This past weekend I toured Solider Field completing my quartet of Chicago sports venues.  The tour began in the original concourse where you can see the demarcation line between the new stadium and the old.  Basically in 2003 the everything inside except for the promenades was destroyed and a new stadium was constructed within the space. There are some neat artifacts from the original space including all the war memorials and statues.

The tour took us on to the playing field (actually the side line, rule number one of sports venue tours is you can’t walk on the playing surface), the visitor’s locker room and the executive suites.

Visitor’s Locker Room

I guess it is a rule number two on sports facility tours that you always get to see the opposing team locker room.  By no means was it impressive and I wonder if the short urinal is reserved for a Gramática?

Executive Club

The final stop on the tour was the Skyline Executive Suites which is one of the better views of a playing field I’ve ever seen.  The room was a little cramped but the floor to ceiling windows were amazing.  Allegedly they go for $75,000 a seat which explains why there were so many seats squeezed into the far corner of the room.

The Original Stadium

The original stadium was named Grant Park Municipal Stadium and was opened in 1924.  What remains of the old stadium is basically the outer facade and the two main promenades.  You can see in one of the photographs above the remnants of the original upper deck in what would have been the south end zone.  I think it’s very interesting where the new and old stadium come together.
Side Notes:

* Our tour guide was well informed and had just the right amount of gruff.

** On our way home we passed through Grant Park which as we all know was named in honor of Ulysses S. Grant.

*** As usual Julie took a large amount of photographs.
**** Previous stadium tours: Wrigley Field, US Cellular Field,