Skidmore, Owings and Merrill Release Bridgeport-Site Stadium Renderings for Chicago Bears
A Chicago architectural firm released renderings on Wednesday of a plan that would place the Chicago Bears in a new domed stadium at the site of Bridgeport’s Rate Field, potentially clearing a path for the Chicago White Sox to construct a new home in the South Loop.
The architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill published the designs on Instagram, outlining a proposal for a multi-use district featuring housing, hospitality, entertainment, and public parks alongside the stadium. Stakeholder documents distributed alongside the designs indicate the project is presented by Sterling Bay.
An architect involved in crafting the proposal clarified to the Chicago Sun-Times that Skidmore is not driving the commercial transaction, though the firm supports keeping the Bears within city limits.
The site currently houses Guaranteed Rate Field, which was built by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority and funded through hotel tax revenues. Outstanding stadium authority bonds used for previous ballpark renovations remain active and are scheduled for retirement in 2029, coinciding with the expiration of the White Sox lease.
Bridgeport Stadium Plans Leverage Transit and Housing Potential
Proponents of the Bridgeport stadium concept point to existing transportation networks, noting that the location provides immediate access to CTA, Metra, and the Dan Ryan Expressway infrastructure. Developers also suggested that utilizing publicly owned surrounding land could facilitate the integration of market-rate and affordable housing alongside pedestrian bridge improvements.
However, realizing the plan would require significant alterations to the immediate footprint.
The plans are — they’re real pretty pictures. But there’s still a lot we need to have extensive conversations about, said Bridgeport Ald. Nicole Lee (11th).
Sources indicated that implementing the design would require moving the nearby Wentworth Gardens residential development, a step expected to draw substantial local resistance. Because the property is owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, a Bears tenancy could exempt the organization from local property taxes, a financial structure that serves as a primary incentive for the team.
Bridgeport Ald. Nicole Lee and Cook County Commissioner John Daley have been embroiled in the battle with Amtrak Ishbia to prevent the Sox from leaving Rate Field for the South Loop, an initiative advanced by White Sox minority owner Justin Ishbia and his company, Canal Edge LLC, which involves building an Amtrak maintenance facility in Bridgeport. Lee noted the timing of the Skidmore renderings is notable given Sterling Bay’s connections to the Canal Edge project.
Other Stadium Proposals Face Political and Environmental Hurdles
The Bridgeport proposal arrives as multiple stadium development concepts vie for political and financial backing across the city. Canal Edge previously released plans for “The Railyards,” a mixed-use development stretching from Roosevelt Road to 18th Street designed to house a new White Sox stadium. That initiative encountered local opposition after Amtrak received federal funding and a categorical exclusion, though the Federal Railroad Administration announced this week that the proposed maintenance facility would face a formal environmental review following community pushback.
The Chicago Bears declined to comment on the Skidmore proposal, and the Chicago White Sox did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Sterling Bay CEO Andy Gloor did not immediately return calls, and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority stated it has held no discussions with Sterling Bay regarding the Bridgeport stadium concept.
