The Wrigley Restoration Project

[yankeebiscuitfan]

The City of Chicago has hinted that they may give some financial aid to the Cubs with the restoration of Wrigley Field.

According to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Wrigley is a tourist magnet and the neighbourhood is one of the most popular to live in.

Here is the article. A nice read IMHO.

[dabynsky]

The real interesting thing that is going to be decided is what the city is going to allow the Cubs to do outside of Wrigley. Emanuel has been clear that he doesn't want the city to pay for fixing the field so the Ricketts can invest outside of the field. That said the Cubs really need the so-called Triangle Building project just outside of Wrigley for both improving revenue streams and facilities for staff and players. So it will be interesting to see what the Cubs are going to be allowed to do to Wrigley due to its historic landmark status and around Wrigley because there is a lot that needs to be done to allow the Cubs to stay at Wrigley long term.

[RickD]

I understand the tourism value but teams should fix their own stadiums!

[dabynsky]

I understand the tourism value but teams should fix their own stadiums!

I agree with that assessment, but on the other hand other teams around baseball and in the state have gotten tax dollars. Hard for me to not root for the Cubs so they have more dollars to spend on baseball operations.

[daddies4angels]

Thats all i want. To have more money for baseball operations. Be great for Wrigley to get in better shape but honestly i dont care if team played in a sandlot. i just want a WS lol

[RickD]

UPDATE:

The owners of the Chicago Cubs have stepped into a political firestorm of their own making and the Wrigley renovations are the least of their concerns.

As the baseball season began, Chicago buzzed about plans to upgrade wilting Wrigley Field. Then word spread that the patriarch of the family that owns the Cubs considered bankrolling a $10 million racially-tinged campaign against President Obama, at the same time the team sought his hometown's help with its $300 million renovation.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the president's friend and former chief of staff, has since refused to negotiate financing or even take phone calls from the Cubs chairman. A best-selling author took to the Internet to vow never to step foot in Wrigley again.

I am sure there is a lesson about baseball and politics here. I mean here you have a stadium that generates revenue, a mayor offended and an owner who lacked common sense!

Ricketts swiftly squelched the proposal for an ad campaign revisiting racially provocative sermons delivered by Obama's former pastor. Ricketts' children joined him in repudiating its message.

"The Ricketts have tried to contact the Mayor but he's said that he does not want to talk with them today, tomorrow or anytime soon," read a statement sent to The Associated Press from the Emanuel's office, which described the mayor as "livid."

Unable to talk to Emanuel, Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts — who three years ago won over fans with the story of meeting his wife in Wrigley's bleachers — has been calling black city aldermen's offices and appearing on a black-oriented radio programs.

The team says that means at least another year of spending $10 million to $15 million to keep up with repairs on the creaky 98-year-old ballpark.

"The rising maintenance costs associated with keeping a 100-year-old ballpark functioning diverts millions of dollars in resources that could be invested in player personnel," said Ricketts' spokesman Dennis Culloton.

So the team flounders in last place, the stadium is falling apart and now this....

Welcome to the Ricketts era.

[Baseballnum3er0]

UPDATE:

The owners of the Chicago Cubs have stepped into a political firestorm of their own making and the Wrigley renovations are the least of their concerns.



I am sure there is a lesson about baseball and politics here. I mean here you have a stadium that generates revenue, a mayor offended and an owner who lacked common sense!




The team says that means at least another year of spending $10 million to $15 million to keep up with repairs on the creaky 98-year-old ballpark.



So the team flounders in last place, the stadium is falling apart and now this....

Welcome to the Ricketts era.

What I got out of this was boohoo poor Cubs have to take 10-15m away from the team and can still afford to be right near the top in payroll if they chose(but it obviously they are choosing not to currently while they rebuild). I don't see much reason that a budget strapped city should have to pay for their renovations. Don't get me wrong, obviously Wrigley generates a lot of revenue for the city but I'm sure there are better uses of city funds than helping the Cubs renovate Wrigley.

I really find it hard to feel bad for them too when the family shot themself in the foot with the ad campaign against Obama that was based on using government funds to pay for private projects(like the Cubs stadium).

[dabynsky]

What I got out of this was boohoo poor Cubs have to take 10-15m away from the team and can still afford to be right near the top in payroll if they chose(but it obviously they are choosing not to currently while they rebuild). I don't see much reason that a budget strapped city should have to pay for their renovations. Don't get me wrong, obviously Wrigley generates a lot of revenue for the city but I'm sure there are better uses of city funds than helping the Cubs renovate Wrigley.

I really find it hard to feel bad for them too when the family shot themself in the foot with the ad campaign against Obama that was based on using government funds to pay for private projects(like the Cubs stadium).

Again other teams have gotten deals and I understand why the Cubs are asking for it. And seriously if we need to talk about sweetheart deals for teams we only need to look at this http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/10/...e-in-jeopardy/

[RickD]

The latest news on the Wrigley Restoration Project:

The Chicago Cubs announced a five-year, $300 million plan to renovate Wrigley Field at the annual Cubs convention on Saturday.There are still several hurdles to clear, including funding for the project, but owner Tom Ricketts is confident renovations can begin as early as October, starting with the home clubhouse.

Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney said the Ricketts family would be happy to foot the entire bill, but would like fewer restrictions from the city in return.

The work would all be done in the offseason to avoid having to find a temporary home for the team - a detail that drew support from the room overflowing with Cubs fans.

I think if they can fund it, they should!

[Cathy]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...s_mlb&c_id=mlb

MESA, Ariz. -- Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said on Sunday that he hopes the team can finalize some matters with the City of Chicago in the next few weeks so the five-year renovation plan for Wrigley Field can get under way.

In January, Ricketts unveiled a $300 million plan to update the ballpark and that he is willing to pay for it if he can get some cooperation from the City of Chicago. The Cubs currently need city permission to add more night games and play Friday afternoon games, as well as to add more signage inside the stadium.

"The most important thing we want to remind people, for us, is this is really all about winning," Ricketts said after addressing the team's players at Fitch Park. "It's about doing what we have to do to get the resources to give to the baseball organization and the resources we need to restore the park. I think we've made a lot of progress. We're still working forward and the mayor's office has been helpful, but it's still in progress right now."

The hope is to have the matter resolved before Opening Day -- April 1 -- in order to get ready for the first phase of the offseason renovation. Ricketts said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been supportive.

"Hopefully, in a short period of time, we'll get to the point where we're ready to say it's done and start thinking about the future," Ricketts said.

At a Chicago City Council meeting last week, there were reports that Emanuel was willing to lift the limit of 30 night games per season to allow the Cubs to play between 37 and 44, but there was no discussion. The Cubs also want to open Sheffield Avenue for street fairs on game days. But the sticking point is the complicated issue of stadium signs that threaten to block the rooftops' view.

"There's a lot of things we have to deal with at Wrigley Field that other teams don't," Ricketts said on Sunday. "Whether that's signage restrictions, rooftops, other people selling Cubs gear right outside the park -- all of that is great for [the city], but it doesn't help us. We have to get those resources back into the team so I can give those to [president of baseball operations] Theo [Epstein] to put on the field or to get those resources into improving and preserving the third-largest tourist attraction in the state."

Ricketts reminded fans that the renovation plans will not interfere with the field or the unique nuances of Wrigley, such as the ivy on the outfield walls.

"For all fans, and players, too, the stuff you see when you're in your chair looking out on the field, I think that's stuff we all want to save," Ricketts said. "There's a special magic to Wrigley that we understand that we're not going to touch. It's the things that are behind the scenes.

"I'm sure any of the players would say they'd like to improve the clubhouse, I'm sure any of the fans would say they'd like shorter lines for the washrooms or for food and better selection of food," Ricketts said. "Those are things we have to build in. On top of that, anybody would say we've got to save it. Let's just go back to the fact that most of the money we're looking to put in is basically steel and concrete and the second most is electrical and plumbing. It's a 100-year-old building.

"The things that make Wrigley special are things we're committed to and things we believe in, but we have to do the things to make sure it's there at all."

Ricketts said the Cubs will not be adding more advertising signs this season, nor will they play more night games.

The club chairman met with the media after talking to Cubs players. His message to them?

"My message to the team, well, it's real Knute Rockne stuff, real emotional -- I think there were some tears in there," Ricketts said, joking.

He doesn't expect another 101-loss season.

"I think we'll have a great team on the field." Ricketts said. "We've built a lot of depth in starting pitching, there's a great energy in camp and we have smart guys and great coaches. I think we'll be good."