New Bears Stadium Plan Targets Bridgeport and Wentworth Gardens

Residents of Bridgeport and Armour Square may see major changes to their neighborhoods under a newly revealed plan for a Chicago Bears stadium. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill posted architectural renderings to its Instagram account yesterday. The images depict a mixed-use district that would combine the new stadium with housing, entertainment venues, hospitality options, parks, and public recreation areas.

The proposed site is owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. It already has access to the CTA, Metra, and the Dan Ryan Expressway. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill noted this existing transportation infrastructure in its release. The firm also stated that the stadium location could allow the team to avoid paying property taxes. This tax exemption is a major financial advantage for the franchise. The site also offers potential access to federal transportation funds.

The plan includes moving Wentworth Gardens, a nearby Chicago Housing Authority development. Tina Sfondeles and Fran Spielman reported that this relocation would likely face resistance from the community. The move is part of a larger strategy to consolidate major sports teams in the city. In September, Canal Edge LLC released plans for the Railyards, a mixed-use development that would move the Chicago White Sox to the South Loop. That baseball stadium would sit along the Chicago River from Roosevelt Road to 18th Street. Canal Edge LLC is owned by Justin Ishbia, a minority owner of the White Sox.

In a separate political development, voters in Chicago will elect all 21 members of the school board on Nov. 3. This is the first time the board will be fully elected. Carlos Rivas Jr., a candidate for reelection in the Northwest Side District 3b, is facing a challenge from Jason Dónes. Dónes is backed by the Chicago Teachers Union. A letter from the Noble Network of Charter Schools, obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, details an investigation from September 2018. The letter states that Rivas was suspended after an internal investigation found he engaged in unwanted touching of a co-worker without consent. The incident occurred during a work event at the Robey Chicago hotel in August 2018. The letter says Rivas was intoxicated to the extent that he admitted he could not deny the allegations due to a lack of memory.

Rivas called the resurfacing of the issue disappointing given the proximity to the election. Our Schools, a political action committee funded by the Chicago Teachers Union, is distributing mailers to highlight the investigation. The group has spent about $20,000 supporting Dónes’ candidacy as of the end of September.

Voters will also elect four commissioners to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago board on Nov. 3. The district is independent of Chicago and Cook County governments. It is funded primarily through property taxes. The district’s 2026 budget includes $755.7 million in property taxes. The board oversees wastewater treatment and stormwater management across Cook County. Three of the four seats are for six-year terms. Incumbents Eira Corral Sepúlveda, Precious Brady-Davis, and Beth McElroy Kirkwood are running against Republican candidates Michelle Pennington, Timothy E. Rueckert, and Jill B. Shestokas. Incumbent Cameron Davis is running unopposed to complete a two-year term.

The Bears stadium proposal arrives as the city grapples with major infrastructure shifts. The combination of tax exemptions and existing transit links makes the Armour Square site attractive to developers. The fate of Wentworth Gardens will be a key point of contention in the coming months.