I think that's exactly it. What is he going to do, threaten to move the team? Close down the Cubs? Are people going to stop visiting the "3rd biggest tourist attraction" if the state doesn't give them money? What are the #1 and #2 tourist attractions? Are they raking in as much profit as the Cubs? I think Ricketts has no leverage and also these people are feeling Ricketts out. They aren't going to just hand out money to some guy who just spent close to a billion dollars on the team because he asks nicely. He needs to play hardball with them, but how? By not investing in the community. By talking with Milwaukee about playing a season there so they can do a more cost effective and comprehensive overhaul of the ballpark (taking away a lot of money from the area for a year). By alligning himself with the right mayoral candidate. There's a few things he can do. Good ideas for sure, but shouldn't he have thought about these BEFORE he asked for the money and said he has no other plans? Now, if he threatens leaving for a season or something like that, doesn't he just come across that much worse at that point? I doubt he cares how he comes across, unless he has plans to run for governor. But Illinois votes for scumbags anyway so who cares? He can play the nice guy by saying we have this lovely plan and would just like a little help with the tax policy to make it feasible, and if he is denied, then he can have underlings play hardball. This is almost certainly why Kenney is still around and going to be his responsibility. I'm sure they have some sort of game plan that they are following.