Lakefront Stadium Pitch Targets 440 Acres in Chicago

Chicago property owners and neighborhoods near the South Works site should watch for public hearings and filings as the Bears weigh their options.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Commercial

Wide view of a flat, vacant lakefront field with dry grass leading to Lake Michigan, with the Chicago skyline visible across the water under hazy overcast light. — Chicago-based developer Related Midwest has pitched a 440-acre lakefront stadium on the former U.S. Steel South Works site to keep the Bears in the city. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Chicago-based developer Related Midwest has pitched a stadium development on a 440-acre former U.S. Steel South Works site on Lake Michigan to keep the Chicago Bears in the city. The Bears have not publicly responded to the proposal, and the team has publicly committed to building a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana.

Why it matters

For Chicago homeowners and renters, a stadium anchored on a large lakefront parcel could reshape nearby commercial land use, traffic patterns and neighborhood character. The proposal arrives as the Illinois House still weighs a stadium authority model, which would allow the team to build on public land and avoid property taxes, so the outcome could affect local public finances and development priorities.

Related Midwest controls a 440-acre former U.S. Steel South Works property on Lake Michigan that it is proposing for the stadium. The Bears have publicly committed to a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana, while Illinois lawmakers still weigh a stadium authority model.

The players

Related Midwest

A Chicago-based developer that controls the 440-acre former U.S. Steel South Works property on Lake Michigan and has pitched a stadium there.

Chicago Bears

The NFL franchise that has publicly committed to a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana, and has not publicly responded to the Chicago proposal.

The details

Related Midwest's pitch uses land the company already controls, which removes one step that often stalls large projects. The stadium authority model under consideration in Springfield would let the Bears build on public land, which would allow the team to avoid property taxes on the site. Bears officials have met with officials from the NFL and Illinois over the past few months, but the team has not publicly responded to the Chicago proposal.

Bears officials met with NFL and Illinois officials over the past few months.
Related Midwest's stadium pitch was reported on November 6, 2026.

The Home Front

Earlier Bears stadium plans that depended on public subsidies fizzled out, so this pitch is a renewed attempt to keep the franchise in Chicago. Large lakefront parcels like the South Works site are a recurring focus for commercial development in the city.

If you rent or own near the South Works lakefront or along likely transit and traffic corridors, watch for public hearings on the stadium authority model and any site plan filings. Homeowners weighing long-term property value near major developments should track whether the project advances before making decisions based on it.

The takeaway

A stadium proposal on a large lakefront site can change nearby commercial land use and local tax revenue, so it is worth following the Illinois House debate on the stadium authority model. Keep an eye on official Illinois legislative filings and Chicago planning notices for concrete project details.