<P> Soldier Field was designed in 1919 and opened on October 9, 1924, as Municipal Grant Park Stadium . The name was changed to Soldier Field on November 11, 1925, as a memorial to U.S. soldiers who had died in combat . Its formal dedication as Soldier Field was on Saturday, November 27, 1926, during the 29th annual playing of the Army--Navy Game . Its design is in the Neoclassical style, with Doric columns rising above the East and West entrances . The stadium cost $13 million to construct ($182 million in 2015 dollars), a very large sum for a sporting venue at that time (in comparison, L.A. Memorial Coliseum had cost less than $1 million in 1923 dollars). </P> <P> In its earliest configuration, Soldier Field was capable of seating 74,280 spectators and was in the shape of a U. Additional seating could be added along the interior field, upper promenades and on the large, open field and terrace beyond the north endzone, bringing the seating capacity to over 100,000 . </P> <P> Soldier Field was used as a site for many sporting events and exhibitions . The Chicago Cardinals used it as their home field for their final season in Chicago in 1959 . A dozen years later in September 1971, the Chicago Bears moved in, originally with a three - year commitment . They previously played at Wrigley Field, best known as the home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, but were forced to move to a larger venue due to post-AFL--NFL merger policies requiring that stadium capacities seat over 50,000 spectators . They had intended to build a stadium in Arlington Heights . In 1978, the Bears and the Chicago Park District agreed to a 20 - year lease and renovation of the stadium . Both parties pooled their resources for the renovation . The playing surface was AstroTurf from 1971 through 1987, replaced with natural grass in 1988 . </P> <P> In 1989, Soldier Field's future was in jeopardy after a proposal was created for a "McDome", which was intended to be a domed stadium for the Bears, but was rejected by the Illinois Legislature in 1990 . Because of this, Bears president Michael McCaskey considered relocation as a possible factor for a new stadium . The Bears had also purchased options in Hoffman Estates and Aurora . In 1995, McCaskey announced that he and Northwest Indiana developers agreed to construction of an entertainment complex called "Planet Park", which would also include a new stadium . However, the plan was rejected by the Lake County Council, and in 1998, Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley proposed that the Bears share Comiskey Park with the Chicago White Sox . </P>

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