The Chicago Bears presented their proposal for a new stadium on Wednesday. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Bears' President Kevin Warren described the plan to build. Head of Stadium Development, Karen Murphy, showcased the designs for improving the infrastructure along the lakefront and how the Bears plan to fund this project.
Bears New Stadium Renderings
The Bears' plans for a new stadium in Chicago are very optimistic and detailed. President and CEO Kevin Warren talked at length about bringing events to the city of Chicago. With a new enclosed stadium, Chicago could host the Final Four, a Super Bowl, concerts, and more.
Warren stated if the stadium is built according to their plans, an estimated 77,000 fans would be in attendance for the Final Four in Chicago. They released several renderings of the proposed new stadium:
Some designs for this stadium are similar to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota. The proposal for Chicago has a roof made entirely of glass and Kevin Warren said it would be too expensive to create a retractable roof.
Funding
Bears' Head of Stadium Development, Karen Murphy, talked about funding this project and how they will accomplish it. According to Murphy, the Bears are not looking at taxing residents to fund the stadium project.
The Bears organization will put about $2 billion into this project and utilize a $300 million NFL loan. The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA) would cover a $900 million gap if approved for a total cost of $3.2 billion.
Murphy then described renovations to the surrounding area's infrastructure. Certain intersections would be modified for easier entry and exit to and from the new stadium in Chicago.
If approved this project will take several years to complete, creating thousands of jobs. Kevin Warren predicts the stadium could open as early as 2028. As Karen Murphy stated, the Bears' current facility, Soldier Field, is the oldest in the NFL. Chicago is in dire need of an upgrade and these plans have high expectations.
More must-reads: