Wrigley Renovation Thread

[Old Style]

Consider the wildly divergent paths this situation could have careened down from the point that the club was first put up for sale in 2007.

 

Zell's original intent was to sell the park and team separately. He then tried to have the state take ownership of the park. The neighborhood NIMBYs did all they could to force the team out.

 

Now, the team will retain complete control of the assets at Clark and Addison, with the added benefit of unlocking revenue streams heretofore forbidden and wresting other sources of income from the parasitic rooftop owners. A defanged Tunney is just gravy.

 

I am rather happy with our ownership at this point.

You sure do have a way with words.

[jersey cubs fan]

(Tom Ricketts) refused to put a price on abandoning Wrigley Field.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-spt-0407-haugh-chicago-20130407,0,7103172.column

 

Was that the David Haugh column? I saw it off his twitter link and boy oh boy was that the most transparent attempt at ass kissing a local owner as I've seen in the Chicago market.

[Guest]

(Tom Ricketts) refused to put a price on abandoning Wrigley Field.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-spt-0407-haugh-chicago-20130407,0,7103172.column

 

 

I'll put a price on it, too [expletive] high.

[Backtobanks]

(Tom Ricketts) refused to put a price on abandoning Wrigley Field.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-spt-0407-haugh-chicago-20130407,0,7103172.column

 

Was that the David Haugh column? I saw it off his twitter link and boy oh boy was that the most transparent attempt at ass kissing a local owner as I've seen in the Chicago market.

 

I like Ricketts, but all of this talk makes him sound like Mother Teresa. He's a businessman who's in this to make as much money as possible. All of that Rosemont stuff was bullcrap because he wasn't going to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Wrigleyville real estate to move the team to Rosemont and watch all of his property devalue by 90%.

[jersey cubs fan]

So the self imposed deadline has come and gone. The home opener is upon us. Nothing to report. No deal.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

@BleacherNation 4m

 

RT @BruceMiles2112 Ricketts expresses optimism ballpark deal will be reached but says he's staying away from deadline and timeframe talk

[Banedon]

So...is this the part where progress stalls because there's no deadline?

[jersey cubs fan]

Ricketts talk of the clubhouse being top priority gives an indication that they will move forward with that project even before the deal is finalized, which just removes even more leverage. The more they spend in and around Wrigley the less they can even think about moving.

[Guest]

man, this has been such a shitty first week of the season for the organization

[Ryne Ween]

The guy purchased wrigley field. There was never any leverage. Drastically devaluing your franchise while simultaneously taking a huge bath on a real estate purchase is not credible leverage. Only rosenbloom would be fooled by that bluff.

[jersey cubs fan]

The guy purchased wrigley field. There was never any leverage. Drastically devaluing your franchise while simultaneously taking a huge bath on a real estate purchase is not credible leverage. Only rosenbloom would be fooled by that bluff.

 

He bought the Cubs. Wrigley just happened to be a part of it, but the value is in the Cubs brand.

[Cubswin11]

The guy purchased wrigley field. There was never any leverage. Drastically devaluing your franchise while simultaneously taking a huge bath on a real estate purchase is not credible leverage. Only rosenbloom would be fooled by that bluff.

He probably figured he wouldn't need leverage to go ahead with renovations that he's footing the whole [expletive] bill for

[jersey cubs fan]

The guy purchased wrigley field. There was never any leverage. Drastically devaluing your franchise while simultaneously taking a huge bath on a real estate purchase is not credible leverage. Only rosenbloom would be fooled by that bluff.

He probably figured he wouldn't need leverage to go ahead with renovations that he's footing the whole [expletive] bill for

 

Everybody knew the landmark designation and rooftop/neighborhood groups plus Tunney stood in the way. The notion of selling Wrigley separately was a joke because of all this.

[dfnowak]

I [expletive] hate those rooftop leaches

[dfnowak]

I think it's about time for Ricketts to hire some mafia types to help the rooftop owners "come to their senses".

[Guest]

Apparently there was a report on the Ch 7 news that renovations won't be able to begin this fall.

 

 

From a BN commenter:

ABC 7 just reported that no renovations will be completed this off season because they missed numerous deadlines for ordering materials. They said the framework is in place for a deal but it will be months before finalization of deal because of the signage and jumbotron.

 

The supposed video that I can't watch right now:

 

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=9059004

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Said the deal is essentially finalized outside of the jumbotron. Said deal was thought to be done this weekend but fell apart, and may take months now and involve public hearings.

 

Parking garage is off the table.

[Guest]

Said the deal is essentially finalized outside of the jumbotron. Said deal was thought to be done this weekend but fell apart, and may take months now and involve public hearings.

 

Parking garage is off the table.

 

Seemed like Ricketts implied yesterday that a referendum of some kind would have to take place.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Also said that deadlines had been missed for ordering some key construction materials such as steel.

[Cubswin11]

Said the deal is essentially finalized outside of the jumbotron. Said deal was thought to be done this weekend but fell apart, and may take months now and involve public hearings.

 

Parking garage is off the table.

 

Seemed like Ricketts implied yesterday that a referendum of some kind would have to take place.

A referendum for what? Are they seeking public money/assistance now (like a loan, bond, TIF district, etc)?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Said the deal is essentially finalized outside of the jumbotron. Said deal was thought to be done this weekend but fell apart, and may take months now and involve public hearings.

 

Parking garage is off the table.

 

Seemed like Ricketts implied yesterday that a referendum of some kind would have to take place.

A referendum for what? Are they seeking public money/assistance now (like a loan, bond, TIF district, etc)?

 

Expanded night games?

[Cubswin11]

Said the deal is essentially finalized outside of the jumbotron. Said deal was thought to be done this weekend but fell apart, and may take months now and involve public hearings.

 

Parking garage is off the table.

 

Seemed like Ricketts implied yesterday that a referendum of some kind would have to take place.

A referendum for what? Are they seeking public money/assistance now (like a loan, bond, TIF district, etc)?

 

Expanded night games?

I guess they might need one for that. I took David's post as meaning a referendum was needed to move forward with the project, would they really let a referendum for expanded night games hold up moving forward with construction/renovation?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Yes. The entire point is that they are using expanded night games and signage to pay for the renovation. They can't afford it without it.

[Cubswin11]

Yes. The entire point is that they are using expanded night games and signage to pay for the renovation. They can't afford it without it.

How much more valuable is a night game than a day game? Do they think they will draw more/sell more merchandise? Or are more night games more valuable to a future TV deal?

[J.R.]

There was voting on the matter in 1988, but only in an advisory capacity.

 

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-03-17/news/8803010397_1_voting-property-tax-property-owners

 

Not sure why Rahm is making them do this dance.