A Chicago architectural firm has released five-slide renderings proposing a domed Chicago Bears stadium in the Bridgeport neighborhood at the site of Guaranteed Rate Field, a conceptual design intended to keep the team in the city while potentially changing the surrounding city blocks, CBS News reported.
SOM Envisions Mixed-Use District Around Domed Stadium
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill published the digital concepts on Instagram on Wednesday, outlining a massive mixed-use development for the Armour Square site adjacent to Bridgeport. The architectural plans envision a domed stadium acting as the centerpiece for a district combining housing, entertainment, hospitality, parks, and public recreation. According to the firm’s published materials, the project would utilize existing transit networks, including the CTA, Metra, and the Dan Ryan Expressway, while identifying publicly owned land nearby to add affordable and market-rate housing.
The proposal directly ties into broader discussions regarding stadium locations across the Chicago metropolitan area. The concept is designed to accommodate the Chicago White Sox should that franchise choose to relocate from Guaranteed Rate Field to a potential new stadium in the South Loop. In September, Canal Edge LLC—a company owned by White Sox minority owner Justin Ishbia—released plans for a mixed-use development called the Railyards, which would place a new baseball stadium along the Chicago River from Roosevelt Road to 18th Street.
Federal Government Reviews Bridgeport Maintenance Facility After Pushback
The Railyards project requires relocating an Amtrak maintenance yard to Bridgeport, a move aided by Ishbia’s companies helping to finance the facility’s shift. However, that component has drawn significant community resistance. While Amtrak initially received more than $600 million and a categorical exclusion from the federal government allowing the project to proceed without a full environmental impact statement, the Federal Railroad Administration announced this week that the proposed Bridgeport maintenance facility will undergo a federal environmental review following local pushback.
The Skidmore stadium renderings were distributed to stakeholders under the banner of development firm Sterling Bay. Sterling Bay CEO Andy Gloor clarified in a text message to the Chicago Sun-Times that the plan is a Skidmore work product, stating that Sterling Bay is not driving the deal while expressing support for keeping the Bears in Chicago. A Sterling Bay spokesperson called the plan a viable solution for retaining the team.
The architectural firm’s proposal also includes moving Wentworth Gardens, a nearby Chicago Housing Authority development, a change that would likely face substantial community opposition. At the same time, locating a Bears stadium on the site—which is owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority—could exempt the team from property taxes, presenting a major financial incentive alongside potential federal transportation funding.
Bears Focus on Indiana While Illinois Officials Negotiate
The release of the architectural renderings adds a new visual dimension to a multi-site competition for the NFL franchise’s future home. Back in August, Chicago Bears Chief Executive Officer Kevin Warren stated that team representatives were still meeting with Illinois officials but that the primary focus remained on building a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana. Earlier this month, Illinois JB Pritzker and legislative leaders met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss stadium talks over the summer.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Arlington Heights reiterated that the northwest suburb offers the best opportunity for a new stadium and welcomed any progress toward keeping the franchise in Illinois. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office offered few specifics on Wednesday, releasing a statement to the Sun-Times indicating that the mayor views Chicago as the rightful home of the Bears and will continue working with regional stakeholders. CBS News Chicago reached out to both the Bears and the White Sox for comment regarding the Skidmore renderings and is awaiting a response.
