With the sale of Arlington Racecourse International all but official at this point, people have waited to see what the Chicago Bears will do next. Obviously, the franchise aims to build themselves a new stadium, but the true groundwork for that hasn’t been laid yet. However, that hurdle is in the process of being cleared. The next step towards a move out of Soldier Field became a reality when the organization found the architects they wanted for the job.
According to Don Muret of Venues Now, it was revealed the Bears have hired MANICA Architecture to assist in the plans for a new stadium on the Arlington property. They will play a key role in designing the stadium itself, figuring out the best specifications to fit the land, and what ownership seeks in a new building. MANICA has worked on several notable projects over the years. Among NFL fans, they are best known for their work on Allegiant Stadium, the Las Vegas Raiders’ gorgeous new venue in Nevada.
“The Chicago Bears have selected Manica Architecture to help with initial plans for their proposed NFL stadium at the site of Arlington International Racecourse in the city’s northwest suburbs, team officials confirmed.
Manica is helping the team with conceptual design as part of their due diligence on the property, officials said.”
Breaking: The @ChicagoBears are working with Manica Architecture, Jones Lang LaSalle, CAA Icon and Legends/CSL on initial concepts for their new #NFL stadium in Arlington Heights. https://t.co/Dt8hXqAXCr
— Don Muret (@breakground) March 16, 2022
Allegiant Stadium cost roughly $1.9 billion to build.
That could be what the Chicago Bears are looking for in terms of a price range. They’ll want a state-of-the-art facility with all the bells and whistles. One of the primary goals will be improving the overall fans’ experience while also increasing revenue streams via a surrounding “village” filled with other activities. They were never able to do this because the Chicago Park District owns the Soldier Field property.
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Such a stifling agreement had grated on the McCaskeys for a long time. They could never do much about it due to having no place to move in the past. That changed once they secured the winning bid for Arlington Park. Now, most believe it is a foregone conclusion the Bears will leave downtown proper in the coming years once the new stadium is built. It should be beautiful.
