Dive Brief:
- Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire FC has shared renderings and construction details of the team's $650 million stadium in the city’s downtown, according to a news release.
- The new structure, designed by San Francisco-based architect Gensler and announced in early June, will seat approximately 22,000 fans, according to the news release. Around the stadium are riverfront views and open public plazas, alongside a variety of hospitality spaces and amenities.
- The stadium will be the catalyst for the first phase of The 78, a 62-acre master plan development for a walkable, pedestrian-oriented mixed-use campus designed by Gensler, according to the news release.
Dive Insight:
The 78 will feature a 24/7 district with new residential and commercial buildings, a half-mile riverwalk and a network of interconnected community spaces that support year-round programming. The initial phase will include restaurants, storefronts and a range of complementary spaces.
The stadium will be entirely privately financed by the club’s owner, Joe Mansueto, who is the executive chairman of Chicago-based financial services firm Morningstar.
Seating options include 50 suites, more than 500 loge seats and 3,500 club seats, according to the franchise, including some with access to exclusive clubs-within-clubs. The seating bowl will be covered by an exposed steel canopy that the team claims will enhance the home-field advantage of Fire matches by directing light and crowd noise back to the pitch.
Additionally, a dedicated supporter section will be built at the core of the stadium, per the release. The section is purpose-built to be loud with room for approximately 2,000 fans on safe-standing bleachers.
The venue will also be designed to host international soccer matches, rugby matches, concerts, festivals and live performances, the club said in the release.
Construction at The 78 is anticipated to begin by the beginning of 2026, and the new stadium is expected to open in 2028, according to the Chicago Fire. A contractor has not been announced.
