The Fire are a "step closer to playing at Soldier Field" after the Chicago Park District voted to "continue negotiations and enter into a permit and operating agreement for the Fire to use the 61,500-seat stadium" starting with the '20 MLS season, according to Morgan Greene of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. CPD Chief Administrative Officer Juliet Azimi said that the agreement includes a "three-year term with extension options for eight more years." The Fire would pay the CPD a "use fee and for operating expenses for home games." The CPD also would "receive a facility fee for each attendee as well as a share of net revenue from parking, concessions and merchandise sales." The Fire for months have been "engaged in negotiations to play at Soldier Field after negotiating to amend their current lease" with the village of Bridgeview, Ill., and leave SeatGeek Stadium. The Fire moved to SeatGeek Stadium in '06 (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/12). In Chicago, David Roeder cites a source as saying that among the "points still being worked out is how the grass field can be shared" with the Bears (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/12).
