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Originally Posted by ardecila
So Metra Electric would run under the 50-yard line? Typically a stadium field is depressed below grade to reduce the size of the structure - in this scheme the field would end up about 30' above grade to clear the Metra tracks, making the stadium 4-5 stories taller than it needs to be and creating a bunch of empty space on the lower levels. East-west stadiums are also pretty rare because the sun's glare can be an issue.
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I envision the ME would run approximately near the east end zone. Essentially, it would act like McCormick South Building over the rail tracks and how it interfaces with MLK Drive. The Vikings stadium plaza (which the Bears President Kevin Warren oversaw) is also built partially above grade. I think the Viking stadium (hopefully) will be the model for the stadium. The Jets were originally going to build their stadium over Hudson Yards (a much more cumbersome and expensive proposition than building over the IC tracks).
If you had a larger horseshoe indoor stadium, the east end could be more open, lessening load requirements. The whole west end would be enclosed, so any issues about sun-glare during late-day games would be a non-issue. There will not be any 7am start times for sun glare to be an issue on the east end.
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More broadly, this kind of crayon exercise ignores the very real challenges of big urban development projects. The more stakeholders, the more likely you get a big delay, the more your costs go up. The Bears have shallow pockets, the politicians are (commendably) very resistant to use taxpayer money, and Chicago has sky-high construction costs. Given all that, the Bears really need to start from a nice "clean" patch of dirt, not something involving lakefront protection, transit agencies, parks groups, private landowners/eminent domain, etc
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I agree in principle with almost all of this. Trying to bring McPier is probably bringing in too many cooks into the kitchen. I am skeptical that Brandon Johnson will be the shrewd negotiators that Lightfoot or Emanuel were. For the taxpayer's and city's sake, I hope that he somehow gets the Bears (and White Sox) to put a lot more skin in the game than their last sweetheart deals they walked away with.
Again, I can't imagine the Bears are daft or bold enough to try to push through a highly controversial lakefront stadium plan on a very tight squeeze of a parcel on the south lots or the Soldier Field footprint.