Cubs Stadium Renovations

[cubs22]

I kow that they will be adding 1800 seats to the outfield bleachers, but will they be doing anything else around the stadium.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

here's some links.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20050302&content_id=955231&vkey=pr_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050124&content_id=933874&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

[Jon]

They could very well make some other changes (such as advertising) and not announce them until later in the winter.

[Irishoshea21]

They could very well make some other changes (such as advertising) and not announce them until later in the winter.

 

I'm disgusted by the renovations. Not only will the view of the neighborhood be hampered (seats in the lower deck) but taking the bushes out from centerfield for a restaurant?? Stoney said it best earlier this year "enjoy the view as much as you can this year, it will never be the same"

 

Don't give me the BS that the extra seats will mean more payroll. They'll make plenty of money when they raise ticket prices (again) and add more advertisements to wrigley.

 

MacPhail is a joke

 

 

 

edit: and it's a ballpark, not a stadium :o)

Edited September 30, 2005 by Irishoshea21

[RockTheIvy]

They could very well make some other changes (such as advertising) and not announce them until later in the winter.

 

I'm disgusted by the renovations. Not only will the view of the neighborhood be hampered (seats in the lower deck) but taking the bushes out from centerfield for a restaurant?? Stoney said it best earlier this year "enjoy the view as much as you can this year, it will never be the same"

 

Don't give me the BS that the extra seats will mean more payroll. They'll make plenty of money when they raise ticket prices (again) and add more advertisements to wrigley.

 

MacPhail is a joke

 

I agree, it's a joke. I think the Wrigley atmosphere is what keeps going to a baseball game great, despite where the Cubs are in the standings. If you aren't gonna field a winner, at least keep Wrigley as it is, and don't try to feed us these lies that you are going to increase payroll. Even if you do, it's not as if the Cubs management will make the right personnel decisions.

[Irishoshea21]

They could very well make some other changes (such as advertising) and not announce them until later in the winter.

 

I'm disgusted by the renovations. Not only will the view of the neighborhood be hampered (seats in the lower deck) but taking the bushes out from centerfield for a restaurant?? Stoney said it best earlier this year "enjoy the view as much as you can this year, it will never be the same"

 

Don't give me the BS that the extra seats will mean more payroll. They'll make plenty of money when they raise ticket prices (again) and add more advertisements to wrigley.

 

MacPhail is a joke

 

I agree, it's a joke. I think the Wrigley atmosphere is what keeps going to a baseball game great, despite where the Cubs are in the standings. If you aren't gonna field a winner, at least keep Wrigley as it is, and don't try to feed us these lies that you are going to increase payroll. Even if you do, it's not as if the Cubs management will make the right personnel decisions.

 

 

Just think about this next year. You get a nice seat in the first 15 rows behind homeplate. You can't see the tree's/rooftops out on waveland/sheffield (you will be able to see th epeople on top of the buildings) and you'll see a giant green glass in center, instead of thoose juniper bushes. The thought of that makes me sick

[UMFan83]

You'll get used to it just like you got used to when the junipers were put in in the 80's.

 

The view of the Wrigley neighborhood being blocked bothers me a bit though

[RockTheIvy]

Juniper bushes or no, it's their payroll crap that kills me.

[Irishoshea21]

You'll get used to it just like you got used to when the junipers were put in in the 80's.

 

The view of the Wrigley neighborhood being blocked bothers me a bit though

 

 

The juniper bushes went in in 1996 (maybe 97). And there's a major difference between putting green bushes (has the same vibe as ivy) in center, rather than showing just empty bleachers.

 

To go from bushes to a giant green glass (similar to that ugly thing in center in cinci) is major. It'll take a lot to get used to it. I'm amazed more people aren't annoyed by it

[UMFan83]

You'll get used to it just like you got used to when the junipers were put in in the 80's.

 

The view of the Wrigley neighborhood being blocked bothers me a bit though

 

 

The juniper bushes went in in 1996 (maybe 97). And there's a major difference between putting green bushes (has the same vibe as ivy) in center, rather than showing just empty bleachers.

 

To go from bushes to a giant green glass (similar to that ugly thing in center in cinci) is major. It'll take a lot to get used to it. I'm amazed more people aren't annoyed by it

 

I personally disagree. Despite the way people think about the Trib Co. I think they will be very delicate about this for fear of ruining the vibe of Wrigley. If it loses its aura, they might actually have to worry about building a winning ballclub. The bushes have been there for 9 years if your correct, thats hardly something I'd consider that would ruin the mystique of Wrigley. Yes it was better then what was there, but I think the restaurant will be tasteful.

 

The thing that still bothers me is the bleachers, the view and the fact that you will no longer be able to stand at the top of the bleachers and watch the game.

[kaseyi]

From the days of just no one in the seats , to the green tarp covering the center field seats, to no one again to the bushes..it doesn't really matter. I'm interested in seeing how the resturant works out.

 

And as for the Pirates (yes, I still feel they are pirates...making big bucks off the Cubs and with little responsibility to the problems they cause in the neighborhood) to hell with them. Ever since people with a 6 pack and a lawn chair were replaced by $200 seats on the roofs, I have had little use for them.

 

Kasey

[J.R.]

The bushes went in with the 1997 season and were mocked mercilessly. Now they're sacred?!

[sweetpeteman]

The bushes went in with the 1997 season and were mocked mercilessly. Now they're sacred?!

 

I thought they were in there a lot longer than that... hmm, my mistake.

[Irishoshea21]

The bushes went in with the 1997 season and were mocked mercilessly. Now they're sacred?!

 

I'm not saying they're sacred. But they look much better than just having empty bleachers out there. And I promise you they look much better than a giant green glass window.

[LoneStarCubFan]

But the window will probably look better than the old green tarp.

 

Will the renovations include a new manager?

[CubbieRich]

I was at Wrigley yesterday and the park needs these projects. I could care less about these money-grubbing rooftop owners and their views. Tough! If there is a restuarant and gift shop open year round, that's great. It will make for a great place to go.

 

Compared to what the new Wrigley-lite St. Louis copycat park will look like or the ballmall of the White Sox, Wrigley Field will continue to be the best in the BIGS.

[biittner77]

 

 

edit: and it's a ballpark, not a stadium :o)

 

Great, now you tell me,

 

-Jeff Gordon

[Irishoshea21]

I was at Wrigley yesterday and the park needs these projects. I could care less about these money-grubbing rooftop owners and their views. Tough! If there is a restuarant and gift shop open year round, that's great. It will make for a great place to go.

 

Compared to what the new Wrigley-lite St. Louis copycat park will look like or the ballmall of the White Sox, Wrigley Field will continue to be the best in the BIGS.

 

I'm not defending the people on the rooftops, it's the principle that the ballpark has a neighborhood feel. What other park do you see Trees/Houses out just behind the outfield wall. What other park, can you grab a chair and sit out behind the leftfield wall and wait for homerun balls (you need a boat to do it in SF). I hate the greedy rooftop owners as much as anyone else, but consider this.

 

You're sitting down behind homeplate, and you look out at center field. You see fans, then the sky. All around you, you see the park/fans/seats/and the sky. Sounds a hell of a lot like the cookie-cutter parks from the 1960's.....

 

Wrigley Field is so special because of the ivy/bricks/history/neighborhood feel. We all know that. When you block out the neighborhood, you take out a big piece of wrigley field.

[Irishoshea21]

 

 

edit: and it's a ballpark, not a stadium :o)

 

Great, now you tell me,

 

-Jeff Gordon

 

just a little pet peeve of mine :D

[IowaCubsFan]

The restuarant could be cool, if they did away with a giant glass window and made it an extension of the scoreboard.

 

Imagine getting to sit in a restaurant while the game is going on and looking out a tiny window not unlike what the scoreboard guys see during the game.

 

Honestly though I don't know how they can make that work without significantly altering the architecture of the bleachers out there.

[kroth1342]

I'm sure I speak for lots of us, but I would be very grateful if anyone can post pictures during the construction process so we can all get an idea of what is going on. Architectural mock-ups are nice, but for those fans who can't see the work in progress, pictures would do a great service.

 

My biggest concern is how the restaurant will blend in with the rest of the OF seats. If they can do anything at all to conceal or mask the exterior to make it blend in with the rest of the bleachers, all the better.

[adamb0719]

Did I read correctly that the restaurant will accessible on non-game days, and if so will that include the off-season. That would be pretty neat. I am sure a lot of you have the "celebrations of the friendly confines" book. The last page is a picture from inside Wrigley with everything covered in snow. It would be cool to be able to see that while you eat.

[Irishoshea21]

I'm sure I speak for lots of us, but I would be very grateful if anyone can post pictures during the construction process so we can all get an idea of what is going on. Architectural mock-ups are nice, but for those fans who can't see the work in progress, pictures would do a great service.

 

My biggest concern is how the restaurant will blend in with the rest of the OF seats. If they can do anything at all to conceal or mask the exterior to make it blend in with the rest of the bleachers, all the better.

 

Pictures would be fantastic. My first chance back to the city will either be for the Big 10 media day...otherwise it will be Christmas. I miss getting to be by wrigley everyday.

 

 

Wrigley should have something open year round. I would definitely pay to walk around the park in the winter time. There is nothing more peaceful than sitting in an empty wrigley field. They can find someway of doing that without screwing with the bleachers

[LoneStarCubFan]

Interesting that the mock-ups don't include a look at the park from inside so you can see what the restaurant will look like.

 

I will say this, a 100-seat restaurnt doesn't sound very big. I wouldn't think it would look that bad.

 

I do like the idea of being able to see into the park from the sidewalk on Sheffield too.

[Irishoshea21]

 

I do like the idea of being able to see into the park from the sidewalk on Sheffield too.

I thought they scratched that. It would mean that they would remove one of thoose green outfield wall (the big door not covered by ivy down the right field line). That would look very awkward from the inside, I think. Keep the wall with ivy/green paint (don't remind me of the old red doors)