CHICAGO (WLS) — Mayor Lori Lightfoot introduced three renovation choices to Soldier Area as the town continues making an attempt to influence the Bears to remain on the lakefront stadium.

“That is an unbelievable asset, been right here for nearly 100 years,” Lightfoot mentioned. “A method or one other, now we have to spend money on Soldier Area.”

The three proposals include a domed possibility, an open-aired stadium with the choice of including a dome at a later date and an possibility to switch the stadium to higher swimsuit soccer competitions whereas bettering lodging for concert events and different occasions.

Lightfoot mentioned that each one three proposals will hold Soldier Area as an financial engine for the town whatever the Bears’ determination.

“Any of those renovations will permit Soldier Area to retain its function as an financial engine for Chicago for years to return,” Lightfoot mentioned in a press launch.

19 years in the past, when Soldier Area underwent its final main renovation, former Mayor Richard Daley rejected the thought of including a dome to the stadium.

Now, the renovation prices are estimated between $900 million to $2.2 billion.

“It is positively dearer to do it this manner than to have finished it this manner than a part of the unique (2003 renovation),” mentioned Jim Pawlikowski, Director of Rex Engineering.

Regardless that the value tag is bigger now than it will have been 19 years in the past, Lightfoot mentioned the prices of the renovations can be considerably cheaper than constructing a brand new stadium from scratch.

A number of the facilities which might be renovated embody: increasing seating to 70,000 seats, a rise in luxurious suites, quadrupling the meals and beverage footprint and rising the multi-purpose house accessible.

Soldier Area is at present the smallest capability stadium within the NFL with 61,500 seats.

The renovation plans come because the Chicago Bears take into account shifting from Soldier Area to the location of the outdated Arlington Racecourse.

In a press release, the Bears mentioned “The one potential challenge the Chicago Bears are exploring for a brand new stadium growth is Arlington Park. As a part of our mutual settlement with the vendor of that property, we’re not pursuing various stadium offers or websites, together with renovations to Soldier Area.”

The Bears are wanting to construct a brand new cutting-edge venue in Arlington Heights which might improve the workforce’s revenues in line with some sports activities advertising and marketing consultants.

Mayor Lightfoot, nevertheless, is hoping to persuade the workforce to remain within the metropolis.

“Politically, it is comprehensible what (Lightfoot’s) doing, nevertheless it’s not going to make any distinction in the long run,” mentioned Marc Ganis, Managing Director of Sportscorp Ltd.

The mayor beforehand fashioned a committee to take a look at methods to carry extra individuals to the lakefront and Museum Campus.

Full assertion from Pals of the Parks

“Although we participated on the mayor’s working group to reimagine the museum campus, Pals of the Parks is simply seeing the design proposals and listening to about supposedly well-vetted engineering specs for a possible dome on Soldier Area. We beforehand had let the mayor’s workplace know that we couldn’t come out in assist of a dome, solely in assist of a feasibility examine. Our place stays the identical because it did upon the discharge of the “The place Worlds Meet” report: we count on that an actual examine of the feasibility of a dome on Soldier Area will result in the conclusion that it’s not possible, whether or not due to price, public pushback for a wide range of causes, and/or authorized limitations to constructing on the lakefront.”