Chicago’s other football club — the Fire — is doubling down on its commitment to the city, with team ownerJoe Mansueto announcing a plan to personally finance a $650 million soccer-specific stadium to be built along the Chicago River in Related Midwest’s development, The 78.
“A world-class city deserves a world class football club — with a world-class home to match,” Mansueto, owner and chairman, said in a statement. “This development will be transformative for both the Chicago Fire FC and the city of Chicago…. Soon, we’ll have a permanent home that reflects the passion, energy and pride of the city we love.”
The proposed 22,000-seat, open-air stadium will provide The 78 — a 62-acre site in the South Loop — with a much-needed anchor for additional residential and commercial development.
The project could break ground in fall 2025 or early 2026, with an anticipated opening in time for the 2028 Major League Soccer (MLS) season.
Mansueto founded the financial services firm Morningstar in 1984 and currently serves as the company’s executive chairman. He became a partial owner of the Fire in 2018 and sole owner in 2019.
Wow no public money! Fantastic. But does Chicago have enough support for their MLS team so this isn’t a blunder? Plus I was hearing rumors that the MLS is dying.