Can a dome keep the Chicago Bears in Soldier Field?
We are still far, far away from knowing the exact plan the Chicago Bears have for the Arlington Heights property they are in the process of purchasing. That property will not even close until 2023 and that’s if there aren’t any hiccups along the way.
It was recently announced that Lori Lightfoot and a mayoral committee are considering the recommendation that Chicago consider putting a dome on Soldier Field in an effort to not only make the stadium more attractive to the Chicago Bears, but possibly other potential suiters should the Bears choose to leave the heart of downtown.
A source told the Daily Herald that although no cost figures for a dome are being announced, the estimate is anywhere from $400 million to $1.5 billion. That’s a significant difference and I’d guess it has to do with the dome being retractible or not.
The reports are also suggesting that Mayor Lori Lightfoot is willing to present a number of other upgrades to the stadium. The question is, will any of this matter now or is it too little, too late?
Will proposed upgrades by Lori Lightfoot keep the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field?
When we look at the situation, there are plenty of reasons to believe that the city of Chicago and Lori Lightfoot have waited too long to do anything to keep the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Had they worked this out two to three years ago, the first year she was in office, then maybe the McCaskeys wouldn’t have even looked to purchase the Arlington Heights property.
Instead, the team is about to have the ability to make an endless amount of extra revenue and retain control of their own stadium should they pursue building a new one where the Arlington International Racecourse used to be. A piece of land that has over 300 acres and can be built up in a similar fashion to SoFi Stadium in California — another site of a former racecourse that was just under 300 acres.
This means that the Chicago Bears would be deciding to stay at Soldier Field with a few upgrades including a potential dome, or spend a large amount of money now and build a new stadium plus a campus full of retail potential.
Building in Arlington Heights would allow the Chicago Bears to provide more seats which in turn equals more ticket revenue and more concessions revenue. The team can tap into more advertising revenue by not only advertising inside the stadium as they already do at Soldier Field, but also all around the campus. The retail buildings inside the campus will be great for the McCaskey family as they can earn rental revenue from future leasees. I also wouldn’t be surprised if they sell off the naming rights and no longer call it Soldier Field. Hell, the McCaskeys might even sell the team.
So you tell me, are a dome and a few extra upgrades going to be enough to keep the Chicago Bears in Soldier Field? I think not. Too little, too late.