by HTownND (2019-04-04 11:14:03)
Edited on 2019-04-04 14:28:26
In reply to: It is not that bad of a stadium posted by miamioh_irishfan
The stadium itself is actually fine. While not perfect, it's pretty darn good.
It's the location and lack of access that basically requires you to drive to Bridgeview that is the problem.
Given the litany of public transportation in Chicago, picking a location that was virtually impossible to get to was a very bad idea.
For perspective:
If you follow the Orange Line southwest, to Midway, you'll see a large grey area labeled Bedford Park/Bridgeview. On the West/left side of the words Bridgeview is a red line. Just West/left of that is the green Toyota Park.
You literally cannot find a worse place on that map to stick a sports stadium in all of Chicagoland.
In the first place (which make the lease to 2037 all the more puzzling). They basically found a big patch of land in a Latino neighborhood and said sure these people will support us. It was stupid at the time and is stupid now.
And I knew you knew the problems, but wanted to demonstrate the colossal stupidity to anyone else who may not know the problems with the location.
Also, I'm still baffled why no one ever pushed expansion of the HC Metra line and building out the Summit stop and making Metra a second option to the Orange line. It's a fairly straight shot down Harlem.
But the HC only runs M-F, and only has 4 trains that leave Union station on those days, all in the afternoon and rush hour. Return trips only in the AM. Why no one approached Metra about running trains during Fire games, and branding special trains, makes no sense to me. It's much closer than Midway to the pitch, and there are fewer stops (it's the first stop on the frigging line, it would basically be an express train from Union Station).
some on/off ramps on the expressway that would have helped but not enough. I have a soccer-crazy family and if we get to one Fire game a year, that's alot. I was a season ticket holder at Soldier Field and while the game was definitely not "up close and personal", that was a long time ago and the new renovations at Soldier Field might help.
despite enjoying professional soccer and knowing someone on the team. I could never get there in time from the Loop during the week, and it was too much of hassle from the north side via public transportation on the weekend.