Announcing the Establishment of the Soldier Field Foundation
The commitment of the Chicago Bears to leave Chicago and build a new stadium in Arlington Heights and the Chicago fire to build a new stadium at “the 78” raises new questions about the future of Soldier Field. How does Chicago take advantage of what could be a great new opportunity?
The best answer comes from longtime Chicago Public Building Commissioner Samuel Wm. Sax who has had-picked a team of civic leaders to envision and guide a bright new future for Soldier Field. Mr. Sax has formed the Soldier Field Foundation to ensure the future protection of the most innovative, flexible-purpose and money-making asset for the City of Chicago. Mr. Sax indicates, “It is vital that Soldier Field’s future not only highlight its role as a world-class Veterans memorial, but serves as an important community-focused, multi-use lakefront center, while attracting premier sporting and music events to bring crucial revenue to support the facility’s operating costs and the City, County and State.” Mr. Sax has had a distinguished naval military career, as well as a long professional career in banking, defense and industrial manufacturing. He has also served on many corporate, civic and philanthropic boards including as founding Vice-Chairman of the City Colleges of Chicago Foundation.
Soldier Field stands as a memorial to all those who have worn a uniform for the United States of America. It was originally named Grant Park Municipal Stadium, but the name was changed to Soldier Field on Armistice Day in 1925, at the request of Chicago Gold Star Mothers and Fathers to honor their sons who gave their lives in the Great War. The 100th anniversary of that naming is this Veteran's Day, 11/11/25. The Soldier Field Foundation (SFF) is announcing its establishment in honor of this important anniversary. Denise Williams, a Gold Star Mother and Trustee of the Foundation says, “I am thrilled that the Soldier Field Foundation and Chicago Park District are commemorating the 100th anniversary of Soldier Field serving as the City’s foremost Veteran memorial. It is very important to honor our Veterans and acknowledge their service, commitment, and sacrifice for our country.”
Not only is Soldier Field itself a memorial, but there are also many other Veteran memorials within and surrounding the stadium. During the 2003 stadium redevelopment project, the existing bronze Doughboy statue was preserved and several other memorials were added including a bronze statue depicting service members with their families, the memorial water wall including the emblems of all the service branches, and a grove of regimental hawthorn trees planted in the extensive green roof above the north garage. The SFF believes additional memorials belong in this company, including a Gold Star Mothers Memorial, and is working with the Chicago Park District to create a gathering place of honor for the gold Star Mothers within the Museum Campus.
Another SSF initial planned project is the Bringing Memorials to Life project. Each of the many memorials, monuments and service medals in and around Soldier Field will be brought to life and personified through enhanced reality and/or interpretative displays. Each memorial will be connected to a broad array of immersive digital artifacts that visitors can access through QR codes. Foundation President Alice Hoffman, who was Project Manager of the 2003 Soldier Field renovation project on behalf of the Bears and for the Baltimore Ravens’ stadium on behalf of the Maryland Stadium Authority, says, “The Foundation will work with the Chicago Park District, Museums, and Veterans’ organizations to develop further exhibits that will create connections between these historic memorials, individual Veterans and the public.”
Vice Chairman Bill Kurtis, a former Marine and Navy Veteran, adds, “Soldier Field does double duty serving as one of the nation’s premier Veterans memorials while also offering a multi-use facility for professional, amateur and youth sporting events, blockbuster concerts and civic programs. This Foundation also hopes to provide oversight and resources to further expand the Veteran, sporting and cultural aspects of Soldier Field to enhance an already magnificent Museum campus.”
The Foundation’s goal is to further develop the original memorial intention of the stadium and its grounds, to provide the public with a multi-use, sustainable, and ever-evolving facility that continues to inspire pride for the ages, and to support the economic impact of the stadium for the City, County and State. Sam Sax says, “The Foundation’s visioning effort must bring people together to allow Soldier Field to maintain fiscal and civic sustainability as a legacy to Chicago and to the Veterans for which the facility is named.”
