Chicago Bears Headquarters Renovation Opens

The reimagined Halas Hall in Lake Forest, IL features state-of-the-art facilities for players and staff.

The Chicago Bears has unveiled its Halas Hall expansion, which included a 162,500-square-foot football operations addition to the already existing 143,000-square-foot facility and a 30,600-square- foot remodeling project on the northeast side of the building. Located in Lake Forest, IL, the project broke ground in March 2018. HOK was the design firm, Mortenson Construction was the general contractor, and Corporate Concepts provided the furniture.

“We’re extremely proud to unveil the Halas Hall expansion and renovations and would like to thank HOK, Mortenson, the City of Lake Forest and all of our staff for their roles in the project,” said President and CEO Ted Phillips. “Throughout the process, our goal was to not only develop a more collaborative work flow across the building, but to create an experience for everyone entering Halas Hall so that it becomes more than just a work space. From guests to staff to players and coaches, we want everyone to feel at home.”

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The newly renovated Halas Hall features a brick wall with Chicago Bears traditions script. (Photo: Chicago Bears)

“The renovation and expansion of Halas Hall have created a first-class facility that provides a daily reminder and motivation to help us work towards the goal of being a championship team,” said General Manager Ryan Pace. “This upgrade furthers the continued support from the McCaskey family and their commitment to attract, develop, and retain the most talented roster possible both on and off the field.”

New design elements include a brick wall featuring the Chicago Bears traditions script (above), four individual walls each highlighting a core value (respect, integrity, team, excellence), messaging on various walls displaying the Bears mission statement and inspirational quotes, a customized neon ceiling light of George S. Halas’ signature, a ceiling sculpture representing 100 years of Bears’ records and a 14-by-45- foot mural designed by Czr Prz in the indoor turf space. The main lobby also features video board that is 28 feet x 5 feet 7 inches. There are approximately 175 video displays in the renovated space.

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New players’ entry at Chicago Bears’ Halas Hall. (Photo: Chicago Bears)

As part of the project, a new player entrance was designed with a hallway featuring all 14 of the Bears’ retired numbers, wall/ceiling lights that illuminate as players enter and music capabilities leading up to a 46” video wall comprised of nine screens. Position meeting rooms and the draft room doubled in capacity, while coaches’ offices increased by 50% and allowed for improved collaboration. A 3,250-square-foot players’ lounge was created, along with an approximately 1,700-square-foot player locker room expansion that now includes a barber shop. The coaches/scouts locker room was also expanded and includes a sauna and steam room.

The weight room increased in size by 2,000 square feet, while the equipment room, recovery space, and nutrition/fuel station doubled in size; the equipment room now includes a helmet-fitting room, footwear, and shoulder pad fitting area, sewing room, and high-density storage cabinets. Additionally, the sports medicine space is four times larger than the original area and features two hydrotherapy pools, two plunge pools, a float pod, sauna, and steam room. A 13,000-square-foot indoor turf space was also added.

The team and staff café expanded by 4,300 square feet and is now 7,608 square feet, including the dining area and kitchen space. The café features the Bearista coffee bar, a smoothie/juice bar, standalone soup and salad bar, daily live action station and hot food, sandwich and dessert bars. Adjacent to the café is the Sideline, which provides additional seating and lounge space for the team and staff. Atop the expansion is a 4,200-square-foot rooftop dining area and garden from which the café will source herbs.

Halas Hall now features 20 conference rooms named after Bears legends and football terminology, such as the Brian Piccolo Room and Decatur Room. There are also seven private phone rooms and a newly added learning center for staff training and professional development. Staff can work or relax in two enclosed patios, which feature exterior walls that open completely to allow in fresh air; the renovation also includes a wellness room and expanded staff locker rooms. Coaches and staff each have Huddles featuring coffee and snack bars, refrigerators, microwaves and lounge/dining spaces. In an effort to create more sunlight throughout the building, glass walls were installed and many exterior offices were moved to interior spaces.

Through a separate construction project, two additional football fields were built to the east of the Walter Payton Center, which allow the team to spread out the field use over four fields throughout the offseason and during in-season practices. That project also included the addition of a training slope, a storage facility, and a practice viewing suite for corporate partners and other VIP guests.

Recent upgrades to Soldier Field in Gates 8, 10 and 14 also feature renovated and expanded office space for Bears staff.

The Chicago Bears moved into Halas Hall at Conway Park on March 3, 1997. The 38-acre complex is located in Lake Forest off of Route 60 just east of the Tri-State Tollway, approximately four miles from the former Halas Hall. The building is dedicated to Bears founder and former player, coach, president and owner George Halas. The original Halas Hall, on the Lake Forest College campus, was dedicated by Halas in the name of his son, Mugs, in 1979. The complex underwent a construction project following the 2012 season to expand the Bears headquarters to enhance football and business operations; that upgrade added 43,500 square feet of working space to the existing 100,000-square-foot facility. Halas Hall is now 305,500 square feet.