Bears now considering South Side lakefront site for new stadium

Determined to stay in Chicago and stymied at their preferred lakefront site, the Bears are at least considering the possibility of building a domed stadium to jump-start development on the old Michael Reese Hospital site south of McCormick Place, sources confirmed Tuesday.

Seven months ago, Bears President Kevin Warren summarily dismissed the 48.6-acre Reese site — acquired by the city for an Olympic Village that was never built — even after Friends of the Parks and the Civic Federation had urged the team to consider it.

Warren said the Reese site was among 10 to 12 possible stadium sites the Bears considered before settling on the lakefront just south of Soldier Field. The Reese site was rejected because it was “very narrow” and “doesn’t work from an NFL standpoint” because the stadium would have to be built over an active rail line.

But with the Bears hurry-up offense on their first-choice site stalled in Springfield, the team now is listening to an aggressive pitch from Scott Goodman, a principal of the Farpoint Development-led team that purchased the Reese site from the city, two sources confirmed Tuesday.

The Bears’ renewed interest in the site was first reported by Crain’s Chicago Business.

Tarrah Cooper, a spokesperson for the Bears, refused to comment on the report. Goodman could not be reached for comment.

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