Bears Chair George McCaskey yesterday vowed to "'tastefully' execute a dramatic influx of stadium advertising at Soldier Field and opened the door to using some of the money to build 'bunker suites' that allow high rollers to watch games at ground level," according to Fran Spielman of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Soldier Field has 133 luxury suites "at varying above-ground levels." McCaskey said, "Having different ways to view the game is important. A number of stadiums have 'em now." McCaskey added of the ground-level seating, "It isn't the best view of the game, but people don't seem to mind. The proximity is a big selling point." Spielman notes the "influx in stadium advertising was opened" by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's "now-scrapped plan to give movie mogul George Lucas 17 acres of land near Soldier Field to build his interactive museum." In exchange for the inconvenience "of losing the South Parking Lot to Lucas, the Bears bargained hard for a host of marketing and advertising opportunities that could go a long way toward financing stadium upgrades." They range from "selling 'sponsorship and entitlement rights' to Soldier Field gates, the stadium's ticket office and will-call building." The North and Mid-South parking garages are "also on the list of marketing and naming rights opportunities." In addition, the Bears won the right to install 30 "high-impact, interactive digital displays throughout Soldier Field concourse and premium areas." McCaskey: "That's the whole idea: To do it tastefully but to maximize the revenues to improve the building. ... I don't know about the scope of the signage project, but all of those dollars are committed to going back into the building to enhance the fan's game day experience" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 4/28).
