Soldier Field
Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) since 1971,[a] as well as Chicago Fire FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) from 1998 to 2005 and since 2020.[b] It also regularly hosts stadium concerts and other large crowd events. The stadium has a football capacity of 62,500, making it the second-smallest stadium in the NFL. Soldier Field is also the oldest stadium established in both the NFL and MLS.
For other uses, see Soldier Field (disambiguation).Former names
Municipal Grant Park Stadium (1924–1925)
1410 Special Olympics Drive
133
- 66,944 (1994–2003)
- 62,500 (2003–present)[2]
7 acres (2.8 ha)[3]
- Bermuda grass (2022–present)
- Kentucky Bluegrass (1924–1970, 1988–2022)
- AstroTurf (1971–1987)
August 11, 1922
1922–1924
October 9, 1924
2002–2003
January 19, 2002–September 26, 2003 (renovations)
September 29, 2003 (renovations)
- Holabird & Roche (original)
- Wood + Zapata, Inc.
- Lohan Caprile Goettsch Architects (renovations)
Hoffman Associates (renovations)[6]
Thornton Tomasetti (renovations)
Ellerbe Becket (renovations)[6]
February 27, 1987
February 17, 2006
The stadium's interior was rebuilt as part of a major renovation project in 2002, which modernized the facility but lowered its seating capacity, eventually causing it to be delisted as a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Soldier Field has served as the home venue for a number of other sports teams in its history, including the Chicago Cardinals of the NFL and University of Notre Dame football. It hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, and multiple CONCACAF Gold Cup championships. In 1968, it hosted the inaugural World Games of the Special Olympics, as well as its second World Games in 1970. Other historic events have included large rallies with speeches, including by Amelia Earhart, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King Jr..
Public transportation[edit]
The closest Chicago 'L' station to Soldier Field is the Roosevelt station on the Orange, Green and Red lines. The Chicago Transit Authority also operates the #128 Soldier Field Express bus route to the stadium from Ogilvie Transportation Center and Union Station. There are also two Metra stations close by: the Museum Campus/11th Street station on the Metra Electric Line, which also is used by South Shore Line trains, and 18th Street, which is only served by the Metra Electric Line. Pace also provides access from the Northwest, West and Southwest suburbs to the stadium with four express routes from Schaumburg, Lombard, Bolingbrook, Burr Ridge, Palos Heights and Oak Lawn.
Facility contracts[edit]
The pouring rights of non-alcoholic beverages at Soldier Field were held by The Coca-Cola Company from at least 1992 until 2012, when the Bears signed a contract with Dr Pepper Snapple Group (later Keurig Dr Pepper), making it the only stadium in the NFL then (with Cleveland Browns Stadium striking a similar deal in 2018) to have such rights held by the company.[46][47] With the 2003 renovation, the Bears gained power in striking sponsorship deals at Soldier Field; the Miller Brewing Company was given the pouring rights of alcoholic beverages, while Delaware North Sportservice was named the food and beverage service provider.[48][49] Aramark took over service operations at the stadium when the latter contract expired in 2013.[50]
Soldier Field nearing completion, 1924
The stadium mid-renovation in March 2003
Aerial view of the stadium in 2008
Soldier Field as seen from Lake Shore Drive in 2013
The scenery around Soldier Field
Exterior of Soldier Field, with a sign reading "Dedicated to the men and women of the armed services"
Front of bronze mural
