Chicago’s Major League Soccer club and developer Related Midwest have unveiled their vision for a 22,000-seat soccer stadium planned for the first phase of an $8 billion mixed-use real estate project along the Chicago River.
Renderings show a brick, steel and glass stadium for the Chicago Fire on the northern half of The 78, Related Midwest’s development on long-vacant land between the South Loop and Chinatown, with fans also gathering on a grassy area and a new stretch of the Riverwalk alongside the new sports and entertainment venue.
The renderings from architecture firm Gensler and new details of the project were disclosed Monday night, when the Fire and Related Midwest held a virtual meeting with South Loop residents hosted by 3rd Ward Alderman Pat Dowell as they seek City Council approval to revise long-running plans for a major development of the 62 acres along the river south of the Loop business district.
Specific details come about two weeks after Chicago billionaire Joe Mansueto, the Fire’s owner and Morningstar founder, announced plans for a $650 million, privately financed stadium on the site.
In a statement, the team said the stadium was designed following Chicago School architecture, which influenced the steel-frame construction of modern U.S. skyscrapers. The stadium plans combine a warehouse-like structure with modern comforts such as hospitality spaces, amenities, luxury suites and skyline views.
“I love this city and its architecture,” Mansueto said in the statement. “This stadium is adding to Chicago’s iconic skyline, so I want it to look timeless. It will look like it’s always belonged here, but with the modern innovations required for a world-class soccer club.”
The release of new details on the project marks a key point in Related Midwest’s yearslong efforts to kick off The 78 development that gets its name from its large size and potential, which the developer said will make it the city’s 78th neighborhood.
Related Midwest won city approval for its initial mixed-use plan in 2019, the same year Mansueto took full ownership of the MLS team, though it has yet to move forward with any of the planned high-rises on the site. Related Midwest has also been in talks with owners of the Chicago White Sox to build a new baseball park on the site, with the developer saying the tract is large enough to hold two stadiums.
But Dowell told Crain’s Chicago Business that she believes the site is not large enough for two sports stadiums.
Last year, Related Midwest unveiled renderings of a White Sox stadium on the site. A few months later, it created a baseball infield to promote that possibility.
Short-term uses of the land already include a 5-acre sports park with soccer, baseball and soccer fields, 10 pickleball courts and two tennis courts.
The newly released renderings show the Fire stadium with towers to its north and south, rather than with a second stadium.
“With this stadium, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to catalyze investment that transcends The 78, benefiting area residents while drawing visitors to this vast expanse of downtown riverfront,” Curt Bailey, president of Related Midwest, said in the statement. “Our plan gives us the flexibility to consider every aspect of the fan experience — not only before, during, and after matches, but throughout the year.”
Fire games now are held at Soldier Field, about a mile east of The 78. The NFL’s Chicago Bears, who also play at Soldier Field, are looking to move to a new stadium in suburban Arlington Heights or to a site near its current stadium along Lake Michigan.
Chicago’s MLS team announced late last year that it was looking into potential sites for a soccer stadium, with other options including the Bronzeville Lakefront development just south of Soldier Field and the Lincoln Yards development on the North Side.
Pending approval, the team wants to begin construction on its stadium by 2026 and move to The 78 by 2028.
The new stadium’s design includes 50 suites, more than 500 high-end loge seats, and 3,500 club seats. There will also be a 2,000-seat bleacher section for the most passionate fans, according to the team.
The $8 billion, multiphase development will create more than 10,000 construction and professional services jobs and more than 5,000 permanent jobs, Related Midwest said. It will also include 5,000 residential units, 1,000 of which will have affordable rents.
The first phase is slated to include residential, hotel, restaurant and retail space along with parks and plazas.
Infrastructure will be paid for by Related Midwest, which later will be reimbursed from tax dollars generated by the project. Infrastructure work will include roads, on-site parking facilities and a new water taxi stop.
The stadium can also be used for events such as concerts, international soccer matches, festivals, community events and trade shows.