Chicago Fire FC breaks ground on new soccer training facility

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Fire Football Club broke ground on a new performance center Tuesday.

The plan is to reinvent this space for the Chicago Fire Football Club as Mayor Lori Lightfoot along with team officials broke ground on a new state-of-the-art facility.

"It's great that we have a lasting monument, but what's really important and a game changer is that when we make these investments we need to create full-time employment for the residents so they can continue," Lightfoot said.

The facility is on 30 acres of land formerly used for public housing. It will soon be the spot for the 53,000-square foot facility near 13th and Loomis streets on the Near West Side.

Chicago City Council reverses vote, backs Chicago Fire FC facility on housing authority land

The ABLA public housing complex had been vacant for nearly 20 years. The 40-year lease with the Chicago Fire is expected to generate $48 million to be invested in maintaining CHA housing.

"It's been a long time, and the residents want to feel part of this area," said Mary Baggett ABLA/Brooks LAC president. "This bring back a way for Chicago Fire doing something positive to give back to the community."

Chicago Fire agreed to invest $8 million back into the community in the form of rehabbed aging low-income housing and creating safe spaces for area youth, including jobs, internships and camps.

"We will fulfill our commitment for mixed-income at Roosevelt Square, so nothing is lost here," Chicago Housing Authority CEO Tracy Scott said. "We get funds to improve ABLA-Brooks Homes and Loomis Courts, jobs and exposure to careers, new recreational facilities, greenspace and we can build the new housing that we've committed to on other vacant CHA and city-owned land and the city gets a new corporate headquarters with hundreds of workers and jobs and careers."

But, not everyone is happy with this deal. Some residents have voiced their concerns that there will not be enough space or housing for those on waitlists for a place to live. Some even protested the groundbreaking Tuesday.

"There's a lot of people who need that housing. Yeah we don't live here, but we've been here since June doing a lot of canvassing, talking to people. There's a lot of people who weren't aware of this deal," said Antwain Miller, with the Lugenia Burns Hope Center.

"This is supposed to be for housing, not a training facility. We don't need a training facility; we need more housing for the people," said Claudia Galeno-Sanchez, with Working Family Solidarity.

The almost $100 million privately-funded project is expected to be complete by summer of next year.

"We proudly wear our badge in our jerseys that has the name of our city, so it's important that we train in our city and that we be an active member of our community," Chicago Fire Owner and Chairman Joe Mansueto said.