Football Stadium Digest
Established in2014
Located inUnited States
News CoverageSTADIUM
5
FSD Publishers' Articles
Filter by
View by
Football Stadium Digest
Don’T Look For Work On New Chicago Bears Stadium This YearDon’t look for a finalized plan for a new Chicago Bears stadium in 2025, as the team is facing multiple challenges on the financing front as well as community issues with the proposed location next to Soldier Field.
The Bears have been analyzing the stadium issue for years and years, with opening discussions occurring well before 2020’s COVID crisis. Along the way we’ve seen plenty of proposals, including a dome built over Soldier Field as well as proposed locations at the former Arlington International Racetrack (still a contender, apparently, after the city and the team came to an agreement on property tax rates) as well as Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.
The current proposal for a new Chicago Bears stadium calls for a new fixed-roof facility built next to Soldier Field, which would be torn down in favor of 14 acres of athletic fields and recreational park space. The modern design from Manica would feature a translucent roof combined with a climate-controlled interior and an open view to the breathtaking downtown Chicago timeline. According to the team, the plan features a three-acre promenade and plaza area that could include year-round food and beverage outlets, retail shops, a cultural attraction focused on sports and Soldier Field history.  A publicly owned hotel could also be included on the recreation and cultural campus. All in all, 70 acres of public parkland would be diverted to the stadium site, with Soldier Field torn down, with Super Bowls and NCAA Final Fours on the agenda.
The Bears say they’ll bear the majority of the cost of a new $5-billion stadium and are asking the state for $1.5-billion in public infrastructure spending. But Lee Bey, architecture columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, doesn’t see much progress on the project during the 2025 Illinois legislative session: “It’s a bad idea all around. Who, besides the Bears, wants to see public money thrown around like that, especially in these economically lean times for state and local government?”
And, inevitably, Chicago lakeshore advocates and the influential Friends of the Parks aren’t thrilled by a football stadium taking up valuable real estate in a congested area. Soldier Field is part of a civic campus that’s mostly occupied by public amenities like the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium. The Bears share Soldier Field with MLS’s Chicago Fire, and a Bears game day represents huge issues for museum attendees (i.e., lots of families and tourists); the parking ramps and street parking are taken over by Bears fans, leading to some huge traffic jams in the area.
“The Bears have been proud to call Chicago home for more than 100 years,” said Bears chairman George McCaskey in a press release. “Perhaps no other sports team embodies the character of the city it represents better than the Bears and Chicago. Our founder, George Halas, emphasized the importance of being a champion for Chicago. This has been part of the foundation of our organization. That is why we are excited to invest in the greatest city in the world through a stadium project and site improvements that will benefit Chicagoans and visitors.”
Of course, Halas never embraced Soldier Field: the Bears moved there in 1971 only after the NFL mandated teams play in a stadium holding more than 50,000. (Wrigley Field, the team’s home since the move to Chicago for the 1921 season after playing 1920 as the Decatur Staleys, did not meet the NFL’s new facility guidelines after the NFL-AFL merger.) Soldier Field opened in 1924 as a huge civic facility, able to host over 100,000 fans and featuring a slew of events, including track and field, Chicago Cardinals football and large gatherings of all sorts. We’re not entirely sure Chicagoans want to see such an important part of the city’s history torn down to make way for a new Chicago Bears stadium.
RELATED STORIES: Bears sign Arlington Park purchase agreement for new stadium, development; Bears eye Arlington Heights for new stadium site
Renderings courtesy Chicago Bears.stadium
Jan 12, 2025
Football Stadium Digest
Don’T Look For Work On New Chicago Bears Stadium This YearDon’t look for a finalized plan for a new Chicago Bears stadium in 2025, as the team is facing multiple challenges on the financing front as well as community issues with the proposed location next to Soldier Field.
The Bears have been analyzing the stadium issue for years and years, with opening discussions occurring well before 2020’s COVID crisis. Along the way we’ve seen plenty of proposals, including a dome built over Soldier Field as well as proposed locations at the former Arlington International Racetrack (still a contender, apparently, after the city and the team came to an agreement on property tax rates) as well as Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.
The current proposal for a new Chicago Bears stadium calls for a new fixed-roof facility built next to Soldier Field, which would be torn down in favor of 14 acres of athletic fields and recreational park space. The modern design from Manica would feature a translucent roof combined with a climate-controlled interior and an open view to the breathtaking downtown Chicago timeline. According to the team, the plan features a three-acre promenade and plaza area that could include year-round food and beverage outlets, retail shops, a cultural attraction focused on sports and Soldier Field history.  A publicly owned hotel could also be included on the recreation and cultural campus. All in all, 70 acres of public parkland would be diverted to the stadium site, with Soldier Field torn down, with Super Bowls and NCAA Final Fours on the agenda.
The Bears say they’ll bear the majority of the cost of a new $5-billion stadium and are asking the state for $1.5-billion in public infrastructure spending. But Lee Bey, architecture columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, doesn’t see much progress on the project during the 2025 Illinois legislative session: “It’s a bad idea all around. Who, besides the Bears, wants to see public money thrown around like that, especially in these economically lean times for state and local government?”
And, inevitably, Chicago lakeshore advocates and the influential Friends of the Parks aren’t thrilled by a football stadium taking up valuable real estate in a congested area. Soldier Field is part of a civic campus that’s mostly occupied by public amenities like the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium. The Bears share Soldier Field with MLS’s Chicago Fire, and a Bears game day represents huge issues for museum attendees (i.e., lots of families and tourists); the parking ramps and street parking are taken over by Bears fans, leading to some huge traffic jams in the area.
“The Bears have been proud to call Chicago home for more than 100 years,” said Bears chairman George McCaskey in a press release. “Perhaps no other sports team embodies the character of the city it represents better than the Bears and Chicago. Our founder, George Halas, emphasized the importance of being a champion for Chicago. This has been part of the foundation of our organization. That is why we are excited to invest in the greatest city in the world through a stadium project and site improvements that will benefit Chicagoans and visitors.”
Of course, Halas never embraced Soldier Field: the Bears moved there in 1971 only after the NFL mandated teams play in a stadium holding more than 50,000. (Wrigley Field, the team’s home since the move to Chicago for the 1921 season after playing 1920 as the Decatur Staleys, did not meet the NFL’s new facility guidelines after the NFL-AFL merger.) Soldier Field opened in 1924 as a huge civic facility, able to host over 100,000 fans and featuring a slew of events, including track and field, Chicago Cardinals football and large gatherings of all sorts. We’re not entirely sure Chicagoans want to see such an important part of the city’s history torn down to make way for a new Chicago Bears stadium.
RELATED STORIES: Bears sign Arlington Park purchase agreement for new stadium, development; Bears eye Arlington Heights for new stadium site
Renderings courtesy Chicago Bears.stadium
Jan 12, 2025
Football Stadium Digest
New Union Omaha Stadium To Anchor Downtown DevelopmentA new Union Omaha stadium is set to anchor a $300-million, 18-acre downtown mixed-use project along Abbott Drive, with an opening planned for the 2026 USL League One season.
The club is owned by Alliance Sports, which also owns and operates MiLB’s Omaha Storm Chasers; the home of the Storm Chasers, Werner Park, also currently serves as home to Union Omaha. The new 7,000-seat stadium carries a hard cost of $60 million, with construction planned to start in the fall of 2024.
The mixed-use project is also slated to feature approximately 330 residential units, comprising a mix of apartments and townhomes; a retail component of around 100,000 square feet featuring shopping and restaurants; and a 140-key hotel.
An economic impact study conducted in 2021 projected the stadium would have a $99 million impact on the State of Nebraska and $168 Million to the City of Omaha from the stadium alone. The surrounding development is expected to further contribute with a projected $200 million impact and the creation of 450 new jobs.
“This district will help add to the exciting development already happening in downtown Omaha,” said Gary Green, co-founder of Alliance Sports, via press release. “It falls in line with the Chamber’s Urban Core Strategic Plan for bringing economic development and jobs to the heart of the city and we are very excited to see it moving forward.”
There are still some details to fill in any funding plan for a new Union Omaha stadium. At a press conference announcing the facility, Green said Alliance Sports will be seeking $25 million in financial support for the stadium from the Nebraska Legislature. In addition, a TIF district could also be part of the funding plan.
“This project will move professional soccer forward in Omaha and across the state,” said Martie Cordaro, Union Omaha President, via press release. “We anticipate 150 to 200 events a year will take place in the district including 20+ Union Omaha pro soccer matches, 15+ women’s team soccer matches, 20+ high school/college soccer matches, and 100+ community events for everyone to enjoy.”
Renderings courtesy Union Omaha.stadium
Jan 26, 2024
Football Stadium Digest
José Bautista Acquires Usl’S Las Vegas LightsFormer MLB All-Star José Bautista is the new principal owner of USL Championship’s Las Vegas Lights FC, replacing former owner Bret Lashbrook as chairman and governor of the club ahead of the 2024 season kickoff.
Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.
“Las Vegas is the place to be and has emerged as a big professional sports town, and I will do everything I can to push this club forward,” José Bautista said via press release. “As a soccer fan and former professional athlete, I am excited to be involved with the world’s game, Since my retirement from professional baseball, I have witnessed the incredible growth of soccer in the United States, and I look forward to sharing my love of sports with the Las Vegas soccer community.”
Over a 15-year career in Major League Baseball, Bautista notched 344 career home runs and played for eight clubs, most notably the Toronto Blue Jays. He was named an MLB All-Star six years in a row from 2010-15 and twice led the majors in home runs, in 2010 and 2011, the same years he won the Hank Aaron Award.
Since his retirement from professional baseball, Bautista has established himself as an investor, board member, philanthropist and entrepreneur, including partnerships with significant brands, including Audi, Hublot, Coca-Cola, TD Bank, Fanatics, General Mills, The Players Tribune, Silver Jeans, Booster Juice (Canada), Pizza Pizza (Canada) and New Balance.
José Bautista was an early equity partner, lead investor, and board member for Marucci Sports, a baseball equipment startup that was sold to Compass Diversified Holdings in 2020. Additional business interests include stakes in Canada Goose, which went public in 2017, and Endy Sleep, which was acquired by Sleep Country in 2018, and currently serves as a Partner and Senior Advisor to Aquilance, an household financial management firm that assists successful individuals, entrepreneurs and families to make better-informed financial decisions and save time on administrative tasks.
“Throughout my playing career, I recognized the importance of giving back in meaningful, intentional ways,” Bautista said. “Likewise, as an owner, I am committed to having a real impact on the local community and fostering a deep connection with the people of Las Vegas.”
Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Bautista represented his home country at the 2020 Summer Olympics (delayed until 2021 due to COVID-19) in Tokyo, Japan. His leadership helped the D.R. earn a bronze medal, punctuated by a walk-off hit and his signature bat flip that sealed the win over Israel to secure the team’s place in the semifinals.
“José’s vision and values align perfectly with our league’s ambitions and the positive impact our clubs are having in their local communities,” said USL Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer Justin Papadakis via press release. “José is the latest in a recent series of world-class athletes to invest in USL clubs, a clear indication of our league’s increased prominence in the professional sports industry and the real value proposition of investing in soccer today. The game is growing rapidly in the United States, and our clubs are bringing high-level professional soccer to communities across the country, providing long-term economic development and creating positive social impact every day.”
Lights FC debuted in the USL Championship in 2018 and plays at Cashman Field in downtown Las Vegas, the former home of Triple-A baseball in Vegas. Whether that former ballpark remains home of pro soccer remains to be seen.
“José brings a competitive athlete’s mindset to everything he does, and he will certainly bring new expectations for the club’s performance, on and off the field,” said USL President Paul McDonough via press release. “Jose’s vision for the sporting side is ambitious, including the acquisition of international players and the forming of an academy. We will support Jose during this transition period and look forward to seeing Lights FC shine brighter than ever in Vegas.”stadium
Jan 16, 2024
Football Stadium Digest
Okc Pitches Higher Budget, New Location For New Energy Fc StadiumPlanning for a new Energy FC stadium has shifted to a new location, as the proposed budget has increased and the team is now looking at a site in Lower Bricktown that will allow for a larger budget featuring new TIF money.
Energy FC is on hiatus: the pitch at the team’s former home, Taft Stadium, has been deemed too small and not meeting USL Championship specs. The 8,000-seat MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium–called that because the stadium will be partly funded via the voter-approved MAPS 4 funding plan, based on a temporary penny sales tax used to fund a variety of city projects–will be located at the old Producers Cooperative Oil Mill site, south of Oklahoma City Boulevard and east of the BNSF railway viaduct, in the Lower Bricktown area of Oklahoma City east of the Oklahoma City Convention Center. Team owners Bob Funk Jr. and Tim McLaughlin have a contract to buy the nine-acre site and plan on donating 7.2 acres to the city for the stadium. The remaining land is envisioned as a mixed-use development including residential, commercial, retail and dining options in a walkable district.
The new Energy FC stadium began with a $41 million budget in MAPS funds, but the TIF review committee tomorrow will consider a proposal to rise the budget to $71 million with the addition of $30 million in TIF funds. That raise is pitched by the team and the city to covered increased costs for the project, which was initially budgeted in 2019. Still to come: review from the Oklahoma City Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust on Jan. 5 and City Council on Jan. 16.
The stadium design includes a United States Soccer Federation (USSF)-approved pitch, seating for approximately 8,000 guests, locker rooms and suites. The venue, planned for a 2027 opening, will be the city’s only stadium with a USSF-approved pitch to accommodate professional men’s and women’s soccer.
2019 rendering of new stadium courtesy Energy FC.
RELATED STORIES:Â OKC Energy FC suspends play for 2022;Â Best of 2019, #6: New OKC Energy Stadium Advances;Â MAPS 4 Approval Moves Proposed OKC Energy Stadium Forward;Â MAPS 4 Proposal with OKC Energy Stadium Funds Moves Forward;Â Proposed MAPS 4 Initiative Includes OKC Energy Stadium Funding;Â Proposed Outdoor Stadium Would Host OKC Energy;Â New OKC Energy Stadium Plan Unveiledstadium
Jan 03, 2024