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| Wintrust Arena | |
|---|---|
| Name | Wintrust Arena |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Opened | 2017 |
| Owner | Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority |
| Operator | ASM Global |
| Capacity | 10,387 (basketball) |
| Architect | Pelli Clarke & Partners |
Wintrust Arena Wintrust Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the Near South Side neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The arena hosts collegiate basketball, professional sports, concerts, and conventions and is part of a larger development adjacent to McCormick Place, Soldier Field, and the Near South Side community. The facility was developed through partnerships involving the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, private developers, and higher education institutions.
The arena's development was announced amid efforts to revitalize the Near South Side and the McCormick Place campus, with planning influenced by stakeholders including the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, local aldermen, and universities such as Loyola University Chicago and DePaul University. Groundbreaking occurred after negotiations with the Chicago Park District and financiers including regional banks and private equity groups, followed by construction that overlapped with events at Navy Pier and infrastructure projects connected to McCormick Place Lakeside Center. The arena opened in the late 2010s during a period of investment in Chicago sports venues that also included projects involving Soldier Field renovations and discussions connected to United Center operations.
Design responsibilities were undertaken by architectural firms with prior experience on projects like Petco Park and One World Trade Center redevelopment, led by Pelli Clarke & Partners, with interior planning by teams familiar with Madison Square Garden and collegiate arenas such as those at Marquette University and Villanova University. Construction management involved contractors who previously worked on events at McCormick Place and large-scale transit projects in collaboration with the Chicago Transit Authority and logistics partners supporting conventions like North American International Auto Show attendees. Structural and acoustic engineering drew on precedents from arenas hosting National Basketball Association exhibitions and NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament games to accommodate basketball sightlines and concert sound systems.
The arena features a bowl configuration optimized for basketball capacities similar to arenas used by DePaul Blue Demons opponents and includes premium suites, club lounges, and event spaces used for gatherings comparable to those at United Center and convention halls at McCormick Place. Back-of-house facilities support touring productions associated with artists who perform at venues like United Center and House of Blues Chicago, with loading docks and rigging comparable to setups for Lollapalooza and the Chicago Blues Festival. Concourse amenities reference hospitality standards set by stadiums such as Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field, and the venue integrates broadcast capabilities used in college tournaments like the Big East Conference championship games.
Primary tenants have included collegiate programs and professional teams that schedule regular-season games, similar to arrangements between universities like Loyola University Chicago and arenas at peer institutions such as Creighton University and Marquette University. The arena has hosted conference matchups tied to leagues including the Big East Conference and been a site for tournaments reminiscent of the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament and neutral-site college showcases. In addition to sports, the venue has been a stop on tours for performers who have played at United Center and national concert promoters affiliated with productions seen at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Madison Square Garden.
The arena's location near McCormick Place places it within reach of regional transit corridors served by the Chicago Transit Authority bus lines, Metra commuter rail, and connections to intermodal services that also serve Union Station and O'Hare International Airport. Pedestrian links and shuttle services coordinate with events at adjacent sites such as Soldier Field and convention operations at McCormick Place to manage crowds during conventions like the Chicago Auto Show and special events tied to the Chicago Cultural Center calendar. Parking arrangements mirror strategies used around major Chicago venues including Guaranteed Rate Field and neighborhood streets overseen by the Chicago Department of Transportation traffic management protocols.
The arena's construction and operations were promoted as drivers for economic activity in the Near South Side, with anticipated benefits to hospitality operators near McCormick Place, restaurants along Cermak Road, and hotels such as those listed among properties affiliated with McCormick Place expansion plans. Community engagement initiatives referenced programs run by institutions like Loyola University Chicago and workforce development models seen in partnerships with the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership and local chambers of commerce. Critics and proponents compared projected tax revenues and job creation to other civic projects in Chicago, including redevelopment efforts around Navy Pier and commercial corridors tied to Illinois Medical District development.
Since opening, the arena has hosted high-attendance college rivalry games reminiscent of historic matchups at United Center and record-setting concerts drawing audiences comparable to headline acts at Chicago Theatre. It has served as a venue for televised conference games broadcast alongside productions similar to those for the Big Ten Conference and featured appearances by notable coaches and athletes who previously competed in tournaments like the NCAA Tournament and professional leagues including the WNBA and NBA summer exhibitions. The site has also been used for civic gatherings and awards ceremonies modeled after events held at Lyric Opera of Chicago and cultural celebrations linked to organizations such as Chicago Humanities Festival.
Category:Basketball venues in Illinois Category:Sports venues in Chicago