Soldier Field dome for Bears? Poll voters weigh in on a big, bulbous question

So, a dome atop Soldier Field: Love it or leave it?

In this week’s “Polling Place” — your home for Sun-Times sports polls on Twitter — we asked about this big, bulbous idea brought forth by a mayoral committee working on keeping the Bears in the city and overhauling the Museum Campus.

Most respondents weren’t digging it.

“Lipstick on a pig,” both @ChiTownSports and @FatDudeRunning commented.

“Should have done it 20 years ago when they did the renovations,” @Jmcdonnell1962 offered.

But there were some interesting points argued the other way, like this from @IAmSueSue2:

“People are focusing on how a dome would look; however, the marketing and revenue potential is a much-needed benefit. A domed stadium allows Chicago to host the Super Bowl and other major sporting and concert events.”

We also asked the obvious related question: Are you for or against a new Bears stadium in Arlington Heights? And — because sometimes we’re smart-alecky like that — we threw in a poll about the Bears and Packers. On to the polls:

Poll No. 1: A mayoral committee has suggested putting a dome on Soldier Field. Is this a good idea?

Upshot: The NFL’s oldest stadium is also, many would say, its strangest, and that has been the case since aliens landed their spaceship between the old colonnades and demanded the Bears install Rex Grossman at quarterback. Why not add a dome, essentially creating the effect of a stadium on top of a stadium on top of a stadium? It just makes so much sense. Or maybe not.

Poll No. 2: Asked before, but let’s do it again — are you for or against a new Bears stadium in Arlington Heights?

Upshot: There’s quite an appetite among respondents for state-of-the-art digs at Arlington Park. “A retractable roof, plus all the goodies that come with a new stadium, plus, hopefully, Final Fours and Super Bowls,” wrote @dailybread4you, ticking off items from the “pros” column. But @SHendrickson112 advised, “I’m for Arlington Heights only if the Bears pay for everything. There is absolutely no need to subsidize professional sports.” Hear, hear!

Poll No. 3: Will the Bears beat the Packers in any stadium this season?

Upshot: A confident @JBIRD1268 is a believer that it could happen, but only “in a parallel universe.” Let’s let that one breathe for a second, because it’s just plain funny. Really, though, beat the Packers? “They’ll be lucky to beat the Lions!” @JeffreyCanalia wrote. One of these years — decades? — things in this rivalry will be different.