MAYOR LORI E. LIGHTFOOT, CHICAGO FIRE FOOTBALL CLUB, CHICAGO HOUSING AUTHORITY BEGIN TALKS FOR NEW NEAR WEST SIDE TRAINING FACILITY
Sports performance center and training fields proposed
for vacant land in the Roosevelt Square neighborhood on the
Near West Side; community meetings begin in March
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, Chicago Fire Football Club,
Alderman Jason Ervin (28th Ward), and Chicago Housing
Authority (CHA) CEO Tracey Scott announced the start of
preliminary discussions on a proposed new performance and
training facility for Chicago’s Major League Soccer (MLS)
team in the Roosevelt Square area on the Near West Side.
“The Chicago Fire, which is one of our city’s greatest
sports teams, deserves to have a high-quality training facility
that not only meets their needs but fosters the growth of
talented athletes,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “This potential new
facility will not only fulfill this need, but also provide the
surrounding West Side community with job, recreational and
other incredible opportunities in the future. I look forward to
discussing this exciting project further with the Fire, Alderman
Ervin, and the CHA in the coming days.”
The discussions will explore using approximately 30
acres of vacant CHA land as a headquarters and training
center for the Fire. As part of a long-term lease agreement, the
Fire would develop the multi-million-dollar facility and provide
a variety of community benefits and public investments
into neighboring public housing sites, long-term employment
for community members, and recreational opportunities for
youth. The proposed site is generally bounded by Roosevelt
Road, Ashland Avenue, 14th Street and Loomis Street.
“I am excited to join Mayor Lightfoot, CHA, and the
Chicago Fire Football Club to explore using this open space
to support affordable housing, employment, and recreation on
the Near West Side,” said Alderman Jason Ervin, 28th Ward
. “I am committed to working closely with the Fire and the
residents of the 28th Ward to ensure that this opportunity for
economic investment creates a long-term positive impact on
our community.”
A public engagement process to discuss the proposal, including
community meetings, will begin in March. Meetings
will be hosted or co-hosted by the CHA, Department of Planning
and Development (DPD), the Fire, and Alderman Jason
Ervin (28th Ward). More information on the public meetings
will be forthcoming. The Fire also plans to meet with multiple
community organizations in the weeks ahead.
“The Chicago Fire Football Club is committed to making
a difference in the lives of young people and communities
through soccer,” said Chicago Fire FC President Ishwara
Glassman Chrein. “In neighborhoods across the city, soccer
brings people together, fostering a strong sense of history and
community while showing immense passion for the game. We
look forward to presenting the project to the local community,
hearing their feedback, and creating new opportunities for
residents of the Near West Side to enjoy the game.”
“CHA sees this partnership with the Chicago Fire as an
opportunity to invest in our families and in this community.
By repurposing this unused land, we can secure substantial
funds to rehabilitate CHA housing and develop new affordable
housing while also creating employment opportunities
for our residents and community members,” said CHA CEO
Tracey Scott.
Tentative facility plans include world-class practice fields
and a performance center where team members prepare for
matches. Additional facility details will be determined through
the community engagement process and ongoing discussions
between the Mayor’s Office, CHA, and City agencies.
The planning process will have an overall goal of creating
an economic anchor that provides employment, recreational
opportunities, and affordable housing resources for the
community, including the rehabilitation and preservation of
nearby CHA properties, resources for minority- and women-
owned businesses, and community green space.
The site was previously occupied by portions of CHA’s
former ABLA Homes, which is already in the process of
being replaced by the mixed-income Roosevelt Square
community as part of CHA’s ongoing commitment to develop
mixed-income, mixed-use housing.
The Chicago Fire Football Club was founded in 1997 on
the 126th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire and will kick
off its 25th season in Major League Soccer in 2022. The Fire
have won six major domestic championship titles, including
the 1998 MLS Cup, the 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006 Lamar
Hunt U.S. Open Cups, as well as the 2003 Supporters’ Shield.
The Club’s charitable arm, the Chicago Fire Foundation, was
recognized as ESPN’s 2019 Sports Humanitarian For more
information, visit chicagofirefc.com.
A proposal overview page is located at chicago.gov/
chicagofire. DPD staff welcomes initial comments at dpd@
cityofchicago.org.
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