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- An unnamed lawmaker said Chicago’s NBC affiliatee there is talk of a dome
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The Chicago Bears stopped singing Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Kind of Town,’ but the $6.3 billion NFL franchise has decided to stay in the Windy City after threatening to leave for the suburbs.
Bears CEO and President Kevin Warren on Monday unveiled plans for a new publicly owned stadium within Chicago’s city limits after years of difficult negotiations with the city. The Bears plan to contribute $2 billion to the stadium.
Chicago’s NBC affiliate spoke with an unnamed lawmaker familiar with the plans, who told the network the stadium would be domed and come with a park lot. It remains unclear whether the proposed stadium will be near the Bears’ century-old home, Soldier Field, but Crain’s previously reported that construction could take place just south of the stadium along Lake Michigan.
“The Chicago Bears are committed to contributing over $2 billion to build a stadium and improve open spaces that all families, fans and the public can enjoy in the City of Chicago,” Warren, the former Big Ten commissioner, said in the statement.
The ‘Chicago Bears’ future stadium will bring a transformative opportunity to our region – boosting the economy, creating jobs, facilitating mega events and generating millions in tax revenue. We look forward to sharing more information once our plans are complete.’
A general view of the exterior of Chicago’s Soldier Field before a 2021 preseason game
Bears CEO Kevin Warren unveiled plans for a new publicly owned stadium on Monday
The team had previously planned to move to a 326-acre property in suburban Arlington Heights
A year ago, the Bears closed on a 326-acre property in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, but city officials never gave up hope they could keep the Bears.
Mayor Brandon Johnson has also expressed optimism that a new stadium can be built in Chicago for the city’s American League baseball team, the White Sox.
But while Warren has offered $2 billion for a publicly owned stadium in Chicago, some of those costs will inevitably fall on the fans, who will see ticket prices rise by an average of 8 percent next season.
In announcing the price increase last month, Warren cited ‘market considerations that factor into our business decisions’.
The Bears currently play at the iconic Soldier Field, which can hold up to 61,500 people, making it one of the NFL’s smaller venues.
And due to Soldier Field’s limited capacity, Chicago’s average attendance ranked second last in 2022 (59,823) and dead last in 2023 (61,769).
