Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot is committed to keeping the Bears at Soldier Field along the city’s lakefront.
Lightfoot discussed a string of potential upgrades to the nearly 100-year-old stadium on Thursday, that included adding a dome to the historic venue. Adding a dome to Soldier Field would require contributions from the city’s taxpayers, which could bring an estimated cost between $400 million to $1.5 billion, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.
The Bears, however, are focused on building a new cutting-edge venue in Arlington Heights, a suburban area northwest of downtown Chicago. The Bears signed a $197.2 million purchase agreement with Churchill Downs Incorporated in fall 2021 to begin the predevelopment affairs for the former 326-acre racetrack property.
