Fire begin groundbreaking on new stadium

Photo: Chicago Fire FC

CHICAGO, IL–On Tuesday, Chicago Fire FC held a groundbreaking on the site of their new stadium set to open in 2028. The stadium will be on the Chicago River near Roosevelt Road and the first major new stadium built in Chicago since the United Center in 1994. The stadium is set to be the anchor of a new developed neighborhood known as “The 78” that will also contain businesses, parks and new apartments.

“This groundbreaking represents years of vision, planning, and partnership,” said Dave Baldwin, President of Business Operations for Chicago Fire FC. “From day one, our goal has been to create one of the best sports and entertainment experiences in North America – one that is authentic to Chicago and designed with our fans at the center. Today is proof that we are delivering on that promise.”

The 22,000-seat, open-air stadium is being privately funded by club owner Joe Mansueto to the tune of $750 million as it will be the most expensive soccer-specific stadium in MLS history. This is a 180º from SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview which was the first (and still only) entirely public-funded soccer-specific stadium built at $90 million at the time in 2006. Though the Village offered to pay for the costs at the time. Mansueto paid $65 million to the Village to break the club’s lease to move back to Soldier Field in 2019. The club still will play the occasional match at SeatGeek whenever the Bears have priority at Soldier Field and/or for US Open Cup and playoff games.

Mansueto has invested north of $1 billion into the Fire since taking over in full in 2018 which includes the $100 million Endeavor Health Performance Center and enhanced Academy investment, not to mention investment in the current first time roster.

“This is a historic day for Chicago Fire FC and for the city we are proud to call home,” said Joe Mansueto, Owner and Chairman of Chicago Fire FC. “This stadium is about investing in Chicago and creating a world-class home for our fans, players, and community. We are fully committed to delivering a venue that reflects the passion of the city and the ambition of this Club.”

Fans will get a chance to preview the future home at the Dear Chicago Experience Center inside the Wrigley Building, a 9,000-square-foot immersive space featuring stadium renderings, interactive design elements, and product previews that offer fans and partners a tangible look at the future home of the Fire. Information is also available at DearChicago.com.

Meanwhile, there are those who have expressed concerns that the new stadium and ensuing neighborhood will lead toward more gentrification in Chicago.

“The message is very clear,” Sarah Tang, with Coalition for a Better Chinese-American Community, told ABC7 Chicago. “The 78 is not for everyday Chicagoans. It’s for rich people, a playground for developers to bring up their yachts to see a soccer game.”

Another Chinatown resident, Grace Chan McKibben, said that while she’s not against the stadium, she is concerned that, much like with the United Center and Rate Field (home of the Chicago White Sox), those benefits will fail to materialize for lower-income residents in the surrounding areas.

“We worry about housing costs going up and displacing long-term residents. We worry about small businesses not being able to compete,” Chan McKibben said.

The developers said there were several community meetings about stadium development plans. They believe the project will benefit surrounding communities. They are forecasting economic impact of about $8 billion once the full site is built out.

The hope for Chicago Fire FC is that a little over two years from now, when the stadium is expected to open, the Fire will finally consider themselves home and be on the way to being a major player in the Chicago sports scene as well as once again in Major League Soccer.