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Emanuel Considering 5,000-Seat Expansion At Soldier Field

CHICAGO (AP) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel is exploring whether to add thousands of seats to Soldier Field.

The preliminary proposal would add 5,000 seats.

The stadium that's home to the Chicago Bears has a capacity of 61,500 people for football games and 63,500 for other events.

Emanuel tells the Chicago Sun-Times the seating means the facility is "fighting below our weight class" in an effort to attract high-profile events.

Chicago Park District Superintendent Michael Kelly says Soldier Field is the smallest NFL stadium. He says the proposal would add seats to the top ring.,

There's no estimate yet about how much the expansion could cost.

A Bears spokesman says "if it makes sense to add seats, we'd certainly be open to the idea."

(TM and © Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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