Initial details have been revealed for the massive redevelopment of Museum Campus for the new Chicago Bears stadium near downtown. The new structure will replace the existing parking deck to the south of Soldier Field, with the plans being revealed the day before the NFL draft. The proposal is being led by the team itself along with the City of Chicago, with Kansas City-based Manica Architecture working on its design.
Executives from the White Sox and Bears are advocating for public assistance to secure funding for new stadiums. The White Sox are pursuing state funding for a new stadium in the South Loop, while the Bears are exploring financing options for a new stadium south of Soldier Field on Chicago’s lakefront.
In a recent NFL owners meeting, Chicago Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren declared his intentions on keeping the teams stadium on the lakefront, saying, “The plan will be to put a shovel in the ground on the lakefront,” according to a recent Athletic article.
Updated renderings and plans have been revealed for the redevelopment of Soldier Field in Museum Campus. Built in 1924, the famed structure is approaching its 100-year birthday on the cusp of another complete overhaul similar to the one it received in the early 2000s. The proposal has been in the works for a while now as the city tries to retain the Chicago Bears who are planning to move to Arlington Heights and create their own entertainment complex on the old racetrack grounds.
On Monday, the Mayor’s office announced new proposals for renovations of Soldier Field. These proposals come as a result of the findings and recommendations of the Mayor’s Museum Campus Working Group. YIMBY recently reported on the Museum Campus Working Group’s published report, Where Worlds Connect, which details the scope of the plan to update the Museum Campus.