Bears To Replace Soldier Field With A Lakeside Dome? It Will Be Uphill Financial Battle

The Chicago Bears are hoping to replace Soldier Field in the near future, and on Wednesday, revealed their initial designs for a massive new domed facility near Lake Michigan.

Bears leadership revealed renderings in an X post on Wednesday afternoon of where they'd put the stadium in downtown Chicago. But more importantly, also revealed how they'd like the stadium to look, assuming it does get built.

Instead of the open air Soldier Field, the new building would have a dome to shelter Bears fans from the elements. 

According to the team, the stadium would also include "14 acres of new athletic fields and recreational park space," which would "provide Chicago families with a place to gather and play."

Replacing the aging Soldier Field has long been a priority for the Bears organization as the facility continues to decline and the franchise looks to increase revenues in a new, more desirable building. 

But how likely is it that this new project gets built?

Oct 15, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA;  A general view of  the the Crucial Catch signage on a goalpost before a game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bears Have Uphill Financial Battle To Get New Stadium Built

The new stadium is projected to cost between $2.5 billion to $3 billion, and the organization is reportedly set to contribute roughly $2 billion of the cost themselves, in their eminent generosity. 

There could also be an additional $1 billion in infrastructure and road improvement costs that would need to be covered. How the remaining costs are covered is essentially an open question. Though as has become common with sports stadiums in the modern era, it's likely they'd ask for public funding. Which has become increasingly hard to come by, especially with MLB's White Sox also hoping to get public money to build a new stadium.

Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson signaled his support for the lakefront dome stadium, though also said the city had not committed financial backing.

"If we’re going to build 21st-century stadiums, we have to make sure that that investment is activating the entire city of Chicago, and these conversations, particularly with the Bears, have been quite positive," Johnson said according to Front Office Sports. "I appreciate the leadership of [team president] Kevin Warren. … But no, we have not made any commitments to any new forms of revenue."

Renderings of the new facility look great, and would be an upgrade over Soldier Field. But stadium projects have become a much steeper uphill climb as the public realizes stadiums rarely present sound financial investments. The gap between what the team is willing to pay and the actual costs isn't as big as they often are. But it's not zero. And until that gets figured out, it's hard to see the stadium getting built anytime soon.