Chicago Soccer Club announces plans
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced on Dec. 16 that it plans to convert a vacant manufacturing building and surrounding property at 3626 N. Talman Ave. into a year-round soccer center.
The Chicago Fire Soccer Center is expected to open on the 4.7-acre site in the summer of 2014. The 140,000-square-foot center will feature two regulation-size turf soccer fields and the first air-supported dome in Chicago.
The center will provide year-round access to soccer fields for both the Chicago Fire Recreational Soccer League, which has more than 5,000 players, as well as the Chicago Fire Juniors City team, a youth soccer club that has more than 250 players age 6 to 18, according to the club. The Chicago Fire team will train at the center in preparation for games on turf fields.
The center will provide access to schools and recreational sports leagues, according to the club. The development will include a 15,000-square-foot building for mixed-use field management offices, a restaurant and a retail center.
"We are thrilled to extend the Chicago Fire presence within the city," said Chicago Fire Andrew Hauptman said. "We are investing in this site to increase awareness of the organization and create more accessibility for both new and existing soccer fans. We want the Chicago Fire brand to have a positive impact on the community."
The majority owner in the project is an entity controlled by Hauptman, with minority partners Richard Levy and Jared Schenk, according to the club.
