 |
| Rendering of Proposed White Sox Stadium at The 78 (via Urbanize) |
If you’re reading this, you probably know we’ve been away for a while. But you know what? It hasn’t been as long as The 78 – the infamous, long-standing vacant 62-acre site in the South Loop – has remained undeveloped.
If you’re like us, you’ve spent the past couple of decades fantasizing about what could be. An amazing riverwalk? An Olympic village? Amazon’s HQ2? A new White Sox stadium? A casino? So far, we’ve gotten bubkes.
Recently, though, we came across an article in Urbanize Chicago that provided an update on The 78 (and other mega-developments):
Planned by Related Midwest, The 78 is a 62-acre mega-development in the South Loop, located along the Chicago River just south of W. Roosevelt Rd. The original plans, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, called for over 13 million square feet of mixed-use development.
Years later, the only completed structure is the Wells-Wentworth Connector, which isn’t even open to the public yet. In 2022, Mayor Lori Lightfoot chose Bally’s casino plan over Related’s proposal for a casino and entertainment district at the north end of the site.
In early 2024, Related Midwest announced a plan with the Chicago White Sox for a new ballpark that would anchor the proposed high-rise district. The design included home plate at the southwest corner and a stadium that wrapped around the field, offering stunning downtown views, including the Sears Tower.
But later that year, just as construction was set to begin, the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) announced it was scrapping plans for its headquarters at the south end of The 78. Instead, DPI is pivoting to the quantum campus at Related Midwest’s redevelopment of the former US Steel site at 8080 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive. With the DPI headquarters canceled and public funding for the White Sox stadium facing opposition, The 78’s progress is largely stalled.
More recently, at the end of the year, it was announced that Chicago Fire owner Joe Mansueto is exploring The 78 as a potential site for a dedicated soccer stadium. According to Crain’s Chicago Business, Mansueto and Related Midwest have presented their proposal to Mayor Johnson and city officials. While no renderings or detailed plans have been released, Mansueto has committed to financing the stadium entirely with private funds.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about this plot of land, it’s not to hold our breath. Could 2025 finally be the year something happens? A billionaire willing to fully finance a soccer stadium seems promising—but we’ve been here before.
Will 2025 be the year The 78 finally becomes something?
