Soldier Field

Lore & Background

On December 3, 1919, Chicago-based architectural firm Holabird & Roche was chosen to design the stadium, which broke ground on August 11, 1922. The stadium cost $13 million to construct. On October 9, 1924, the 53rd anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, the stadium was officially dedicated as 'Grant Park Stadium', although it had hosted a few events before then. On November 11, 1925, the stadium's name was changed to Soldier Field, in dedication to U.S. soldiers who had died in combat during World War I. Its formal rededication as Soldier Field was held during the 29th annual playing of the Army–Navy Game on November 27, 1926.

The stadium's design is in the Neoclassical style, with Doric columns rising above the East and West entrances. In its earliest configuration, Soldier Field was capable of seating 74,280 spectators, and was in the shape of a U. Additional seating could bring the capacity to over 100,000. It was estimated that 123,000 fans saw Notre Dame defeat USC 13–12 on November 16, 1929. On February 27, 1987, Soldier Field was designated a National Historic Landmark.

The stadium's interior was rebuilt as part of a major renovation project in 2002 and 2003, which modernized the facility but lowered its seating capacity, eventually causing it to be delisted as a National Historic Landmark in 2006.

Reader's Guide

Soldier Field has served as the home venue for a number of other sports teams in its history, including the Chicago Cardinals of the NFL and University of Notre Dame football. It hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, and multiple CONCACAF Gold Cup championships. In 1968, it hosted the inaugural World Games of the Special Olympics, as well as its second World Games in 1970. Other historic events have included large rallies with speeches, including by Amelia Earhart, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King Jr. The stadium's interior was demolished and rebuilt in 2002–03, with a new seating bowl built within the existing walls.

As Soldier Field underwent renovation, the Bears spent the 2002 NFL season playing their home games at Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois. On September 29, 2003, the Bears played their first game at the renovated Soldier Field, in which they were defeated by the Green Bay Packers, 38–23. The total funding for the renovation cost $632 million; taxpayers were responsible for $432 million, while the Bears and the NFL contributed $200 million.