Chicago Stars Secure First Permanent Home with New Bannockburn Performance Center
The Chicago Stars Football Club, a professional women’s soccer team, has secured its first permanent home in its 20-year history after the Village of Bannockburn approved plans for a new performance center. Located on a 10-acre site south of the former Trinity International University campus, the facility is scheduled to begin construction in spring 2026, with operations expected to launch in 2027. The center will feature two full-sized fields, a goalkeeper training pitch, a seasonal inflatable dome, and specialized recovery and office spaces. Laura Ricketts, executive chairperson and co-owner, emphasized that this milestone addresses the historical lack of dedicated resources for the club, which was previously described as distressed before her investment group took over in 2023. Club president Karen Leetzow highlighted the site as a female-first training facility designed to elevate women's sports and inspire future athletes. This development marks a significant shift from using borrowed facilities to having a personalized space developed by women for women, signaling a new era of stability and growth for the National Women’s Soccer League franchise.
Wire timeline
Chicago Stars Secure First Permanent Home with New Bannockburn Performance Center
The Chicago Stars Football Club, a professional women’s soccer team, has secured its first permanent home in its 20-year history after the Village of Bannockburn approved plans for a new performance center. Located on a 10-acre site south of the former Trinity International University campus, the facility is scheduled to begin construction in spring 2026, with operations expected to launch in 2027. The center will feature two full-sized fields, a goalkeeper training pitch, a seasonal inflatable dome, and specialized recovery and office spaces. Laura Ricketts, executive chairperson and co-owner, emphasized that this milestone addresses the historical lack of dedicated resources for the club, which was previously described as distressed before her investment group took over in 2023. Club president Karen Leetzow highlighted the site as a female-first training facility designed to elevate women's sports and inspire future athletes. This development marks a significant shift from using borrowed facilities to having a personalized space developed by women for women, signaling a new era of stability and growth for the National Women’s Soccer League franchise.
chicagotribune