Chicago architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill offers renderings of new Bears stadium near current White Sox location

CHICAGO (WLS) — New renderings from Chicago architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill are considering a future Chicago Bears stadium at Rate Field, but the concept is already sparking discussion among community advocates, neighbors and elected officials.

The proposal envisions a new Bears stadium at the center of a mixed-use district including housing, parks, entertainment and other development with access to public transportation. The concept was developed with the goal of keeping the Bears in Chicago.

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Before such a thing happens, the White Sox would first have to vacate their longtime home at Rate Field. A new baseball stadium has been proposed in the South Loop.

Although the renderings offer a glimpse of what could be built on the site, some community advocates say the conversation should include the people who live nearby.

“We have a very strong local coalition of neighbors and residents who want to have a say in the development of the community, and this kind of abandonment of a rendering at the very time when Amtrak is trying to move forward is very disappointing,” said Sarah Tang of the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community.

For many neighbors, the main focus remains a separate proposal that would bring an Amtrak maintenance facility to the area.

“My main goal, compared to a lot of people, is to keep Amtrak out of here. That’s my main goal. The Bears, the Sox, we’ll worry about them after we get rid of Amtrak,” said Philip Basso, a Bridgeport resident.

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Ald. Nicole Lee said the renderings were intriguing but stressed that her priorities remained unchanged.

“Our first choice would be to keep the White Sox where they’ve been for, you know, 116 years…” Lee said.

“We want them to stay, we don’t want a 24/7 maintenance facility, industrial complex coming into our neighborhood,” she said.

The proposal comes as the Bears continue to explore stadium options, including building in Hammond, Indiana. Illinois lawmakers are also working to keep the team in the state.

For now, the Rate Field concept remains only a proposal. But the renderings added another layer to the ongoing debate over development, community input and the future of the neighborhood surrounding the ballpark.