The NFL’s oldest stadium is also its smallest.
With a capacity of 62,500, the venue has occupied prime real estate on Chicago’s Lakefront since 1924.
GettySoldier Field hosts the Century of Progress International Exposition in 1933[/caption] GettyThe Bears have played between the Roman colonnades since 1971[/caption]Known originally as the Grant Park Municipal Stadium, it cost $13 million to build — around $240million in current money.
That was a huge price at the time as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum cost under $1 million in 1923.
But the results were spectacular with an amphitheater capable of holding 74,280 people and the option to add additional seating to raise the capacity to over 100,000.
The most striking aspect were the rows of Doric columns on the East and West entrances that formed a larger colonnade encircling the stadium with nods to Roman architecture in the world-famous Colosseum.
By 1925 it had been renamed to Soldier Field as a memorial to US soldiers who died in combat.
Since then, the iconic columns have hosted soccer World Cups, the Chicago Bears, the Chicago Fire, University of Notre Dame football and the Special Olympics.
Perhaps the most legendary sporting event held there was the infamous ‘Long Count’ boxing match.
Over 100,000 people packed into the stadium to see Jack Dempsey try and win back his heavyweight title from Gene Tunney in 1927.
He sent his foe crashing to the mat in the seventh but forgot about a new rule requiring fighters to go to a neutral corner which cost him vital seconds and Tunney recovered to take a unanimous decision.
Soldier Field was renovated to modernize the facilities and reduce the capacity in 2002. Despite keeping some of the iconic Roman architecture, it lost its status as a National Historic Landmark four years later.
GettyThe stadium adopted its current form in 2002[/caption] GettyThe downtown stadium is right on Chicago’s famous lakefront[/caption]View Tweet: t.co/3tOHrPsAOn
Now, the hallowed field, which has hosted speeches by Amelia Earhart, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King Jr., could be almost completely torn down.
There is one glaring absence in Soldier Field’s storied history — a Super Bowl.
The NFL‘s preference for indoor stadiums is well known and Chicago’s weather in February is not conducive to outdoor football.
That is among the factors behind a $4.7 billion plan put forward by the Bears in 2024 to create a state-of-the-art new home on an adjacent site, while retaining the iconic columns in a public space.
The vision would require $3.2 billion for the new stadium, plus $1.5 billion in infrastructure.
“This is not an easy project, but Chicago doesn’t like it easy,” Bears president Kevin Warren said.
The Bears, who have called Soldier Field home since 1971, want to contribute $2 billion, with $300 million coming from the and $900 million in bonds from the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, per ESPN.
Mayor Brandon Johnson is behind the proposal, which envisions a translucent roof and huge glass panels to allow natural light in and a view of the Chicago skyline.
“My administration insisted that any new project — especially one on public land — must deliver strong public benefit and public use for the City of Chicago, and I am pleased today that this plan does exactly that,” Johnson said.
The colonnades would be preserved but the current stadium would be demolished and replaced by green spaces.
A mall, promenade and plaza form part of the plan, which the Bears claim could bring in $8 billion of revenue for the city.
An alternate option of moving to Arlington Heights fell through, meaning the Bears are likely to remain as tenants instead of owning their stadium.
The lakefront development does have its critics, which could prevent spades hitting dirt, but NFL teams often get what they want eventually.
“I believe in Mayor Johnson,” Warren added. “I believe in his staff, his vision; I believe in this city.
“I don’t look at it as being a renter. I look at it as being able to develop a relationship, to be able to come together.”
If the Bears join the trend of new stadiums — hot on the heels of the Washington Commanders — there will be a new oldest stadium in the NFL as Lambeau Field once again takes center stage after hosting the 2025 NFL Draft.
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