Cubs Stadium Renovations

[Derwood]

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.

 

Funny, I go to Wrigley to watch baseball games, not look at buildings and trees. They could paint the stadium hot pink and put a dome on it if it meant seeing a World Series played there.

 

This same "controversy" happened here in State College a few years back. Penn State wanted to build an Upper Deck on the north endzone side of the field, but people were writing the papers complaining that it would block the view of Mt. Nittany. So, you're spending $50 a ticket to sit in a stadium and look at a mountain that you can otherwise see for free anywhere else? Needless to say, the deck went in and no one cares about the view.

[Irishoshea21]

 

Funny, I go to Wrigley to watch baseball games, not look at buildings and trees. They could paint the stadium hot pink and put a dome on it if it meant seeing a World Series played there.

 

This same "controversy" happened here in State College a few years back. Penn State wanted to build an Upper Deck on the north endzone side of the field, but people were writing the papers complaining that it would block the view of Mt. Nittany. So, you're spending $50 a ticket to sit in a stadium and look at a mountain that you can otherwise see for free anywhere else? Needless to say, the deck went in and no one cares about the view.

 

 

Because obviously adding more seats means they're going to the world series. Don't be an ass. Obviously we all want the Cubs to make the world series, but some of us actually care about how Wrigley Field looks too. There is more, atleast to me, than going to a baseball game than just seeing a team win or lose. It's an experience that we have in chicago that no other city has (i've been to fenway, I've been to yankee). Wrigley Field is the most unique sports facility in the united states. If they're going to screw with Wrigley, I'm going to be disgusted. Because they sure as hell aren't going to win a world series with jose macias and neifi perez starting everyday

[kroth1342]

I absolutely agree with the idea that being at Wrigley is an experience in itself, as there is no other way I prefer to spend my time than at a Wrigley night game. That being said, being at a home loss truly sucks, and no scenery or ambience makes up for that. Regardless of the changes (big or small) attending wins is a hell of a lot better than attending losses.

[UMFan83]

I'll be living in the area durin the winter, if I'm reminded I'll take pictures though the winter, but they might be crappy cell phone pictures until I get my camera fixed

[Derwood]

 

Funny, I go to Wrigley to watch baseball games, not look at buildings and trees. They could paint the stadium hot pink and put a dome on it if it meant seeing a World Series played there.

 

This same "controversy" happened here in State College a few years back. Penn State wanted to build an Upper Deck on the north endzone side of the field, but people were writing the papers complaining that it would block the view of Mt. Nittany. So, you're spending $50 a ticket to sit in a stadium and look at a mountain that you can otherwise see for free anywhere else? Needless to say, the deck went in and no one cares about the view.

 

 

Because obviously adding more seats means they're going to the world series. Don't be an ass. Obviously we all want the Cubs to make the world series, but some of us actually care about how Wrigley Field looks too. There is more, atleast to me, than going to a baseball game than just seeing a team win or lose. It's an experience that we have in chicago that no other city has (i've been to fenway, I've been to yankee). Wrigley Field is the most unique sports facility in the united states. If they're going to screw with Wrigley, I'm going to be disgusted. Because they sure as hell aren't going to win a world series with jose macias and neifi perez starting everyday

 

First of all, despite my sarcasm in my post, I don't deserve to be called names.

 

Secondly, you missed my point. Of course Wrigley is an experience in and of itself. I've been to countless games there and am enver disappointed with the atmosphere.

 

But your lamentation over some extra seats makes it sound like they are painting the seats pink. Change is inevitable in today's game, and with the potential revenue of extra seats and advertising, it's tough for the club to financially turn the cold shoulder to these changes. The Cubs organization went a very long time without in stadium advertising, and there was an uproar over the backstop ad board when that was installed, but I think we're all over it.

 

I agree with a previous poster about the buildings across the street. When I first attended Cubs games (1992), those building were quaint, with a couple of guys sitting on the roof with some Nat Lite and a hibachi grill. Now they've become the ugliest form of crass commercialization, and I have no interest in putting them on display.

 

Besides, how many people's view will really be hindered here? It's not like they are adding 20 rows of seats. If the view is an important part of your experience, cool, take a walk around the park before hand, take it all in, snap some photos, but when the first pitch is thrown, play ball.

 

Clearly payroll doesn't equal wins/championships. That's a subject that we've been over ad naseum in several threads. But denying the club new revenue streams because there are some incremental changes to the look of the stadium just isn't fair.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

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.

From the Cubs convention:

http://image28.webshots.com/29/1/66/33/258016633NmLeRI_ph.jpg

http://image28.webshots.com/29/1/70/17/258017017ITlwdD_ph.jpg

http://image34.webshots.com/35/1/82/33/258018233HktECg_ph.jpg

http://image30.webshots.com/30/1/87/51/258018751YcEkUA_ph.jpg

http://image32.webshots.com/32/1/91/82/258019182ixslhp_ph.jpg

 

Sorry they are a blurry, it was really hard to take pics in the room because it was a bit dark. I thought that the drawings of the bleachers looked really good and the outside of the bleachers looks WAY better than it does now. The thing that I worry about is that horrible building they want to put next to the park. It doesn't fit in at all. It looks like something that Mies van der Rohe would draw up.

[Derwood]

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[Transmogrified Tiger]

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right click>View Image>Back Button

 

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[J.R.]

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/images/ballpark/275x200_exp_bowl.jpg

 

The new bleachers will be taller, but they won't completely obscure the neighborhood buildings. I think the plan is a nice compromise - like most of the changes made to the park since 1981, the renovations will leave the park better off and better prepared for the future once all the commotion dies down.

 

I love Wrigley as she is, and have enjoyed the bleachers as they are, but the fan services are almost non existant out there, and the stands' exterior was mauled years ago. The family/group sections provide some of sports' best views, but they are also among the most inaccessible seats in pro sports today. The planned changes are appropriate, IMHO.

 

Someone will bleed, however, if I see ads carved into the outfield walls. That would exceed my personal tolerance for change.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=viewAllPhotos&albumID=257990308

link to that photo album.

 

btw, they won't block the view from the bleachers, that brings in a couple million a year for the team.

[CP_414]

 

Funny, I go to Wrigley to watch baseball games, not look at buildings and trees. They could paint the stadium hot pink and put a dome on it if it meant seeing a World Series played there.

 

This same "controversy" happened here in State College a few years back. Penn State wanted to build an Upper Deck on the north endzone side of the field, but people were writing the papers complaining that it would block the view of Mt. Nittany. So, you're spending $50 a ticket to sit in a stadium and look at a mountain that you can otherwise see for free anywhere else? Needless to say, the deck went in and no one cares about the view.

 

 

Because obviously adding more seats means they're going to the world series. Don't be an ass. Obviously we all want the Cubs to make the world series, but some of us actually care about how Wrigley Field looks too. There is more, atleast to me, than going to a baseball game than just seeing a team win or lose. It's an experience that we have in chicago that no other city has (i've been to fenway, I've been to yankee). Wrigley Field is the most unique sports facility in the united states. If they're going to screw with Wrigley, I'm going to be disgusted. Because they sure as hell aren't going to win a world series with jose macias and neifi perez starting everyday

 

Does addimg more seats mean they are a lock for the Series, of course not. However, the more money the Tribune can spend on payroll, the better the chances are. With St. Louis moving into a new ballpark, they will have added revenue streams, and should be able to add to their payroll in the next few seasons. The Cubs need to spend as much as they can, and of course spend wisely. Minor changes to Wrigley Field give the Cubs more revenue streams, that are needed to field a top payroll.

 

Any changes to Wrigley are going to elicit a passionate response, since it is a baseball church. That is to be expected. In reality, the offseason renovations are not going to be intrusive to fans at the game, or watching the Cubs on TV. The Cubs will now increase ticket revenue by adding seats, increase concesion revenue by adding seats, increase revenue through the parking garage, hall of fame, and the batters eye resturaunt. It's not that bad.

No, I don't want a themed restaurant in center field. What a joke. Comiskey North!