# A Bears dome on the White Sox's Rate Field site? An architecture firm's concept lands in the 11th Ward. Here is what the City would have to approve

*Skidmore, Owings & Merrill posted renderings Wednesday. Ald. Nicole Lee called them 'real pretty pictures' and said the state, which owns the land, would have to be involved.*

By Chicago Politics · Updated Oct 29, 2026

A Chicago architecture firm has put out renderings of a domed Chicago Bears stadium on the site of Rate Field, the White Sox ballpark in Armour Square, along with housing, parks and entertainment around it, the [Sun-Times reported](https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium/2026/10/28/bridgeport-bears-domed-stadium-proposal-sox-rate-field) Wednesday.

Why it matters: it's the first public picture of the Bears playing on the South Side, and it ties together two stadium fights at once. A South Loop ballpark plan from a company owned by White Sox minority owner Justin Ishbia depends on moving an Amtrak rail yard to Bridgeport, which neighbors have fought. If the Sox leave, the Rate Field land opens up. Any project there would come before the City Council for zoning.

## What's been proposed

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill posted the concept on Instagram, pointing to the site's existing CTA, Metra and Dan Ryan Expressway access, the Sun-Times reported. Renderings sent to stakeholders say the project is "presented by" Sterling Bay; its chief executive told the paper the firm is not driving the deal. The site is owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, a state agency, which the paper said could let the team avoid property taxes. Sources told the Sun-Times the plan would involve relocating Wentworth Gardens, a nearby Chicago Housing Authority development.

No cost, public financing request or developer application has been made public. The Bears, who own the former Arlington International Racecourse site in Arlington Heights, declined to comment. Indiana has approved a stadium package for a dome in Hammond. The Sox's lease runs through 2029, and the Bears' Soldier Field lease through 2033, according to the Sun-Times.

## What officials have said

Ald. Nicole Lee (11th), whose ward includes Rate Field, said she is "absolutely interested in conversations about what's possible on this land," but called the drawings early and "real pretty pictures," the Sun-Times reported. She said any project would need the state's involvement, would go through the City's planned development rules and would require demolishing some existing structures. She said she has not spoken with the Bears.

Mayor Brandon Johnson's office said in a statement that Chicago is and should remain the Bears' home and that the Mayor will work with regional partners. Gov. JB Pritzker has led the Bears talks, the paper reported.

## What our records add

**The Council's role.** Because the land is state-owned, Springfield would decide what happens to it first. But a stadium and mixed-use district of this size would need a planned development, which goes through the Plan Commission and the Council's Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards before a full Council vote. Under the Council's long-standing practice of aldermanic prerogative, the local alderperson's position usually carries heavy weight on zoning in their ward.

**The Amtrak vote.** The two stadium plans are linked by the Amtrak yard. On Oct. 14, the Council adopted Lee's call for hearings on the yard's site selection and federal environmental review, 49 to 0 with one member not voting, with 34 co-sponsors.

How each ward voted: [R2026-0028877](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/R2026-0028877-call-hearing-amtrak-midwest-maintenance-facility)

Twelve days later, the Federal Railroad Administration agreed to a federal environmental review of the Bridgeport site, [as we reported](/on-my-block/amtrak-canal-street-yard-federal-environmental-assessment-bridgeport).

## What's next

- **State lawmakers:** the Sun-Times reported they are moving toward a stadium authority model rather than the property-tax bill the House passed this spring.
- **Amtrak:** the FRA's environmental review will include a 30-day comment period and public meetings.
- Lee's [ward page](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/11) tracks zoning and other legislation from the 11th Ward. Nothing about a Bears stadium has been introduced at the Council.

*Sources: [Block Club Chicago: Feds agree to environmental review of proposed Amtrak facility in Bridgeport](https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/10/26/feds-finally-agree-to-environmental-review-of-proposed-amtrak-facility-in-bridgeport/); [Chicago Politics: R2026-0028877, hearings on Amtrak maintenance facility](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/R2026-0028877-call-hearing-amtrak-midwest-maintenance-facility).*


## Legislation in this story

- [Call for hearing(s) on Amtrak Midwest Maintenance Facility site selection, alternatives, federal environmental review and possible effects on nearby communities and shared rail operations](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/R2026-0028877-call-hearing-amtrak-midwest-maintenance-facility) (R2026-0028877)

## Sources

1. City Clerk: [R2026-0028877: Call for hearing(s) on Amtrak Midwest Maintenance Facility site selection, alternatives, federal environmental review and possible effects on nearby communities and shared rail operations](https://chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov/Matter/?matterId=A2B46DCA-7EB7-F111-AAAC-001DD80B58E5)
2. City Clerk: [R2026-0028877, Committee Letter: R2026-0028877.pdf](https://occprodstoragev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/matterattachmentspublic/038c2189-6ba1-4622-a39f-ba2a05aa54f5.pdf)
3. City Clerk: [R2026-0028877, Legislation: w11others - r28877.pdf](https://occprodstoragev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/matterattachmentspublic/a9e2c2a9-7d29-4c78-be18-0b4026fed3d4.pdf)
4. City of Chicago: [City Council, Oct 14, 2026: meeting video](https://vimeo.com/1235564993)
5. City Clerk: [City Council, Oct 14, 2026: Notice](https://occprodstoragev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/meetingattachmentspublic/5dc2983c-30bc-f111-aaae-001dd803894a.pdf)
6. City Clerk: [City Council, Oct 14, 2026: Agenda](https://occprodstoragev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/meetingattachmentspublic/7ad74e3d-811e-4504-93a7-a7d70d4cff3b.pdf)
7. Chicago Sun-Times: [Sun-Times reported](https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears-stadium/2026/10/28/bridgeport-bears-domed-stadium-proposal-sox-rate-field)
8. Block Club Chicago: [Block Club Chicago: Feds agree to environmental review of proposed Amtrak facility in Bridgeport](https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/10/26/feds-finally-agree-to-environmental-review-of-proposed-amtrak-facility-in-bridgeport/)
9. Chicago Politics: [R2026-0028877: votes, timeline and summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/R2026-0028877-call-hearing-amtrak-midwest-maintenance-facility)
10. Chicago Politics: [City Council, Oct 14, 2026: transcript](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/1235564993.txt)

On the map: [11th Ward](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/11)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/on-my-block/bears-domed-stadium-rate-field-concept-11th-ward-what-city-would-approve · Chicago Politics, an independent tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt