SMG Enlists C3 For Soldier Field

SMG, in a newly forged partnership with Austin’s C3 Presents, won a three-year contract from the Chicago Park District February 13th to manage the city’s landmark Soldier Field.

For SMG, which has managed Soldier Field for the past 10 years, it might appear to be a routine contract renewal. But by teaming with C3 to book content into the stadium, it could mark a significant change to the concert promotion equilibrium in the Windy City.

Live Nation, which manages the Charter One Pavilion on Northerly Island near Soldier Field as well as First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, also submitted a bid for the management deal.

Jam Productions, of course, has been a fixture on the Chicago scene for more than 30 years and regularly goes toe-to-toe with Live Nation to bring shows to several venues in and around the city.

C3 Presents is not new to Chicago, either. It has staged the annual Lollapalooza festival in Grant Park the past three years but now appears poised to make its presence felt year round.

Neither SMG nor C3 Presents have tipped their hands as to what music offerings might be in store at Soldier Field. But the Park District has made it known it wants more concerts, festivals and sporting events in the lakefront stadium, which is home to the Chicago Bears for 10 games each fall.

The Soldier Field contract is for three years, with two one-year extension options. SMG will get a base fee of $320,000 plus annual bonuses capped at $245,000, according to the Chi-Town Daily News.

According to the request for proposals quoted by the Chicago Sun-Times, park officials said they want "to maximize the utilization of the Soldier Field complex" and "increase the diversity of the events."

Soldier Field reportedly earned $10 million in 2007 for the city, with some 70 percent generated during 10 Bears home games, according to the RFP.

While no one is talking about possible concerts just yet, SMG has already pitched the idea of hosting an outdoor Chicago Blackhawks hockey game at the stadium. Last month, some 71,000 watched an outdoor NHL game in Buffalo, N.Y.

Other events reportedly under consideration are a Latin music festival, ice skating and even a rodeo.

It’s doubtful C3 would consider moving Lollapalooza from Grant Park to Soldier Field, as the urban setting is almost as central to the summer festival as Perry Farrell. But it is possible the stadium could be portioned off to stage outdoor events of varying sizes.