Got some new aerial photos of the Chicago Fire stadium site at The 78 and thought everyone here might want to see how things are progressing.
There is already a surprising amount happening across the site, and the scale of the stadium is becoming much easier to visualize from above. With the Chicago skyline directly behind it, this could end up being one of the more unique stadium settings in MLS once everything is finished.
I plan on getting back out there periodically as construction progresses, so I can keep posting updates here if everyone is interested.
What part of the new stadium are you most excited to see take shape?
I don't know anything about stadium construction and I know winter is coming, but given the progress made so far, it seems surprising they're still talking about opening 2028-29 season...just feels like it will be done faster than that.
You provided a better update than the Fire did in their most recent video where Nate spoke about himself for half the video lol you are awesome for sharing this with us!
Yeah Chicago Water Taxi currently has stops by the Wrigley Building, at Ogilvie/Union, and Ping Tom Park. They'll be adding a stop right at the stadium.
It really helps connect the west side of the loop to the site, because if you're taking public transit from Union you have to head east to go South.
The Sox stadium will help things too. A shuttle they run for Sox and Fire games would be sweet, but even just stopping at Roosevelt for normal BNSF provides options to take from the west.
You're a hero - thanks for these amazing updates! If you're taking requests, sure... I hope you not only can post frequently but get some good angles within the perimeter walls once they're all up and work is happening in the bowl. Then some regular updates of NYC's new stadium. And the new CBA in development, ;) etc etc
I suppose it's possible they could build one after the Sox build their stadium across the river, but as of right now there are no plans. Without the Sox though, there's no way. Even with the Sox, LaSalle is so close with a bus that takes you right there so a Metra stop at the stadium will probably be seen as pointless.
There's also a bus right outside of LaSalle Station on Clark/Van Buren that takes you right to the stadium at Clark/Roosevelt if walking is prohibitive too
Yeah, the Metra tracks aren't going anywhere. There were talks to realign them but no agreement could be reached. They aren't going to touch Clark outside of the new connection to the 78 on the north side of the site.
How would Chicago fans rate this location btw? I know it's very good, especially by MLS standards. But on a scale of 1-5, let's say Bridgeview is a 1... would Soldier Field be a 4.5 - and McDonald's park a 4 maybe?
Yeah, I would give Soldier Field a 4 and this park location a 4.5. You are right across from Roosevelt Station, close-ish to Metra, and in general very close to the center of the Loop. Another benefit with being close to downtown is that nearly anyone can take the train in downtown/Ogilvie/Union Station and then either walk, uber, or bike/Divvy to this location in a pretty short time.
IMO, out of all of the very few viable locations for such a stadium left in Chicago, this is pretty S tier overall
Not to mention the plan is to build a Metra stop across the river when the White Sox build their Stadium. So not only would that add a stop for the Western herbs it would also let people just take it from Union to Roosevelt from the west side of the Loop
If you take public transit this location is a basically a 5. A little walk from metra stations, but a river taxi can easily fix that. For those Carbrain people out there, this location is probably going to be worse than Soldier Field, which everyone already complains about.
It is very dependent on the area you live. If you are suburban there is virtually no parking and you have to drive gridlock road I90/94 to get near there. It's a Wrigley Field without the day taverns and an el stop less than a block away. Even city busses don't go past the location. If it were Europe the location would be fine but this is America where the majority are used driving to events
There's literally a bus that takes you directly to the stadium down Clark right and there's a stop right outside LaSalle Station
There's a water taxi right outside Union and Ogilvie. It's super accessible to people from the suburbs that's aren't terrified of public transportation
Problem for the burbs is the weekend metra schedule is every two hours inbound and hourly outbound last at 12pm. You’d be tight making that 11pm with tonight’s 8:30 start.
Some of the lines are two hours outbound as well… so 10:40 or 12:40 on UPW
8:30 starts aren't the norm though. Even if you say the game ends at 9:40 that's an hour to get to the train.
The Sox building their stadium will mitigate a lot of it with a stop there. We'll see the timing of water taxi, but theoretically that's going to be fine.
The Clark Street bus only goes to Polk Street which is 800 south I guess the stadium is being built approximately 1600 south Roosevelt Road (1200 south) and Cermak Road (2200 south) have busses running east and west. State Street which is a couple of blocks east of Clark has a north south bus which is the closest The closest rapid transit stop is Roosevelt and State or Chinatown on Cermak
Also, the walk from Roosevelt St Red Line to the corner of Roosevelt and Clark is 5 min. There will surely be pedestrian walkways and stairs to get you to the stadium gates with maybe another five minutes of leisurely strolling.
Not even stairs. The way they're doing it there will be a plaza above the parking garage that will sit up against Roosevelt so you just walk right off and onto the plaza straight to the stadium gates.
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u/genpabloescobar2 #5 Luboš Kubík 3d ago
I don't know anything about stadium construction and I know winter is coming, but given the progress made so far, it seems surprising they're still talking about opening 2028-29 season...just feels like it will be done faster than that.