As the Chicago Bears decide whether to build a new stadium in Hammond’s Wolf Lake area, the team is gauging the South Bend community’s interest in premium seating.
In his latest newsletter, South Bend Regional Chamber President Jeff Rea includes a survey the Bears asked him to circulate among chamber members.
The survey delves into the details of what respondents would like to see in premium seating. For example, luxury suites or group seating? Theater or couch seats? Where would they like these to be situated in the stadium?
The survey says the team’s vision includes a modern, enclosed stadium capable of hosting major events year-round, from Bears games to concerts, conventions, and other large-scale events for the region. The stadium would be surrounded by restaurants, entertainment, and green space, creating a gameday destination.
The survey says that compared to roughly 6,000 parking spaces available today at Soldier Field, 15,000 spaces intentionally designed to support tailgating would sit adjacent to the stadium. The team says that would create one of the most robust gameday tailgating environments in the NFL.
