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-   -   CHICAGO | The Fire are moving back to The City!!!!!!!! (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=238910)

Steely Dan May 8, 2019 8:23 PM

CHICAGO | The Fire are moving back to The City!!!!!!!!
 
this is a big deal and deserves its own thread.

Quote:

Chicago Fire to pay Bridgeview $60.5 million to break lease at SeatGeek Stadium: report
Jeremy Mikula
Chicago Tribune


The first step in the Fire’s bid to return to Chicago reportedly has been taken.

The Fire reportedly have agreed to pay the village of Bridgeview $60.5 million to break their lease at SeatGeek Stadium with the intent of returning to Soldier Field next season. The news was first reported Wednesday by Steve Metsch of the Desplaines Valley News.

“We have been negotiating with Mayor (Steve) Landek and the Village of Bridgeview for some time on an amended stadium lease,” Fire President and general manager Nelson Rodriguez said in a statement, “but we have not reached a final agreement, and until we do, I’m not able to comment further.”

The village board on Tuesday unanimously approved a “Memo of Understanding” between the team and village, according to the report. Under the terms, the Fire reportedly will pay the village $10 million upfront with the remaining balance paid over the next 15 years. The Fire also will pay $5 million for the next five years to use the practice facilities outside the stadium, Metsch reported.
source: https://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...508-story.html

Steely Dan May 8, 2019 8:27 PM

the move to bridgeview was such a monumentally idiotic decision in the first place. they lost a decade and a half of brand-building in the city by wandering out there in the bridgeview wilderness.

anyone with half a brain knew it, but they were just so effing hell-bent on "soccer specific stadium" that they were willing to shoot themselves in the foot to get it. stupid. stupid. stupid.

thank Pizza God this gross error in judgement is finally being rectified.

nomarandlee May 8, 2019 8:44 PM

I don't think the move to Bridge was the most hairbrained idea ever but it was obviously a failure that was somewhat predictable. You look at the demographics of Bridgeview and you think you have a ready-made market and you do. However, Bridgeview just held absolutely no appeal for those outside the immediate community/region and a team just can't survive on the neighborhood/suburbs largely within 5 miles.

It will be interseting to see what mega-development this will try to hitch to. I think the Lincoln Yards must have known this was an immenment decision and were always planning to try to lure the Fire as opposed to some 2nd tier league team. Can room be made at the 78 for a stadium? I know the Michael Reese site has been rumored but when will that ever get off the ground.

Steely Dan May 8, 2019 8:54 PM

^ the plan appears to be to play at soldier field for the time being, so time might not be a huge deal breaker for them.

if it takes 7+ years to get a new soccer stadium built at michael reese, so be it.

whatever happens, now that they're gonna be back in the city again, i can't wait to take my kids to Fire games from now on!

HowardL May 8, 2019 9:24 PM

Never understood why they settled in some fleabag suburb in the first place.

Might re-start getting re-interested in football again. Because EPL is not played in the best day drinking Chicago timezone hours.

Handro May 8, 2019 9:35 PM

Chicago Fire moving back to Soldier Field. I remember there were rumblings a few weeks ago but its more or less confirmed now: https://www.chicagobusiness.com/news...dgeview-report

This is pretty cool, I'll definitely attend games now.

Busy Bee May 8, 2019 9:38 PM

Is that McKinley Park site still a contender? Am I the only one that would like to see it away from the prime lakefront or the near NW side and in an outer neighborhood that's actually populated with the majority of Fire's fanbase - Read: hispanic?

Steely Dan May 8, 2019 9:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busy Bee (Post 8566902)
Is that McKinley Park site still a contender?

which site is that? i'm not aware of any sites in mckinley park that are contenders for a new soccer stadium.

there is a large piece of land in brighton park next to the western stop on the orange line that someone on this forum previously speculated might make for a good soccer stadium location, but i don' think there have been any formal discussions about that site being a contender.



EDIT:

upon further research, that large piece of vacant land next to the western stop on the orange line is going to be taken over by the park district for their new HQ building and an adjoining 17 acre park. so that land is already spoken for.

nomarandlee May 8, 2019 10:40 PM

I would love to see a decked stadium over the Amtrack yards along the west bank of the South Branch to be considered. It would be at the crossroads of downtown and the southwest neighborhoods (i.e.Hispanic) with transit options and plenty of accessibility. Plus it would cover up an eyesore for the 78 folks which could also maybe build a future pedestrian bridge over to the stadium?

Maybe it would be cost prohibitive alternative but I'd love to see it.

ardecila May 8, 2019 10:45 PM

Unfortunately the club is also considering a name change to Chicago City FC... potentially as a way to alert even the most disinterested Chicagoans that the club is now playing in the city again.

I think it would be awesome to build a new Fire stadium on the Damen Silos site. Less than 1/2 mile from the Ashland Orange Line stop, lots of waterfront around it, and they could probably cut deals with the owners of a few large parking lots nearby.

The Fisk power plant site could also be an option, which is close to the Halsted stop but would require a new (operable) pedestrian bridge and probably some other costly infrastructure.

the urban politician May 8, 2019 11:40 PM

About time!

Busy Bee May 9, 2019 12:32 AM

Re: the McKinley Park site. Perhaps I've got something mixed up here. I may have been thinking of the Brighton Park site. Was there talk of a potential stadium there? - I could have sworn I heard something about this.

Anyways, I suppose this is a good spot to throw out my Southside combined Sox/Fire sports complex idea. I'll just copy and paste from a previous post:

Quote:

I mentioned this like a year ago but I would love to see a massive sports complex on the land bounded by 63rd/State and the chicane of the Dan Ryan. It could have direct transit connections to the Red Line and a new Englewood station for Metra incorporated into a large campus featuring a new stadium for the Sox and Fire and maybe even a velodrome on site. What a view that would have looking north up 90/94 to the Loop. Just a dream of mine. Not sure anyone else sees it.

Kngkyle May 9, 2019 1:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busy Bee (Post 8566902)
neighborhood that's actually populated with the majority of Fire's fanbase - Read: hispanic?

The majority of MLS fanbases are not hispanic. That is the kind of old thinking that led the team out to Bridgeview in the first place. The majority of MLS fanbases these days are millennials and everyone here knows where they prefer to live.

Busy Bee May 9, 2019 1:22 AM

^ Fire's age demo's may skew millennial but you could have fooled me that a hard majority of the fanbase aren't Latino.

bnk May 9, 2019 1:47 AM

Yawn

Don't expect any more attendance at SF vs where they were.

Hispanics and Millennial families are the base but once the kids grow up it is forgotten. Its not covered in sports radio or TV coverage.



The attendance was not much more than the minor league hockey of the Chicago Wolves that had half of the daily attendance but played many more games.


It will also likely be more expensive at SF vs Toyoda park.


Here is the attendance of the Fire.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_...cer_attendance

Chicago is totally at the bottom only second to last.


Here is there attendance including the years at SF bolded.


Average attendance
Regular season/Play-offs
1998: 17,887/22,677
1999: 16,016/8,197
2000: 13,387/8,431
2001: 16,388/11,239
2002: 12,922/9,434
2003: 14,005/14,961
2004: 17,153/missed playoffs
2005: 17,238/11,493
2006: 14,088/10,217

2007: 16,490/17,834
2008: 17,034/17,312
2009: 14,689/21,626
2010: 15,814/missed playoffs
2011: 14,553/missed playoffs
2012: 16,407/10,923
2013: 15,228[92]/missed playoffs
2014: 16,076/missed playoffs
2015: 16,003/missed playoffs
2016: 15,602/missed playoffs
2017: 17,383/11,647




There is no growth there only a decline. If they shuttered the team no one would even know about it because it would not even make the daily news.

Its simply a dead sport in the USA.

SIGSEGV May 9, 2019 2:16 AM

I dunno, if tickets aren't too expensive i'm like 1000% more likely to go to a game at soldier field. Much easier to walk there than it is to take the train to midway and take a bus.

Vlajos May 9, 2019 2:26 AM

Great, news! Can't stand going out to Bridgeview.

Mister Uptempo May 9, 2019 2:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busy Bee (Post 8567081)
Re: the McKinley Park site. Perhaps I've got something mixed up here. I may have been thinking of the Brighton Park site. Was there talk of a potential stadium there? - I could have sworn I heard something about this.

When the Chicago Park District moves its HQ to Brighton Park (at 48th and Western) they will also be building three full-sized artificial turf soccer fields, in addition to a field house, pool, and playground. Perhaps the three soccer fields are what you had in mind?

https://i.imgur.com/OSGNqBr.jpg

Are the South Works too far away for a Fire stadium? Might help justify better service on the Metra Electric.

Kngkyle May 9, 2019 3:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busy Bee (Post 8567121)
^ Fire's age demo's may skew millennial but you could have fooled me that a hard majority of the fanbase aren't Latino.

I was speaking to MLS as a whole. I don't doubt that the Fire's current demo is hard majority Latino given where the stadium is. The idea is they need to cater to more than just that demo like other MLS teams have successfully done. See Atlanta United or Seattle Sounders, who pull 40k+ average attendance in NFL stadiums.

Busy Bee May 9, 2019 4:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister Uptempo (Post 8567209)
When the Chicago Park District moves its HQ to Brighton Park (at 48th and Western) they will also be building three full-sized artificial turf soccer fields, in addition to a field house, pool, and playground. Perhaps the three soccer fields are what you had in mind?.

That might be what I was confusing it with.

marothisu May 9, 2019 4:24 AM

Chicago Fire officially leaving the suburbs and returning to play at Soldier Field next year

Kenmore May 9, 2019 11:38 AM

move back to the city - yes!
chicago city fc - cringe

Kenmore May 9, 2019 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnk (Post 8567147)

Its simply a dead sport in the USA.

hot take

Crawford May 9, 2019 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnk (Post 8567147)
Its simply a dead sport in the USA.

The sport is very popular, the problem is MLS is a minor league. Why watch minor league soccer when real teams visit the major markets multiple times annually?

I doubt Soldier Field helps attendance. Football stadia are generally terrible for soccer. And, given it's a major market, Chicago already sees the Madrids and Bayerns of the world.

the urban politician May 9, 2019 12:57 PM

One point that could be made is that a SF location could help with brand building, which could boost attendance.

aaron38 May 9, 2019 2:21 PM

The Fire play 17 home games from March to October. Most games are Wednesdays and Saturdays, they do have Sunday Sept 29th as a home game. Shouldn't be too hard to avoid scheduling conflict with the Bears.

ardecila May 9, 2019 2:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crawford (Post 8567405)
I doubt Soldier Field helps attendance. Football stadia are generally terrible for soccer. And, given it's a major market, Chicago already sees the Madrids and Bayerns of the world.

Soldier Field is the second-smallest stadium by capacity in the NFL, excluding the Chargers' temporary use of the LA Galaxy soccer stadium.

Still, SF's capacity is 3x that of the Bridgeview stadium.

It would be awesome if we could get something like Minnesota's new soccer stadium in a city location... :slob:

jpIllInoIs May 9, 2019 3:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busy Bee (Post 8567081)
Re: the McKinley Park site. Perhaps I've got something mixed up here. I may have been thinking of the Brighton Park site. Was there talk of a potential stadium there? - I could have sworn I heard something about this.

Anyways, I suppose this is a good spot to throw out my Southside combined Sox/Fire sports complex idea. I'll just copy and paste from a previous post:

Sorry BB , I dont see your vision. All the disadvantages of Bridgeview in that it is too far from dt, and there is no pregame/postgame establishment that fans would go to. And the White Sox are not moving further away into a neighborhood that is not an improvement over their current environs.

If anything the Fire should build in one of the White Sox parking lots or one of the Chicago Stadium parking lots. Then build a parking deck to replace lost slots.

I prefer the Chicago Stadium site since the NBA/NHL seasons are opposite of the MLS season. This would activate the west side complex on an additional 20 events in the summer. It would anchor the west side and take advantage of the new Damen Green line stop and still be accessible to the Med District Blue Line stop. It is easy to imagine entertainment/retail and even more dense housing growing in the immediate area around the Stadium.

the urban politician May 9, 2019 4:34 PM

I would love for them to build in a transit adjacent site, that's for sure.

We need a 21st century version of the magic of riding the Red Line to Wrigley.

SIGSEGV May 9, 2019 4:56 PM

What about the K-Mart/Olive Garden at Addison and the Kennedy?

HomrQT May 9, 2019 5:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marothisu (Post 8567286)
Chicago Fire officially leaving the suburbs and returning to play at Soldier Field next year

It's about time they stopped being so stubborn.

Steely Dan May 9, 2019 5:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV (Post 8567799)
What about the K-Mart/Olive Garden at Addison and the Kennedy?

can we obliterate the home depot and family dollar too?

Goose Island Guru May 9, 2019 10:33 PM

If only there were a large site available in one of these newly-approved mega developments...

Bring the stadium back to Lincoln Yards!!!

Chicagoguy May 9, 2019 10:59 PM

Hmm...this news has me thinking that proposals for a new NFL stadium for the Chicago Bears might start to appear in the next year or two.

Soldier Field is one of the smallest stadiums in the entire league, and the city (and the Bears) have long sought a solution for that situation with the hopes of hosting a Super Bowl. This deal could present the city with a long-term plan for Soldier Field, while opening the door for a new NFL stadium (possible on the Michael Reese campus or the 78).

bnk May 9, 2019 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chicagoguy (Post 8568402)
Hmm...this news has me thinking that proposals for a new NFL stadium for the Chicago Bears might start to appear in the next year or two.

Soldier Field is one of the smallest stadiums in the entire league, and the city (and the Bears) have long sought a solution for that situation with the hopes of hosting a Super Bowl. This deal could present the city with a long-term plan for Soldier Field, while opening the door for a new NFL stadium (possible on the Michael Reese campus or the 78).

With a retractable dome pls the size of the stadium in Dallas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T_Stadium


It would cost at least 1.5 billion. But Superbowls, bowl games, conventions, a multitude of things...

emathias May 12, 2019 2:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kngkyle (Post 8567224)
I was speaking to MLS as a whole. I don't doubt that the Fire's current demo is hard majority Latino given where the stadium is. The idea is they need to cater to more than just that demo like other MLS teams have successfully done. See Atlanta United or Seattle Sounders, who pull 40k+ average attendance in NFL stadiums.

Yeah, I think businesses located downtown with a young workforce will likely sponsor company outings to games and give out reward tickets. I can't imagine that happened much, if at all, with the suburban location, but I've worked at plenty of places that do Sox or Cubs games, and some companies would do well adding or substituting a Fire game - much easier to do and sell to employees with a city stadium. No one wants to go to a work event where they're trapped at the location, which means reliable transit is key.

BrandonJXN May 12, 2019 6:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crawford (Post 8567405)
The sport is very popular, the problem is MLS is a minor league. Why watch minor league soccer when real teams visit the major markets multiple times annually?

I doubt Soldier Field helps attendance. Football stadia are generally terrible for soccer. And, given it's a major market, Chicago already sees the Madrids and Bayerns of the world.

MLS averages more people than the NBA and NFL. MLS is also expanding almost yearly. This year alone saw the debut of FC Cinncinati. 2020 will see Inter Miami and Nashville SC. 2021 will see Austin FC join the league and don't be surprised to see Sacramento Republic join in the not too distant future.

And to say the MLS is a minor league is a clear indicator that you don't watch it. MLS's popularity is as high as it's ever been and will only get bigger.

Video Link


Video Link

BonoboZill4 May 12, 2019 7:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonJXN (Post 8570902)
MLS averages more people than the NBA and NFL. MLS is also expanding almost yearly. This year alone saw the debut of FC Cinncinati. 2020 will see Inter Miami and Nashville SC. 2021 will see Austin FC join the league and don't be surprised to see Sacramento Republic join in the not too distant future.

And to say the MLS is a minor league is a clear indicator that you don't watch it. MLS's popularity is as high as it's ever been and will only get bigger.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/...ports-leagues/

More than NFL? Not even close. And the reason it has more attendance than NBA and NHL isn't number of fans but size of arenas. NHL and NBA play many more games, so overall attendance crushes MLS. NBA and NHL have 82 games and long playoff series. MLB has 162 games(!) and long playoff series.

MLS is a growing sport in some regions, but you needed to get fact checked hard.

nomarandlee May 12, 2019 8:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chicagoguy (Post 8568402)
Hmm...this news has me thinking that proposals for a new NFL stadium for the Chicago Bears might start to appear in the next year or two.

Soldier Field is one of the smallest stadiums in the entire league, and the city (and the Bears) have long sought a solution for that situation with the hopes of hosting a Super Bowl. This deal could present the city with a long-term plan for Soldier Field, while opening the door for a new NFL stadium (possible on the Michael Reese campus or the 78).

Doubtful. The same ownership thought that having a 61k capacity was a good idea. If they have prioritized a dome the city/state was ready to give them one for a few decades. As far as I've always understood it the Bears are the ones who always wanted an outdoor stadium despite the revenue of hosting one or two Super Bowls/Final Fours could bring in.
No reason to think that has radically departed from that thinking and even less reason than ever to see how the state/city would get behind the funding of a new stadium just 15 years after the new one opened.

If somehow a new retractable/dome stadium could be incroperted into a McMormick expansion then maybe you could get some funding throw in. However, a new dome stadium or just an empty Soldier Field would be too large for the permanent home of the Fire. One could take the down the west upper grandstand of Soldier Field and be left with a 40k stadium but that would cost money though it would have the benefit of dismantling the UFO apperance of the current stadium.

BrandonJXN May 12, 2019 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BonoboZill4 (Post 8570913)
https://www.statista.com/statistics/...ports-leagues/

More than NFL? Not even close. And the reason it has more attendance than NBA and NHL isn't number of fans but size of arenas. NHL and NBA play many more games, so overall attendance crushes MLS. NBA and NHL have 82 games and long playoff series. MLB has 162 games(!) and long playoff series.

MLS is a growing sport in some regions, but you needed to get fact checked hard.

I apologize. I meant NHL. Surely the MLS won't ever compete with the NFL. Nor is that it's intention. But the MLS of today is a far more stable league than it was as recent as 10 years ago. Especially considering that nearly every MLS team has their own stadium and those that don't have their own soccer specific stadiums, the NFL stadiums they play in were designed with soccer in mind. Aside from maybe the New England Revolution. MLS is not a joke of a league. Not anymore at least. And the MLS season runs from March to October which is about as long as MLB (though nowhere near as many games).

The Fire moving back to Soldier Field is nothing but good news. A majority of MLS stadiums are close to downtown and the Fire will surely get a boost and hopefully a attendance spike.

the urban politician May 12, 2019 11:14 PM

The one thing nobody has discussed in this thread so far:

$60.5 million

If moving back to the city wasn't financially a good gamble, then when did they pay that much to get out of their lease with Bridgeview?

That's a lot of effen money. Obviously being downtown is valuable to this franchise.

Steely Dan May 17, 2019 5:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonJXN (Post 8571033)

The Fire moving back to Soldier Field is nothing but good news. A majority of MLS stadiums are close to downtown and the Fire will surely get a boost and hopefully a attendance spike.

yep. it's fantastic news!

there's no way that this move will do anything other than benefit the team, and the league in general, by being front and center in the heart of one of america's greatest cities, rather than being lost out in the obscurity of bridgeview.

manchester united May 20, 2019 9:02 PM

Fantastic news!!!

pudgym29 Jun 6, 2019 9:47 PM

Hiding in plain sight.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician (Post 8567748)
I would love for them to build in a transit adjacent site, that's for sure.
We need a 21st century version of the magic of riding the Red Line to Wrigley.

As far back as 1995, I was touting where the Chicago 'soccer specific stadium' should be.
The site already existed. If we had obtained the Chicago POWER indoor franchise in June 1995, we would have played an outdoor exhibition game there (v. Detroit).
The site remains available.
It is Rockne Stadium at Roosevelt and Central. Of course, it would have to be rehabbed and expanded. But this cannot be a deal breaker.
The Blue Line "L" Forest Park branch shall be extensively renovated when the Illinois Dept. of Transportation announces its plan to rework the Eisenhower Expy. A new station at Central Ave. will be upgraded to handle crowds which should seemingly follow.
This will unquestionably revive the entire far west side of Chicago, as well as adjacent suburbs of Cicero and Berwyn, and perhaps Oak Park and Forest Park. :yes:

Busy Bee Jun 7, 2019 3:28 AM

^Not bad

Steely Dan Jul 9, 2019 8:29 PM

Quote:

Chicago Fire reach deal with Bridgeview to leave SeatGeek Stadium for $65.5 million

By JEREMY MIKULA
| CHICAGO TRIBUNE |
JUL 09, 2019 | 3:06 PM


The Chicago Fire no longer will have to play their home matches at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview starting next season.

The team and village on Tuesday announced an agreement for the Fire to amend their lease at the soccer-specific stadium in the southwest suburb.

Under the terms, the Fire will pay $65.5 million to break their lease, which originally ran through the 2036 season. As part of the deal, the Fire will put money toward a “multisport recreation and entertainment center” in Bridgeview.
source: https://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...bge-story.html

maru2501 Jul 10, 2019 2:23 AM

so, soldier field?

KWillChicago Jul 10, 2019 2:44 AM

Until they can get their own stadium built at Michael Reese development.

ardecila Jul 10, 2019 2:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KWillChicago (Post 8628367)
Until they can get their own stadium built at Michael Reese development.

Ugh, great. Another site with zero transit access. Michael Reese is twice as far from 35th St Green Line as Soldier Field is from Roosevelt. Not sure how they expect people to come and go from there without huge parking facilities.

They should really just work with the state to build a stadium next to Sox Park. Existing Red Line station, existing parking facilities.

aaron38 Jul 10, 2019 2:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maru2501 (Post 8628352)
so, soldier field?

When I looked at the schedule, they didn't have any conflict with Bears games.


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