Chicago Fire breaks ground on new training facility despite disapproval from residents

CHICAGO - The Chicago Fire Football Club broke ground Tuesday on a new training facility in the Roosevelt Square neighborhood.

The facility will include five-and-a-half training fields and recreational space.

The $80 million facility has been met with some controversy since it is being built on Chicago Housing Authority land on the Near West Side.

As part of a long-term lease agreement, the Fire will provide $8 million of community investment, including resources for minority and woman-owned businesses, free sports programming for local youth and community green space.

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"The new performance center and training facility creates an economic anchor for this Near West Side that we expect will catalyze future developments and further strengthen CHA housing projects and surrounding neighborhoods," said Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Lightfoot says the training facility will also generate $40 million in revenue for the city over the next four years, with proceeds benefiting the housing authority.