Facilities Authority dig out of its Soldier Field hole for some time. Bears one step closer to ditching downtown Chicago after In a statement on Monday, a Bears spokesman said the only option the franchise is interested in exploring for a new stadium is the Arlington Park site. 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 contributed a major amount of money. The centerpiece is a dome, made of steel and translucent plastic, that would slide over the top of the grass playing field in bad weather. It sounds like the Bears will be welcoming fans back at Soldier Field in full capacity for the 2021 season, as theyre already one of 30 teams thathave approval for full capacity stadiums to begin the preseason. According to the mayor's office, the plans also would increase the number of luxury suites from 133 to 140; add six new club areas; quadruple concessions areas from 50,000 to 200,000 square feet; expand the opportunity for stadium naming rights and other sponsorships, and create more flexible event space, with up to 4 separate venues, with capacity ranging from 5,000 to 60,000 seats. The options include: Significantly, options 1 and 2 make Soldier Field a top tier NFL stadium with tremendous opportunity for the Bears to fulfill their vision. Chicago Bears Soldier Field dome: Landmark Development Furthermore, any of these proposed renovations will allow Soldier Field to retain its role as an economic engine for Chicago for years to come, as these changes will allow us to keep bringing sports, music and other exciting events to our city.. Aside from whether or not the proposed dome would be enough to convince the Bears to say, the mayor's proposal does not answer another important question. For gosh sakes, what is phase three going to be? "I don't want to speculate and get ahead of ourselves, but we believe in collaboration and shared value and investment," she said. But should they choose to leave, Soldier Field will continue to be a premier multipurpose venue that is able to host an array of important and exciting events.". But the Bears have a lease at Soldier Field through 2033. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. I cant let it affect the way I play, Smith said. Immersion Homestays and Study Abroad programs Summer, Semester, or School Year. ", The proposal also would expand seating at Soldier Field from 61,500 seats to 70,000, increase the number of suites from 133 to 140 and quadruple the food and beverage space from 50,000 square feet to 200,000 square feet. At a news conference, Lightfoot, as Crains previously reported, laid out three options: Add the dome; do extensive rehab work that would make the facility dome ready; and repurpose the field with the expectation that the Chicago Bears are leaving for a new stadium in Arlington Heights. Latest Bears stadium legislation would add $3 to ticket Landing spots for top undrafted free agents: Who signed after Round 7? The only potential project the Chicago Bears are exploring for a new stadium development is Arlington Park, that statement said. 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. 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 | An improved Soldier Field will deliver a world-class visitor experience, said Mayor Lightfoot. Furthermore, any of these proposed renovations will allow Soldier Field to retain its role as an economic engine for Chicago for years to come, as these changes will allow us to keep bringing sports, music and other exciting events to our city. "Much work remains to be completed, including working closely with the Village of Arlington Heights and surrounding communities, before we can close on this transaction," Phillips said in a statement. Rendering of a proposal to renovate Soldier Field with a dome and thousands of new seats. Friends of the Parks perspective on a possible dome remains the same. The 2002 renovation of Soldier Field cost $660 million, $432 million of which was funded by the city's hotel tax, and the bonds issued to finance that project are still being paid off. Plan to keep the Bears in Chicago complicated by We must enhance the fan experience, and that's precisely what we aim to do," Lightfoot said at a news conference Monday afternoon at Soldier Field. "Furthermore, any of these proposed renovations will allow Soldier Field to retain its role as an economic engine for Chicago for years to come, as these changes will allow us to keep bringing sports, music and other exciting events to our city. It hurts.. CHICAGO (WLS) -- As She asserts that the team would be at least $1 billion to $1.5 billion better off if it stayed at Soldier Field rather than building a new facility. If youve ever dreamed of living and studying abroad or hosting a student, dont let anything stand in your way. Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. Sure, the stadium is a historic landmark. Of course, that's not exactly true. 130 E. Randolph St. Create more flexible event space and multi-purpose venues including up to 4 venues with capacity ranging from 5,000 to 60,000 or more. However, given the fact that the stadium has little space to expand or change, it's unlikely to find a simple and cost-effective solution to the dilemma at hand. Soldier Field remains an incredible asset for City residents and visitors. Spend a semester or a school year abroad with a host family and attend high school classes. Please check your email for a confirmation. It also discusses the possibility of quadrupling the amount of food and beverage space in the field to 200,000 square feet. During the reconstruction of Soldier Field, preparations in Champaign and Bourbonnais continue as they get ready to play host to the Bears. Single-game tickets then went on sale two weeks ago following the schedule release. Quadruple the food and beverage square footage from 50,000 sq ft to 200,000 sq ft. Add secondary club and activation areas to as many as 20. At the center of the proposal is the construction of a domed stadium, which could cost anywhere from $900 million to $2.2 billion. Vaccines protect you and the people around you, reducing the spread of COVID-19. Suite 3200 "Our goal is to chart a path forward that allows our team to thrive on the field, Chicagoland to prosper from this endeavor, and the Bears organization to be ensured a strong future.". As Chicago looks to keep the Bears playing at Soldier Field, with the team currently considering a new stadium outside the city, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has unveiled CHICAGO Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today announced proposals for renovations of Soldier Field, a crown jewel of both Chicago and our celebrated lakefront Museum Campus. The mayor's office estimated the costs of the three options would range from $900 million to $2.2 billion. The statement also said the proposal would "dramatically expand the opportunity for major sponsorships and naming rights.". Proponents of the idea boasted that the renovations would add 19 acres of park space along the lake. A roof on Soldier Field may be possible, but cost and The options include rebuilding both end zones and enclosing the stadium with a dome; renovating the stadium to make it dome ready; or modifying Soldier Filed into a multi-purpose stadium better suited for its other major sports tenant, the Chicago Fire FC, as well as concerts and other year-round events. 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. Here are the released renderings of a proposed "Dome" renovation of Soldier Field released by the Mayor's office today. 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. Dramatically expand the opportunity for major sponsorships and naming rights. Chicago Unveils 3 Proposed Renovations for Soldier Field. Just ten years removed from the extensive $660 million renovations of the Soldier Field "I've seen a couple of reports [of a possible move] but a couple of data points that I think you should be aware of are the Bears have a lease with Soldier Field until 2033 and the NFL doesn't let any teams break their leases," Lightfoot said at the time. Though the capacity has greatly varied over time, its current layout seats only 61,500, making it the smallest stadium in the NFL. Option 2: An official website of the City of Chicago, City Council Office of Financial Analysis, Community Commission for Public Safety & Accountability, The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, Mayor Lightfoot Announces Three Options for Proposed Renovations to Soldier Field. 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. E-mail oureditor 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. Plummer worked with the first-team defense at practice this week, and will be back in action Sept. 22 against Carolina after San Franciscos bye week. Yes, it can.. 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. In Chicago, meanwhile, two architects who worked on Soldier Fields $660 million renovation bankrolled by bonds that wont be fully repaid until 2032 said only modest expansion is possible at the 61,500-seat stadium, the NFLs smallest. Option two calls for rebuilding both ends of the stadiums with columns that could support a dome, but not actually constructing it. My statement still stands on the Bears: my admin remains committed to continuing the work to keep the team in Chicago. Daley and construction officials said there is no other retractable roof like it in sports stadiums. 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. There are three possible renovations for the Mayor Lightfoot Announces Three Options for Proposed History of Soldier Field - Illinois Sports Facilities Authority Unfortunately for the city of Chicago and the Chicago Bears, no one ever told them that. 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. Irrelevant' pick on Toledo's Johnson, Chargers go all-in on TCU with Duggan pick in 7th, NFL Nation sizes up all 259 draft selections. No timetable was set for the plan; construction would take three years during off-seasons. It might happen at a used car lot. By anchoring a dome on four super columns at the fields endzones, The answer is very clear. However, other analyses of the plan point out that the actual park space is only half of that. 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 wouldn't have bid on the property in Arlington Heights if they weren't serious about moving and now that they have the land, it won't be surprising if they're playing there before the end of the decade. Everybody knows the sinking feeling you get after you shake hands on a deal, then realize you've been snookered. Soldier Field renovation - Chicago Tribune 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.
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