Wrigley Renovation Thread

[pitchcs]

This thread has some weird ass comments.

[Guest]

Appears we're adding even more seats behind home plate than we already added...

 

By Paul Sullivan, Tribune reporter

7:27 p.m. CDT, October 2, 2012

 

The Cubs plan to move the brick wall behind home plate at Wrigley Field out three feet to add 56 prime box seats in 2013.

 

The Cubs confirmed a report on the wall by Crain’s Chicago Business. The team needs approval from the Chicago Landmarks Commission, which currently is reviewing the plans.

 

Cubs President Theo Epstein said he had been in meetings all day and was not privy to information on the team’s plans.

 

“I would probably want to sit down and study it,” Epstein said. “I don’t see it as a big deal, one way or another if it’s only a couple of feet, but we’ll see.”

 

The prime club box seats could cost $200 or more, depending on the game.

 

The Cubs added three rows behind home plate before the 2004 season, lowering the height of the wall and moving it 10 feet closer than it had been for decades, to about 50 feet behind the plate. AT&T Park has the shortest distance in the majors from plate to wall at 48 feet.

 

According to the MLB rulebook, the recommended distance from home plate to the backstop is 60 feet or more.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/chi-cubs-plan-on-moving-up-brick-wall-for-premium-box-seats-20121002,0,4845182.story

[Cubswin11]

Appears we're adding even more seats behind home plate than we already added...

 

By Paul Sullivan, Tribune reporter

7:27 p.m. CDT, October 2, 2012

 

The Cubs plan to move the brick wall behind home plate at Wrigley Field out three feet to add 56 prime box seats in 2013.

 

The Cubs confirmed a report on the wall by Crain’s Chicago Business. The team needs approval from the Chicago Landmarks Commission, which currently is reviewing the plans.

 

Cubs President Theo Epstein said he had been in meetings all day and was not privy to information on the team’s plans.

“I would probably want to sit down and study it,” Epstein said. “I don’t see it as a big deal, one way or another if it’s only a couple of feet, but we’ll see.”

 

The prime club box seats could cost $200 or more, depending on the game.

 

The Cubs added three rows behind home plate before the 2004 season, lowering the height of the wall and moving it 10 feet closer than it had been for decades, to about 50 feet behind the plate. AT&T Park has the shortest distance in the majors from plate to wall at 48 feet.

 

According to the MLB rulebook, the recommended distance from home plate to the backstop is 60 feet or more.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/chi-cubs-plan-on-moving-up-brick-wall-for-premium-box-seats-20121002,0,4845182.story

Clown Kenney up to his dastardly plans yet again!!!

[Mark Priors Calves]

Won't someone think of Pink Hat Guy?!?!?!?

[J.R.]

The Chicago Cubs got a green light to move a brick wall at Wrigley Field three feet closer to home plate to add an additional row of 56 seats for the 2013 season.

 

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks’s permit review committee approved the plans Thursday by a 5-1 vote. A portion of the wall will be movable, allowing the field to be used for other types of sports.

 

The committee also approved plans to add two new ComEd electrical vaults at the roof level over the right and left field grandstand seats, to increase electrical capacity for the stadium.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-cubs-get-ok-to-move-wall-behind-home-plate-20121004,0,1696438.story

 

Interesting that the wall will be movable. I still don't think they will be able to accommodate an acceptable football grid without major changes to the third base dugout.

[Guest]

It would be great it if they upgraded the lights at some point. Our night games are a bit dark. Wonder if those electrical vaults might have anything to do with something like that.

[J.R.]

I suppose they could jack up the candelas and brighten things up somewhat, but the main factor in the "darkness" relative to other parks is the fact that Wrigley does not and will never have outfield light towers.

 

Turner Field lacks outfield towers and has a similar look.

[jersey cubs fan]

I suppose they could jack up the candelas and brighten things up somewhat, but the main factor in the "darkness" relative to other parks is the fact that Wrigley does not and will never have outfield light towers.

 

Turner Field lacks outfield towers and has a similar look.

 

The main factor is they went cheap when they first had the lights installed since they figured they'd only play a couple games a year at night anyway.

[J.R.]

A couple games a year?

 

The lights were built to MLB and color television broadcast standards for the time, and the city ordinance specified 18 regular season night games a year beginning in 1989. That doesn't include the hoped-for playoff games which were the basis for Kuhn's sabre rattling and Dallas Green's original Schaumberg threats.

 

Great pains were taken to build a modern lighting system that mated well to the park's design. It could be argued that the lights and the protracted fight to get them in place are the ultimate legacy of Tribune's stewardship of the park. That, and the dozen postseason games that have been played under their glow to date.

[J.R.]

At a cost of $400,000 the Cubs elected to completely tear out the old grass and dirt and replace it with a new blend of dirt and a Kentucky Bluegrass that was trucked in from Colorado. The sod is the exact same that was recently installed at Busch Stadium in St. Louis when the Cardinals replaced their outfield.

http://www.csnchicago.com/11/27/12/Cubs-completely-redo-Wrigley-playing-sur/nbcsportscubs.html?blockID=806771&feedID=10336

[bhogg]

next step: pixie dust farm

[javy knows my name]

NEW MARKET INEFFICIENCY

[Sammys Boombox]

At a cost of $400,000 the Cubs elected to completely tear out the old grass and dirt and replace it with a new blend of dirt and a Kentucky Bluegrass that was trucked in from Colorado. The sod is the exact same that was recently installed at Busch Stadium in St. Louis when the Cardinals replaced their outfield.

http://www.csnchicago.com/11/27/12/Cubs-completely-redo-Wrigley-playing-sur/nbcsportscubs.html?blockID=806771&feedID=10336

 

I can't get that link to work, so I don't know if the article mentions this or not, but my brother's degree is in horticulture and he says the Cardinals have a cooling system in the field to keep that grass at the right temp in the summer. They run chilled water through pipes laid in the ground. This is because that grass is only naturally found at certain altitudes in the Rockies and is easily killed above certain temps.

[Pushfrog98]

At a cost of $400,000 the Cubs elected to completely tear out the old grass and dirt and replace it with a new blend of dirt and a Kentucky Bluegrass that was trucked in from Colorado. The sod is the exact same that was recently installed at Busch Stadium in St. Louis when the Cardinals replaced their outfield.

http://www.csnchicago.com/11/27/12/Cubs-completely-redo-Wrigley-playing-sur/nbcsportscubs.html?blockID=806771&feedID=10336

 

I can't get that link to work, so I don't know if the article mentions this or not, but my brother's degree is in horticulture and he says the Cardinals have a cooling system in the field to keep that grass at the right temp in the summer. They run chilled water through pipes laid in the ground. This is because that grass is only naturally found at certain altitudes in the Rockies and is easily killed above certain temps.

That link is jacked up. Here's a better one: http://www.csnchicago.com/baseball-chicago-cubs/cubs-talk/Cubs-completely-redo-Wrigley-playing-sur?blockID=806771&feedID=10336

 

No mention of cooling system. I've heard similar stories, though.

[KingCubsFan]

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere:

 

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130109/wrigleyville/wrigley-field-renovation-plan-calls-for-movies-outside-park-hotel?utm_source=outbrain

[Guest]

Brett thinks the fact that they are going to reveal plans officially next Saturday (Cubs Convention Saturday) might mean an agreement on the renovations is near.

 

http://www.bleachernation.com/2013/01/10/obsessive-wrigley-renovation-watch-cubs-to-reveal-possible-renovations-and-upgrades-on-january-19/

[The R-Train]

Won't someone think of Pink Hat Guy?!?!?!?

That guy is the biggest jag in the history of jags.

[jersey cubs fan]

lots of "jag" talk on here lately

[Sammy Sofa]

Still nowhere near as bad as "butthurt."

[Guest]

Did we already know this?

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/14485/source-cubs-to-unveil-wrigley-plans-sat#more

 

The Cubs were close to a deal with Emanuel on the funding of a $400 million refurbishing of the ballpark, the source said. The money was to come from amusement tax on tickets sold that would be retired until the work at Wrigley was paid off.

 

The Cubs had hoped to have a renovation completed by 2014. At that point they would have petitioned Major League Baseball for the 2014 All-Star Game to help celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Wrigley Field.

 

The Cubs must get approval from the city of Chicago before they can do any significant renovations due to Wrigley's landmark status. The Cubs have not received the funding agreement to start the project, according to a source. With the 2013 season just 75 days away, any major work would not begin until the season ends.

 

The Cubs have been researching the feasibility of a giant electronic scoreboard that could be placed in the outfield or on a rooftop across from the ballpark. Any type of noise or light producing object must get the support and approval of the Wrigley area residents as well as the city and state before installation.

 

 

I just hope we don't end up with some crappy version of the renovations because we couldn't get the money worked out.

[Cubswin11]

Did we already know this?

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/14485/source-cubs-to-unveil-wrigley-plans-sat#more

 

The Cubs were close to a deal with Emanuel on the funding of a $400 million refurbishing of the ballpark, the source said. The money was to come from amusement tax on tickets sold that would be retired until the work at Wrigley was paid off.

 

The Cubs had hoped to have a renovation completed by 2014. At that point they would have petitioned Major League Baseball for the 2014 All-Star Game to help celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Wrigley Field.

 

The Cubs must get approval from the city of Chicago before they can do any significant renovations due to Wrigley's landmark status. The Cubs have not received the funding agreement to start the project, according to a source. With the 2013 season just 75 days away, any major work would not begin until the season ends.

 

The Cubs have been researching the feasibility of a giant electronic scoreboard that could be placed in the outfield or on a rooftop across from the ballpark. Any type of noise or light producing object must get the support and approval of the Wrigley area residents as well as the city and state before installation.

 

 

I just hope we don't end up with some crappy version of the renovations because we couldn't get the money worked out.

Yeah it was talked about somewhere in this thread about the Rahm/Joe Rickettes thing when it first came out. As the article says, Rahm got all pissy at the Ricketts/Cubs during election season because of Ricketts dad (who I think most of us already know has no ownership/equity/involvement in the team) supporting/funding a superpac that was behind anti Obama adds (I don't know if they ever ran them) and things went south in negotiations with the city soon after that.

[Guest]

Did we already know this?

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/14485/source-cubs-to-unveil-wrigley-plans-sat#more

 

The Cubs were close to a deal with Emanuel on the funding of a $400 million refurbishing of the ballpark, the source said. The money was to come from amusement tax on tickets sold that would be retired until the work at Wrigley was paid off.

 

The Cubs had hoped to have a renovation completed by 2014. At that point they would have petitioned Major League Baseball for the 2014 All-Star Game to help celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Wrigley Field.

 

The Cubs must get approval from the city of Chicago before they can do any significant renovations due to Wrigley's landmark status. The Cubs have not received the funding agreement to start the project, according to a source. With the 2013 season just 75 days away, any major work would not begin until the season ends.

 

The Cubs have been researching the feasibility of a giant electronic scoreboard that could be placed in the outfield or on a rooftop across from the ballpark. Any type of noise or light producing object must get the support and approval of the Wrigley area residents as well as the city and state before installation.

 

 

I just hope we don't end up with some crappy version of the renovations because we couldn't get the money worked out.

Yeah it was talked about somewhere in this thread about the Rahm/Joe Rickettes thing when it first came out. As the article says, Rahm got all pissy at the Ricketts/Cubs during election season because of Ricketts dad (who I think most of us already know has no ownership/equity/involvement in the team) supporting/funding a superpac that was behind anti Obama adds (I don't know if they ever ran them) and things went south in negotiations with the city soon after that.

 

I knew about that, but I didn't realize they were that close and that anything that specific about funding had come out. That sucks.

[Cubswin11]

Did we already know this?

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/14485/source-cubs-to-unveil-wrigley-plans-sat#more

 

The Cubs were close to a deal with Emanuel on the funding of a $400 million refurbishing of the ballpark, the source said. The money was to come from amusement tax on tickets sold that would be retired until the work at Wrigley was paid off.

 

The Cubs had hoped to have a renovation completed by 2014. At that point they would have petitioned Major League Baseball for the 2014 All-Star Game to help celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Wrigley Field.

 

The Cubs must get approval from the city of Chicago before they can do any significant renovations due to Wrigley's landmark status. The Cubs have not received the funding agreement to start the project, according to a source. With the 2013 season just 75 days away, any major work would not begin until the season ends.

 

The Cubs have been researching the feasibility of a giant electronic scoreboard that could be placed in the outfield or on a rooftop across from the ballpark. Any type of noise or light producing object must get the support and approval of the Wrigley area residents as well as the city and state before installation.

 

 

I just hope we don't end up with some crappy version of the renovations because we couldn't get the money worked out.

Yeah it was talked about somewhere in this thread about the Rahm/Joe Rickettes thing when it first came out. As the article says, Rahm got all pissy at the Ricketts/Cubs during election season because of Ricketts dad (who I think most of us already know has no ownership/equity/involvement in the team) supporting/funding a superpac that was behind anti Obama adds (I don't know if they ever ran them) and things went south in negotiations with the city soon after that.

 

I knew about that, but I didn't realize they were that close and that anything that specific about funding had come out. That sucks.

I'm pretty sure there were a few quotes from Rahm that if you read into them you could be lead to believe they were close to a deal/had framework.

[Sammy Sofa]

What an idiot.

[Irrelevant Dude]

The owners of the Chicago Cubs said Thursday that they plan to develop a hotel on property they own across the street from Wrigley Field that they acquired from McDonald's Corp. more than a year ago.

 

But the development will be contingent on striking a deal with local governments to renovate Wrigley Field.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-hotel-near-wrigley-20130117,0,4608342.story

 

 

This makes perfect sense, but it sure will be odd to see a hotel on that piece of land after all these years.