Could a White Sox move open the door for the Bears to stay in Chicago?

CHICAGO - Could the future home of the Chicago Bears be on the South Side, where the White Sox currently play?

A newly unveiled architectural concept imagines a domed Bears stadium surrounded by housing, entertainment, hospitality and public recreation at 35th Street and Shields Avenue in Bridgeport. The idea hinges on the White Sox potentially leaving their longtime home for a new ballpark in the South Loop near The 78.

Bears in Bridgeport? 

The backstory:

Architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill unveiled renderings showing a domed stadium near the Dan Ryan Expressway, with Chicago's skyline in the background and a mixed-use district surrounding the proposed venue.

The firm's vision includes housing, entertainment, hotels, parks and recreational space. The location also has access to the CTA, Metra and major expressways — transportation options that could help move fans to and from games.

The concept also envisions affordable and market-rate housing, civic amenities and pedestrian bridges as part of a broader redevelopment of the area.

But there is an important distinction: the renderings are a concept, not an announced plan by the Chicago Bears. There has been no public announcement that the team has committed to this site. 

Dave Wischnowsky says the idea deserves consideration

Former Chicago sports columnist Dave Wischnowsky has advocated for years for the Bears and White Sox to switch stadium locations if the opportunity arises.

He believes 35th and Shields could make sense for a football team that plays a relatively small number of home games each year compared with the White Sox, who play 81 regular-season home games.

"I think that the Bears' location down at 35th and Shields could be great," Wischnowsky said.

He also pushed back on the idea that the Bears need to rush into a stadium decision.

"I think the whole rush for everything is artificial to me. I don't think there's any rush," he said.

Wischnowsky said the possibility of the Bears moving to the South Side has become more realistic in his view and deserves serious consideration.

"It's become more and more real. And I think that Chicago, Illinois, the Bears, the NFL, everyone needs to really think about what's best long-term for the city, the team, the league," he said.

The Bears' stadium search is still unresolved

The Bears have repeatedly said their focus is on a stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana with a site to be selected. However, the Bears still own 326 acres of property at the former Arlington Park Racetrack. Fox Chicago has also reported on recent meetings between Bears minority owner Pat Ryan, Governor J.B. Pritzker, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Illinois lawmakers. Those meetings reportedly did not include Bears Chairman George McCaskey or team president Kevin Warren. 

In August, Warren warned that a prolonged stadium search could create problems for the organization.

"The longer this goes on, it creates complications," Warren said.

The team has not finalized its stadium plans, and the Bridgeport renderings do not mean the Bears are considering this particular proposal.

Ald. Nicole Lee calls the renderings a vision, not a plan

Ald. Nicole Lee, who represents Chicago's 11th Ward, said she would prefer the White Sox remain at their current ballpark. But if the team leaves and the property becomes available, she said a Bears stadium could be an appealing possibility.

Lee, a lifelong Bears fan, said keeping the team in Chicago is preferable to seeing it move across the state line.

However, she emphasized that the renderings are only a starting point — and said she has not had any communication with the Bears organization about this concept.

"Many more people will need to be involved in these conversations," Lee said.

She also pointed to potential obstacles on the property, including public housing, a church and other uses that could be affected by the stadium's proposed footprint.

"The rendering that I saw had the stadium more toward the south end of the property along Pershing Road. There are some public housing, there's a church there as well as a few other things that would have to be relocated, so that's why I think we're a long way off," Lee said.

The property is state-owned, Lee said, meaning any discussions about its future would need to involve state-level decision-makers.

What South Side residents think

The possibility of a Bears stadium at 35th and Shields drew mixed reactions from people on the South Side.

Deanna Jones liked the architectural concept and supported the idea.

"It's a pretty building. They should do it. I support and I can recommend," Jones said.

Aaliyah Goner, who lives in Bronzeville, said she would rather see the White Sox stay at their current home, even though she likes the look of the proposed stadium.

Nehru Neal, a White Sox fan, said the concept could offer a way for the Bears to remain in Chicago rather than move to another community in Illinois.

"That means it's an opportunity to stay in Chicago. So based off that thinking, I'm with it, instead of moving to another city within Illinois," Neal said.

What's next:

The future of the Bridgeport site depends in part on whether the White Sox pursue a move to the South Loop and what happens to their current property. The White Sox' lease at their current ballpark runs through the end of the 2029 season.

For now, the Bears' stated focus remains Hammond, Indiana, while the team continues to own the Arlington Heights property. The Bridgeport renderings raise another possibility for keeping the Bears in Chicago, but any move would require further discussions and a decision by the team and the relevant property stakeholders.

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