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Located in the Windy City,
along the shores of Lake Michigan is Soldier Field, the home of the Chicago
Bears. When some fans think of Soldier Field, they may assume that it is the
oldest stadium in the NFL. However, contrary to popular belief, it is one of
the newer stadiums in the league. The original Soldier Field opened in 1924
and had a seating capacity of 74,000. The Bears moved here from
Wrigley
Field in 1971. In the mid 1980s, discussion of a new stadium was the talk of
the city. The Chicago White Sox (MLB) wanted a new stadium, Wrigley Field
was over 70 years old and Soldier Field was over 60 years old. In 1985 there
were discussions of building a new domed stadium in downtown for the city's
sports teams. By 1986, the Bears and the city began studying plans to tear
down Soldier Field and build a new stadium south of it for $120 million.
Financing issues and controversy over where to build the new stadium delayed
the building process for several years. Over the next decade, there were
talks of building a stadium for the Bears in Arlington Heights, McCormick
Place, Elk Grove, in Gary, Indiana, in downtown Chicago and the west side of
the city. Finally, in November 2000, the Bears and the City of Chicago
announced plans to build a new stadium on the same site of their current
home, Soldier Field. The Bears had a rich tradition of playing football at
Soldier Field, the NFL's oldest stadium. The Bears decided to leave the historic Greek colonnades that
made Soldier Field historic and memorable. The rest of the stadium was
planned to be demolished and the new stadium was to be built inside the
exterior shell.
While their
new stadium was being built,
the Bears had to play the 2002 NFL season at Memorial Stadium in
Champaign, IL. At the conclusion of the 2001 season, demolition
and construction on the new stadium began. The Bears
stadium still continues to be called Soldier Field. It
has 61,500 blue seats throughout several tiers, improved
seating, better sightlines, enlarged concourses, two
96-foot-by-23-foot video-boards, 8,000 club seats and 133 luxury
suites. To
preserve Soldier Field, the classic colonnades remain intact and
serve as a lasting monument to Soldier Field's glorious past. In
addition, a 250-foot granite-wall sculpture continues to serve
as a memorial to the men and women who served in the armed
forces. Fans also are able to walk among the colonnades and the
horseshoe promenade. The Chicago Bears played their first game
at Soldier Field II on September 29, 2003 against the Green Bay
Packers. After the opening of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
in 2008, Soldier Field is now the smallest stadium in the NFL.
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