Soldier Field is owned and operated by the city of Chicago, but after the debacle of Friday night’s open practice being canceled because the field surface was deemed unsafe, the Bears say they’re going to get more involved in ensuring the Soldier Field grass is up to par.
“We are going to take a more active role in the maintenance of the grass surface at Soldier Field,” Bears Chairman George McCaskey told “The Mully & Hanley Show” on WSCR-AM 670, via the Chicago Tribune.
But McCaskey does not seem interested in switching from grass to FieldTurf, as Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher and other players have said the Bears should do.
“The Park District defers to us on what type of surface, and this is something we look at constantly on an annual basis,” McCaskey said. “At this time, studies indicate and our medical staff recommends that we stay with a natural-grass surface. Now, a natural-grass surface has to be properly maintained.”
So from the Bears’ point of view, the problem isn’t that Soldier Field has grass, it’s that the Chicago Park District doesn’t properly maintain the grass. And now the Bears are promising to take on that responsibility themselves.