Wrigley Renovation Thread

[Guest]

Official Proposal link

 

http://cbschicago.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/cubsproposal-final.pdf

 

This statement still references the original 6,000 sq. ft. number, BTW.

[jersey cubs fan]

so it doesn't sound like they've agreed to anything.

 

Ricketts keeps saying this is our proposal, but it differs from the city's statements in terms of the jumbotron and expansion onto sidewalks on waveland/sheffield.

[BeerHere]

so it doesn't sound like they've agreed to anything.

 

Ricketts keeps saying this is our proposal, but it differs from the city's statements in terms of the jumbotron and expansion onto sidewalks on waveland/sheffield.

Agreed. Something is messed up here. How can they say that the deal has been reached but keep referring to it as a proposal. Unless they are referring to the fact that city council needs to approve or something??

[BeerHere]

so it doesn't sound like they've agreed to anything.

 

Ricketts keeps saying this is our proposal, but it differs from the city's statements in terms of the jumbotron and expansion onto sidewalks on waveland/sheffield.

Agreed. Something is messed up here. How can they say that the deal has been reached but keep referring to it as a proposal. Unless they are referring to the fact that city council needs to approve or something??

"We will go through the community process....."

[BeerHere]

so it doesn't sound like they've agreed to anything.

 

Ricketts keeps saying this is our proposal, but it differs from the city's statements in terms of the jumbotron and expansion onto sidewalks on waveland/sheffield.

Agreed. Something is messed up here. How can they say that the deal has been reached but keep referring to it as a proposal. Unless they are referring to the fact that city council needs to approve or something??

"We will go through the community process....."

40 night games, concerts, 3:05 start times on Friday seems the only things that are finalized. Good question there - the mayor, Tunney, rooftop reps, community reps...none are in attendance.

 

Something is messed up here.

[jersey cubs fan]

so it doesn't sound like they've agreed to anything.

 

Ricketts keeps saying this is our proposal, but it differs from the city's statements in terms of the jumbotron and expansion onto sidewalks on waveland/sheffield.

Agreed. Something is messed up here. How can they say that the deal has been reached but keep referring to it as a proposal. Unless they are referring to the fact that city council needs to approve or something??

 

The full city council approval thing is an issue, but it sounds pretty clear to me they haven't actually come to an agreement on the details, as he is just sidestepping every single question.

 

 

He's not good at press conferences.

 

Although I did like the answer to the questions about potential rooftop lawsuits. "This is our proposal. We expect to go through a prolonged community process with lots of hearings and in the end go ahead with this proposal."

[Guest]

so it doesn't sound like they've agreed to anything.

 

Ricketts keeps saying this is our proposal, but it differs from the city's statements in terms of the jumbotron and expansion onto sidewalks on waveland/sheffield.

Agreed. Something is messed up here. How can they say that the deal has been reached but keep referring to it as a proposal. Unless they are referring to the fact that city council needs to approve or something??

"We will go through the community process....."

40 night games, concerts, 3:05 start times on Friday seems the only things that are finalized. Good question there - the mayor, Tunney, rooftop reps, community reps...none are in attendance.

 

Something is messed up here.

The deal has apparently been agreed to (although there are some weird inconsistencies), but things still have to be pushed through the official processes.

[BeerHere]

I predict a press release from the city, the rooftop owners, lakeview community or some other group today refuting that there is a deal finalized.

[jersey cubs fan]

The deal has apparently been agreed to (although there are some weird inconsistencies), but things still have to be pushed through the official processes.

 

My guess is Tunney doesn't want to be seen in agreement with his masters' nemesis. They simply agreed to let it go up to vote but won't go on record to say he supports the sign/expansion/etc.

[Guest]

I predict a press release from the city, the rooftop owners, lakeview community or some other group today refuting that there is a deal finalized.

Not sure if you're being tongue in cheek here, but the mayor and Tunney already publicly issued acknowledgment that an agreement has been reached last night.

[jersey cubs fan]

was that bruce miles asking about business/baseball side tension with regards to finances?

[BeerHere]

The FA comment.....ugh. He is bad a press conferences.

[BeerHere]

was that bruce miles asking about business/baseball side tension with regards to finances?

My feed broke up during that question, but I don't think that was Bruce Miles.

[BeerHere]

Levine just irritates me. Stupid questions.

[BeerHere]

"It will likely take 5 offseasons of work..."

[jersey cubs fan]

Just realized they are purposefully missing the playoffs to allow for construction to begin by October 1 every fall.

[jersey cubs fan]

Paul Sullivan ‏@PWSullivan 22m

http://ESPN.com congratulates Ricketts before question. Royko turns over in grave.

 

Sulliven with a dig at Bruce Levine, I believe, who congratulated Ricketts before asking his question.

[Guest]

Just realized they are purposefully missing the playoffs to allow for construction to begin by October 1 every fall.

 

Ha.

 

I wonder if the screen will be in the first phase. They've done larger projects in one offseason, so I could see it being possible, if not likely.

 

Seems like, aside from the clubhouse, they'd want to prioritize any work that could produce more revenue ahead of structural work (I know they'll be replacing sections of concrete every offseason... just think they might be doing less of that now and more of it later).

Edited April 15, 2013 by David

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Congratulations, Tom, on taking four years to convince the city to let you pay for a massive expansion of Wrigley Field under absurdly unfriendly terms compared to what you were originally asking for.

[Guest]

Congratulations, Tom, on taking four years to convince the city to let you pay for a massive expansion of Wrigley Field under absurdly unfriendly terms compared to what you were originally asking for.

 

That's not really accurate. This deal, barring some drastic change between now and it going official, is a big win.

 

Seems they have gotten their way, by and large. Fewer signs and night games, but they were almost certainly starting higher than their actual goals intentionally.

[jersey cubs fan]

Just realized they are purposefully missing the playoffs to allow for construction to begin by October 1 every fall.

 

Ha.

 

I wonder if the screen will be in the first phase. They've done larger projects in one offseason, so I could see it being possible, if not likely.

 

Seems like, aside from the clubhouse, they'd want to prioritize any work that could produce more revenue ahead of structural work (I know they'll be replacing sections of concrete every offseason... just think they might be doing less of that now and more of it later).

 

The way those photos showed the new clubhouse layout, I think that's a ginormous project involving the gutting of everything under the main grandstand. I think they could conceivably do that and the board at the same time. However, the hotel project has to be expected to bring in just as much revenue as anything else, so wouldn't that have to start right away? If I had to guess I'd say the board will wait one more year. They are expecting lawsuits and don't want to have to scale back after already starting the project.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

That's not really accurate. This deal, barring some drastic change between now and it going official, is a big win.

 

Seems they have gotten their way, by and large. Fewer signs and night games, but they were almost certainly starting higher than their actual goals intentionally.

 

The plan was to use the expansion to have money to increase revenues for the baseball team. Now those revenues are being cannibalized for five years to pay for the expansion itself.

 

That's a long, long way from the $300m public subsidy they were looking for in the beginning.

[Guest]

That's not really accurate. This deal, barring some drastic change between now and it going official, is a big win.

 

Seems they have gotten their way, by and large. Fewer signs and night games, but they were almost certainly starting higher than their actual goals intentionally.

 

The plan was to use the expansion to have money to increase revenues for the baseball team. Now those revenues are being cannibalized for five years to pay for the expansion itself.

 

That's a long, long way from the $300m public subsidy they were looking for in the beginning.

 

They got a lot of other concessions with regard to being handcuffed by the city in exchange for paying for it themselves, including on certain things that will help pay for the project.

[Guest]

Dan Bernstein ‏@dan_bernstein 6m Ricketts sounded like a guy who has consulted with his lawyers, projected multiple scenarios, and isn't threatened by rooftops. #Cubs

 

 

Also, I noticed this in the PDF, which is an amazing [expletive] you to the rooftops, if I'm understanding it correctly:

 

The City will maintain and enforce, through 2023, current rooftop capacity limits, current rooftop

height limitations and current advertising ban within the Rooftop District.

 

"Enjoy your last 10 years. For being such a pain in the ass, we're even going to deny you any last ditch efforts at making extra money."

[Guest]

Just realized they are purposefully missing the playoffs to allow for construction to begin by October 1 every fall.

 

Ha.

 

I wonder if the screen will be in the first phase. They've done larger projects in one offseason, so I could see it being possible, if not likely.

 

Seems like, aside from the clubhouse, they'd want to prioritize any work that could produce more revenue ahead of structural work (I know they'll be replacing sections of concrete every offseason... just think they might be doing less of that now and more of it later).

 

The way those photos showed the new clubhouse layout, I think that's a ginormous project involving the gutting of everything under the main grandstand. I think they could conceivably do that and the board at the same time. However, the hotel project has to be expected to bring in just as much revenue as anything else, so wouldn't that have to start right away? If I had to guess I'd say the board will wait one more year. They are expecting lawsuits and don't want to have to scale back after already starting the project.

 

Maybe I'm missing something obvious, but is there anything stopping that all from happening at once? Seems like the hotel could be worked on year round...and the reason the project has to go in phases is supposedly due to an offseason-only work schedule and the fact that they can't work in certain areas of the park simultaneously.