![Prost International [PINT]](https://prostinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/PINTtFontLogoRoboto1536x78.jpg)
New privately-funded stadium projected to open in 2028.
CHICAGO, IL–In a letter to supporters, Chicago Fire FC owner Joe Mansueto announced plans to build a new, privately-funded soccer-specific stadium south of Roosevelt Road in downtown along the Chicago River in a development dubbed “The 78” as it would be Chicago’s 78th neighborhood. The new 22,000-seat stadium would be part of an entertainment district including restaurants, retail, office space, and residential buildings, along with green space and an extension of the Chicago Riverwalk.
“A world-class city deserves a world-class football club – with a world-class home to match. We’re building one at The 78,” said Mansueto.
“Our privately funded stadium is purpose-built for soccer to give our players an edge and our fans an incredible matchday experience. This development will be transformative for both the Chicago Fire FC and the city of Chicago. Our new stadium will be the anchor of this new neighborhood which will build community, create thousands of jobs, and have a significant positive economic impact.”
The 78 is currently a vacant lot of land, but has long been marked for development and many projects have been proposed and many have never gotten off the ground. The Chicago White Sox had been eyeing the land for its new baseball stadium–even so far as to build a diamond in order to encourage Illinois legislators to provide public funding for their new stadium. There currently needs to be some cosmetic improvements that need to be made such as moving old railroad tracks and repairing the seawall on the river before any building can honestly begin according to the Sun-Times’ story.
Both the Chicago Bears and Chicago Stars have also sought public funding to build new stadiums as well. No such funding was included in the most recent state budget passed on Saturday. However, the Stars did note that the Illinois State Facilities Authority Act was amended to “ensure that if conversations are had regarding public funding for sports facilities through ISFA that women’s professional sports teams are to be considered, effectively securing women a seat at the table. The bill will be sent to the Governor’s desk for his consideration,” according to the Stars’ statement.
Back to the Fire’s stadium proposal, the club estimates the cost to be $650 million accord to a story in the Chicago Sun-Times. Mansueto told Crain’s Chicago Business that he is “not comfortable taking public money,” so he is willing to dig deep into his own pockets instead of continuing to see his team share Soldier Field with the Bears — and being at the scheduling and sponsorship mercy of the Chicago Park District.
The Fire’s current lease with Soldier Field expires after this season, but an option exists to sign a new three-year extension. Last season, the club had an average attendance of 21,327 which was their best ever figure–albeit aided by a home match against Inter Miami which drew 55,385. This year’s match against Inter Miami drew a record 62,358 and their current average after six home matches is 26,226.
However, the Fire are slated to host three matches at their former home SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview as they have to make way for Bears games. The Bears have five days’ priority prior to their games. The result is their August 9th match against LAFC, August 16th match against St. Louis, and September 6th match against New England will be in Bridgeview. Last season saw two matches moved to Bridgeview.
SeatGeek Stadium (originally known as Toyota Park)–opened in 2006 at 71st and Harlem–was the Fire’s home between 2006 and 2019 and was the only fully public-funded soccer-specific stadium in MLS. However, development around the stadium came too slowly and success on the pitch was did not develop at all after winning the US Open Cup in Bridgeview in 2006. As a result of both, plus its suboptimal location to fans in northern parts of the city, attendance suffered. Mansueto paid $65 million to break the lease with the Village of Bridgeview to move back to Soldier Field in 2020.
Currently, SeatGeek hosts the Stars and Major League Rugby’s Chicago Hounds. The Stars’ lease with Bridgeview expires after this season and there are reports that the Stars are exploring playing their home games at Northwestern University in Evanston in 2026. The Stars are playing a match in Evanston on September 7th at Martin Stadium which is a temporary site for Northwestern football (as well as soccer and lacrosse) while Ryan Field is undergoing renovations.
Joe Mansueto has pumped in considerable amounts of investment into the club since buying a 49 percent stake in 2018 before buying the remaining share the following year. This includes the recently opened Endeavor Health Performance Center in Roosevelt Square (also privately financed) and a willingness to spend on players, coaches, and to build up the academy. The long term plan has been a new stadium for the Fire as Soldier Field is not a long-term option for the club other than to reintroduce the club to the city after 14 seasons in Bridgeview.
The fatal flaws of Bridgeview were many from the aforementioned slow development that followed, the team not winning, and also other teams making to cool to be in the city whether they had a new soccer-specific stadium or not (i.e. Seattle and Atlanta). A new stadium in the city will give a Fire a permanent footprint in the city and be the anchor of a new neighborhood. We’ll see what happens between now and 2028.
