With the Chicago Bears assessing their options for a new stadium site, there is now another proposal that features a dome and an entertainment district.
There is a new stadium proposal for the Chicago Bears to consider.
Fox 32 received a press release from Edward Peck Design, highlighting the newest concept for the Bears and their pursuit of a new stadium.
The architectural firm Edward Peck Design released a concept on Thursday, featuring a plan to update Soldier Field into a year-round venue. The updated stadium would feature a roof and a new entertainment district.
The proposal would also increase Soldier Field’s stadium capacity to 72,000 seats, including 1,800 new luxury suites and 8,700 more general seating. The Bears currently have the smallest stadium in the NFL with 61,500 seats.
To make the stadium a year-round destination, there would be a “transparent ETFE roof, which designers say would allow the stadium to host events year-round — from football games to concerts and conventions. An ETFE roof is a lightweight, transparent material that works like a glass roof, letting in natural light while protecting against the weather.”
Before Kevin Warren became the Bears’ team president, he spent 14 years with the Minnesota Vikings and helped build U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings’ state-of-the-art venue is also built with ETFE, covering 60% percent of the stadium.
Edward Peck's design also includes a new entertainment district that would surround the stadium on the lakefront. It "would be built on a deck over Lake Shore Drive and nearby rail lines and would feature restaurants, hotels, apartments and public gathering areas, according to the firm."
The goal for Edward Peck, the managing director of Edward Peck Design, is to keep the Bears at Soldier Field for the long term while creating the surrounding area into a destination that goes beyond game days, according to Fox 32.
Here is what the proposal mentioned for getting around to the updated stadium.
"It also includes a proposed high-speed water taxi stop, which would connect the site to neighborhoods along both the North and South sides, while taking advantage of its location near downtown, the Museum Campus and McCormick Place."
The Bears' pursuit for a new stadium goes back to 2023, when the team purchased 326 acres of land in Arlington Heights. Now over three years since that purchase, the Bears have made no physical progress on a state-of-the-art stadium. Negotiations in Arlington Heights continue to go no where because of a combination of property taxes and public funding.
The state of Illinois' lack of progress has allowed Northwest Indiana to enter into the discussion.
Chicago, Arlington Heights and Northwest Indiana are all still options for the Bears as the organization continues to find a new location for a modern stadium.