Chicago is weathering a new sports stadium controversy – and, no, it has nothing to do with the Bears.
According to combined media reports, a groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for later today on the new $750 million stadium for the Chicago Fire, the city’s Major League Soccer team. The 22,000-seat venue is being privately funded and will be Chicago’s first major stadium project in decades.
The stadium is in a section of the South Loop known as “The 78,” which is adjacent to the Chicago River. The project’s developers claim it will create up to 15,000 new jobs and generate $8 billion in economic impact for the area.
However, some community groups from the area around the stadium site have complained they were denied input on the project. They launched a Community Benefits Agreement that calls for the developers to pledge affordable housing protections, local job commitments, transportation planning and environmental safeguards.
“The message is very clear,” said Sarah Tang of the Coalition for a Better Chinese-American Community. “The 78 is not for everyday Chicagoans. It’s for rich people, a playground for developers to bring up their yachts to see a soccer game.”
The developers are aiming to open the stadium ahead of the team’s 2028 season.
