It’s unofficially official. With a report earlier in the afternoon by the Des Plaines Valley News and confirmed later by the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Fire are nearing an agreement with the Village of Bridgeview to break their lease at SeatGeek Stadium and move back to Soldier Field for the 2020 season. The deal was moved forward this afternoon after the Village board approved a “Memo of Understanding” by a unanimous vote. The deal reportedly involves a $60.5 million buyout, with the Fire paying $10 million upfront and the balance being paid over the next 15 years. The team will also reportedly pay an additional $5 million per year to continue using the practice facilities outside the stadium. In a statement to the press earlier, Fire president Nelson Rodriguez did not outright confirm the reports but did not exactly deny them either. “We have been negotiating with Mayor (Steve) Landek and the Village of Bridgeview for some time on an amended stadium lease,” Rodriguez said, “but we have not reached a final agreement, and until we do, I’m not able to comment further.” This news comes after a report from the Chicago Sun-Times earlier in the week saying that a new stadium for the Fire could be built at the site of the former Michael Reese Hospital. The land was purchased by the City of Chicago over a decade ago and was intended to serve as the future site of the Olympic Village in the event that Chicago was awarded the 2016 Summer Olympics. Should this new stadium materialize, according to today’s reports, Bridgeview could be entitled to even more money from the club. The Chicago Red Stars are reportedly planning to stay at SeatGeek Stadium. Bridgeview trustee James Cecott was quoted as saying, “[w]e’ve got the Red Stars. We’ll concentrate on them. They have a very talented team.” Rodriguez said during his media Q&A earlier today said that there is no signed agreement between the village of Bridgeview and the Fire, and until that happens it’s not official. But Cecott struck a different tone, struggling to contain his emotions surrounding the end of an era for the Village. “It’s just a sad thing to see them go. They’ve been a part of Bridgeview for 13 years, but life goes on.”<doc-sep>Chicago White Sox: Lucas Giolito has been just what team needs by Vincent Parise The Chicago Fire have reportedly reached an agreement to leave their current home in Bridgeview and return to their roots at Soldier Field. Here’s what that means for the club. The Chicago Fire experienced much of their success during the early years along the lake at historic Soldier Field, and that’s where the Fire will reportedly call home once again beginning next year. After moving to then-Toyota Park (now SeatGeek Stadium) in 2006, the Fire have failed to advance past the Knockout Round of the Major League Soccer Playoffs since 2009 after three-straight Conference Finals. Times have been rough for the Men in Red. The return to Chicago is sure to be bittersweet, as the Fire depart what was only the fourth soccer-specific stadium built in the United States. As part of the agreement to break their lease, the Fire will pay $60.5 million to the Village of Bridgeview to help the city pay off the massive amounts of debt that have accumulated over the years. On top of the $60.5 million payment, the Fire will pay an additional $5 million to continue to utilize the team’s practice fields next to SeatGeek Stadium. Under the team’s lease, the Fire were to remain in Bridgeview until 2036. Unfortunately, the club still has plenty of obstacles to overcome in order to return to soccer glory. If the club were to build a different soccer-specific stadium within 35 miles of SeatGeek Stadium, the team will pay the village an additional unspecified amount of money. Although it’s unclear whether the team will eventually seek to build a new grounds closer to or in Chicago, rumors have linked the club to a future home on the South Side on the former Michael Reese Hospital site. In addition to a potential soccer stadium on the South Side, developers had previously sought to build a 20,000 capacity stadium in the Lincoln Yards development on the city’s North Side. Had it been constructed, the stadium would have the same capacity as the Fire’s current home in Bridgeview. The stadium was rejected by the ward’s alderman, Brian Hopkins. Although the Fire were never truly linked to the stadium as it was intended to be the home of a United Soccer League team chaired by Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts, perhaps the team could have explored sharing the stadium in the future. Regardless of whether or not the team opts to build a new stadium down the road, fans will no longer have to trek to the suburbs to watch the Fire in less than a year. Whether that helps or harms the team at all remains to be seen as the Fire are still struggling on the pitch thanks to management and lack of talent. The Fire currently sit one point out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.<doc-sep>Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) The Chicago Fire have reached a memorandum of understanding with the owner of the MLS team’s stadium that will end the team’s lease. General Manager Nelson Rodriguez refused to give details of the tentative agreement Wednesday. He pointed out there is no signed agreement between the city of Bridgeview and the team that he is aware of. Rodriguez said team officials have been in talks with Bridgeview officials for some time on an amended lease. The Fire currently have a lease to play in SeatGeek Stadium though 2036. The stadium was previously named Toyota Park. Reports have been circulating in recent weeks that plans were for the team to return to Soldier Field in Chicago, where it played until the 2006 season. However, Rodriguez said the team hasn’t been involved in talks about any stadium outside Bridgeview.<doc-sep>The ratings firm Standard & Poor’s has said the massive boosts in tax collections have not been enough to cover all of the village’s debt payments, so the village over the years regularly has made part of its debt payments by borrowing more — in so-called “scoop and toss” maneuvers that threaten to hike the bill even higher for future taxpayers.<doc-sep>
The Chicago Fire is poised for a return to the city after 13 years of playing in suburban Bridgeview, located about 15 miles southwest of the Loop. The Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise has reached an agreement with the Village of Bridgeview to break their 30-year lease at SeatGeek Stadium and could start playing at Soldier Field as early as 2020. Although the deal to officially amend the lease still needs to be finalized, the team is expected to pay $60.5 million to the village, according to a report by the Desplaines Valley News. The Fire will provide $10 million in cash upfront and payoff the remainder of the balance over the next 15 years. The team is also expected to pay the village $5 million to keep practicing at the Bridgeview stadium for the next five years. The move will not affect the Chicago Red Stars National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchise, which will continue to play there. The Fire’s return to Chicago proper is good news for local soccer fans looking to enjoy the sport closer to home—especially after a plan to bring a United Soccer League (USL) expansion team to the massive Lincoln Yards development fell through. The SeatGeek Stadium deal hasn’t been a great one for Bridgeview or its taxpayers. Although sold to residents as a beneficial economic driver for the area, the $100 million, 20,000-seat venue ended up burdening Bridgeview with a mountain of debt and forced the village to raise property taxes. News of the Fire’s departure comes just days after retiring Chicago Department of Planning and Development Commissioner David Reifman hinted at a long-term proposal to construct a stadium for the Fire at Bronzeville’s vacant Michael Reese hospital site in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times. However, if the team ultimately does move to a field within 35 miles of Bridgeview, it will be required to provide the village “additional compensation,” according to the Desplaines Valley News report.