Chicago Tribune: Is it time to tear down Wrigley Field?

[marmar]

Wrigley Field: It's one of the most iconic stadiums in America, with a distinctive urban location, nearly a century of history and an old-fashioned ambience. It's the best thing about the Chicago Cubs since Ernie Banks. But, as was once the case with Ernie Banks, maybe it's time to admit that Wrigley can't go on forever.

That's the obvious conclusion to draw from the organization's request for taxpayers to "invest" up to $300 million in the park. The Ricketts family spent $845 million to acquire the Cubs from Tribune Co. last year, the highest price ever paid for a Major League Baseball franchise. But now the new owners find they can't afford the upkeep on their elderly home, which runs about $10 million a year.

So they want the state, county and city to divert a share of future entertainment taxes to help fund a major renovation. Never mind that the state of Illinois is broke and the city of Chicago has a record budget deficit.

Chairman Tom Ricketts says the owners can't justify putting more money into the park and the adjacent area "unless you know Wrigley is going to be there." Left unspoken is the prospect that it won't be there — that the Cubs will move to new quarters in the suburbs or raze the old park and put up something suited to the needs of a 21st century team. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-oped-1118-chapman-20101118,0,677123.column

[bluedigger]

1. Ouch! That's going to leave a mark.

[charlie and algernon]

2. you have to wonder why in the hell the Ricketts bought the Cubs in the first place

if they couldn't afford the upkeep of the stadium? Did the Tribune not disclose how much it would cost? Or were the Ricketts just hoping that the State would bail their asses out once they bought the team?

[anakie]

3. 10 million in upkeep

that has to be spare change to the Ricketts family. Make them pay for it



Peace

[wilt the stilt]

4. Hey Teabagger Ricketts- FU

pay for it yourself you hypocrite.

[KamaAina]

5. "Address?" "1060 West Addison, Chicago, Illinois."

"That's Wrigley Field!"



Although, a West Loop ballpark plus a mixed-use development on the Wrigley site would work out rather nicely for them.

[Bluzmann57]

6. Said it before, I'll say it again

Within 7 years Wrigley Field will be gone. Oh there may be a replica Wrigley built in Naperville or somewhere, but I believe the Ricketts family doesn't really want Wrigley Field, but wants to build something "new and improved" and be the one(s) to finally bring a World Series victory to the Cubs franchise. Imagine the ego trip it would be for Ricketts.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. It Would Be Nice To Actually Have Parking

Place seats 30,000+ and there's almost no place to park.

Ego trip or not, i think it would be perfectly fine for the family who owns the team to put the park where they want it. As long as, of course, they pay for their own stadium.
GAC

[Bluzmann57]

8. That's true

I usually park in the 'burbs and take the Metra into Union Station and then the el to Wrigley. Still a bit of a hassle because it would be nice to park somewhere close.

[HuckleB]

9. Who needs parking when there's a train so close by?

:shrug:

You can park anywhere, and jump on the train. No biggie.

[ProfessorGAC]

10. Yeah, That Sure Enhances The Experience

I've been on the "L" plenty of times. It's not the way i want to get to the ballpark. And, i already have to drive 60 miles to get to the city. Now, i have to find parking, then get to the train, then do the reverse.

No thanks.
GAC

[HuckleB]

11. So don't go.

You're not representing the vast majority of game attendance, if you're that far away, and neither the city nor the team should waste money and space on infrastructure that serves so few for so few days.

[ProfessorGAC]

12. Yes I Am

Apparently you've been to Wrigley few times. There are neighborhood folks who make part of their income letting people park in their yards. It's been that way for years.

And, apparently you don't realize that Chicagoland doesn't end at the Eisenhower. The center of all news reporting in my area originates in Chicago. Yet, i live in a county with over 600k people. The Chicago market is a huge, spread out metropolis of around 8 million people.

So, the team does and should include me and others like me, in their customer base.

Lastly, who the heck are you to tell me not to go to the games just because i prefer to drive?
GAC

[HuckleB]

14. Sure, you're "part" of the customer base.

But you're not a big enough part to warrant parking places that won't get use most of the time. You complained about parking and about using a train system that works very well. Now you say you have no problem using the parking system that's in place. :boring: BTW, I didn't tell you not to go. You apparently hate the parking there, and you hate the train. If you hate it so much, then why go at all? However, to expect the team or anyone else to waste resources a wasteful parking lot is ridiculous. In other words, cut the whine.

[ProfessorGAC]

15. Now You're Just Making Things Up

You've got nothing. You know it, and you've just proven it. I said nothing about being ok with the parking. Just pointing out how it works.

And, to cap it, you are redefining the term "whine". Since all i ever said was it would be nice to have convenient parking.

Since you've now sunk to making things up, this disucssion is permanently closed.

[thatsrightimirish]

13. They can move to US Cellular Field

It will save money all around.









Just kidding. Surely they must have known renovations for one of the oldest stadiums in America would be expensive when they bought the team. Don't let the tax payers suffer for their stupidity.