Chicago Fire Stadium Greenlit for Related Midwest’s The 78

Joe Mansueto is in the clear to start construction on a 22,000-seat soccer stadium for Chicago Fire FC at Related Midwest’s megadevelopment The 78.

The Chicago City Council gave final approval for the plans this week, meaning dirt can start moving to meet the soccer club’s goal of having the project finished in time for Major League Soccer’s 2028 season, the Chicago Tribune reported. The stadium was previously reported to be a $650 million investment by Mansueto, but recent reports pegged it at $750 million. It’s unclear what has caused the discrepancy. The zoning amendment needed to allow the stadium to be built passed unanimously.

The privately-funded stadium will anchor Related Midwest’s 62-acre South Loop megaproject. The 78 is expected to be an $8 billion mixed-use campus along the South Branch of the Chicago River, currently a vacant swath of riverfront land between Roosevelt Road and Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chinatown.

The soccer team agreed to cap major events at the stadium to 45 per year, including the Fire’s 17 home games per season. Building a dedicated soccer stadium would enable the team to control its own schedule, create a more intimate fan experience,and host a range of events throughout the year. The team has experienced years of frustration sharing Soldier Field with the Chicago Bears.

About 5,000 apartment units are part of Related Midwest’s plans around the stadium, along with over a mile of bike trails, 3 acres of sports fields, public parking and a water taxi stop along the 1,400 feet of riverfront.

First proposed in 2019, Related Midwest’s redevelopment agreement called for the developer to spend $551 million on rebuilding local transportation infrastructure for the site, which was to include a CTA Red Line stop and adjustment of nearby Metra train tracks. Tax increment financing would then be used to reimburse the developer.

Last week Curt Bailey, president of Related Midwest, told the Chicago Plan Commission that the 2019 plan was no longer needed and had become too costly. A new proposal would scrap the realignment of Metra tracks and the Red Line station, Bailey said. The 2019 agreement is expected to be renegotiated, according to Ciere Boatright, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development.

— Eric Weilbacher