Future of Soldier Field uncertain with lack of public funding for Bears, new Fire stadium

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The loss of the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Fire hosting games on the lakefront would be a blow to the Chicago Park District, which owns Soldier Field.

With the chances of taxpayer dollars being spent on a new lakefront facility for the Bears somewhere between slim and none, it leaves a questionable future for the historic stadium.

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Soldier Field has been home to the Chicago Bears since 1971, but it has been a lakefront landmark for more than a century. Now, there are questions about its future.

The stadium sits in State Representative Kam Buckner's district.

"Obviously, there are many people like me who would hate to see the Bears leave that space, but there was life in Soldier Field before the Chicago Bears, and if, for some reason, they are no longer there, there will be life afterwards," Buckner said.

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In 2023, Landmark Development proposed adding a dome to the stadium, but that idea was dependent on the Bears staying there, which seem less and less likely.

The Bears had proposed building a new lakefront stadium, but that options seem less of a possibility with the Bears indicating they are now focusing their attention on the old Arlington Race Track site, which they own.

Mayor Brandon Johnson said Tuesday he does not believe the Bears want to leave Chicago.

"There's no reason to leave Chicago if you're a sports team. There isn't," Johnson said. "There's just too much soul in this city to leave it now."

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"I do not believe it is the end of Soldier Field if Chicago Bears do decide to leave that property," said Brian Gladstein, Executive Director of Friends of the Parks.

Soldier Field has become a go-to option for superstar concerts like the Rolling Stones, Beyoncé, and Metallica, and that could be an important key to any future without sports teams.

"It is a building on our lakefront that is still a real gem that we can be used in many different ways," Gladstein said. "I think it provides an opportunity for the city, the park district, and others others, to think creatively about what can be used there."

The Chicago Park District released a statement touting Soldier Field's history of hosting major events, saying it continues to generate revenue and contribute to Chicago's cultural scene.

"I'm not giving up hope," Buckner said. "I do believe that there is still an opportunity for a deal to be made in the city of Chicago so that the Bears can remain in the city."