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Sox looking at building in South Loop


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  On 2/20/2025 at 2:26 PM, caulfield12 said:

Am I really that far off that 75-80% of fans from Naperville Bolingbrook, etc., are more Cubs' fans?  Rosemont?  Schaumburg?

Especially north of I-88...

Where the Kane County Cougars used to play?

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Kane county still plays in Batavia. I worked there when they were the Marlins Low A affiliate.

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  On 2/20/2025 at 6:12 PM, ptatc said:

Kane county still plays in Batavia. I worked there when they were the Marlins Low A affiliate.

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I lived about five minutes from there back then, I could see the Fermi tower from my house.  A friend of mine was a player foster house and Josh Booty, Charles Johnson and a few other names stayed with them during the season 

I also was a Funway “animal” in 1995, we would roam the park in the character outfits lol

 

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  On 2/20/2025 at 7:39 PM, Kyyle23 said:

I lived about five minutes from there back then, I could see the Fermi tower from my house.  A friend of mine was a player foster house and Josh Booty, Charles Johnson and a few other names stayed with them during the season 

I also was a Funway “animal” in 1995, we would roam the park in the character outfits lol

 

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Cool. I was there as help as extra help in the training room. It was a fun place. Lots of future MLB. Kevin millar, Ryan dempster, Antonio alfonseca luos Castillo, Mike Redmond, Edgar Renteria, Mark kotsay. They had some really good players back then

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  On 2/20/2025 at 8:04 PM, ptatc said:

Cool. I was there as help as extra help in the training room. It was a fun place. Lots of future MLB. Kevin millar, Ryan dempster, Antonio alfonseca luos Castillo, Mike Redmond, Edgar Renteria, Mark kotsay. They had some really good players back then

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Yea it wasn’t a surprise when those kids (plus some pretty awesome FAs) won it all in 97 before the Front Office did the ole rug pull 

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  On 2/19/2025 at 9:41 PM, Chicago White Sox said:

What was “ridiculous” about their renderings?

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I saw one rendering of that site with the Sox stadium and another with the UIC building, then prior to the Stadium concept, others made for potential investors that had office buildings with a crescent shaped park where the original river was. The design of the stadium is subjective, so you might like that and you might also like what was done with the last remodel of Soldier Field.  I don't. Some prefer certain kinds of stadium architecture from the ultra modern like SoFi stadium to some of the retro parks.  I thought the rendering  was not taken too seriously which might explain the architecture and failure to take  historical Comiskey architectural as a predicate  ( I don't count the whirly birds in CF as anything but a feeble and trite nod to old Comiskey). The lighted 50 foot  (or so)  "Sox " logo is a cringe-worthy joke, one that would make the architects who cherished and refurbished  the classic  sign over the front entrance of Wrigley laugh.  I personally don't see the draw of a glass box stadium with a giant lighted Sox logo on it.  Fans in Boston, Baltimore, SF Pittsburgh etc would laugh at this thing. Those that have been to those places know what I mean. They are special, this thing isn't. I am not an architect but you asked why I think it was ridiculous, and so I try to explain why.  No reason to rush into a new stadium without getting a lot of fan input. That was a mistake made the last time.  They didn't ask us. Respect the original architecture from the same architect who designed Wrigley.  Incorporate a lot of brick like the old park and Wrigley. Chicagoans love brick, not glass, metal and stucco (like the Rate).

And then there is the 78 site which has all kinds of development issues including ingress/egress/parking.  I would encourage fans who have not stepped foot down there to do that.  If you can't, perhaps try a virtual trip via Google maps.  As you will see, to the North, Roosevelt Rd.,  elevated over the site because of the bridge going over the river.  To the East Clark street which has a tunnel down to grade and up to the intersection with Roosevelt Rd (and  train tracks just west of that). To the South, Ping Tom park which apparently was not designed to take ingress / egress to the subject land under consideration.  And of course, to the West, a murky river, Lumber street,  and a RR bone yard. It is what it is. 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/kJ4rLnVM5coXcWTm7

Ask yourself, why hasn't that site been developed for 100 years? Why did U of I buck out after all that money was invested into it?  If I was the WSox ownership, I would not want that parcel for free, even if real estate taxes were paid and Related actually had the Deed to the UIC parcel.

Edited by tray
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  On 2/20/2025 at 11:20 PM, tray said:

I saw one rendering of that site with the Sox stadium and another with the UIC building, then prior to the Stadium concept, others made for potential investors that had office buildings with a crescent shaped park where the original river was. The design of the stadium is subjective, so you might like that and you might also like what was done with the last remodel of Soldier Field.  I don't. Some prefer certain kinds of stadium architecture from the ultra modern like SoFi stadium to some of the retro parks.  I thought the rendering  was not taken too seriously which might explain the architecture and failure to seriously take  historical Comiskey architectural as a predicate  ( I don't count the whirly birds in CF as anything but a feeble and trite nod to old Comiskey). The lighted 50 foot  (or so)  "Sox " logo is a cringe-worthy joke, one that would make the architects who cherished and kept the classic  sign over the front entrance of Wrigley laugh.  I personally don't see the draw of a glass box stadium with a giant lighted Sox logo on it.  Fans in Boston, Baltimore, SF Pittsburgh etc would laugh at this thing.  I am not an architect but uou asked why I think it was ridiculous, and I do.  No reason to rush into a new stadium without getting a lot of fan input. That was a mistake made the last time.  Respect the original architecture from the same architect who designed Wrigley.  Incorporate a lot of brick like the old park and Wridgley. Chicagoans love brick, not glass, metal and stucco (like the Rate).

And then there is the 78 site which has all kinds of development issues including ingress/egress/parking.  I would encourage fans who have not stepped foot down there do that.  If you can't, perhaps try a virtual trip via Google maps.  As you will see, to the North, Roosevelt Rd.,  elevated over the site because of the bridge going over the river.  To the West Clark street which has a tunnel down to grade and up to the intersection with Roosevelt Rd. Train tacks west of that. To the South, Ping Tom park which apparently was not designed to add ingress / egress to the subject land.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/kJ4rLnVM5coXcWTm7

Ask yourself, why hasn't that site been developed for 100 years? Why did U of I buck out after all that money was invested into it?  If I was the WSox ownership, I would not want that parcel for free, even if real estate taxes were paid.

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I've always thought that one of the reasons it has not been developed  is because there is only one way in and out of there. You can't enter or exit from the east, west or south.

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  On 2/21/2025 at 12:22 AM, ptatc said:

No. He was after as well. I think he was there about the same time as Cabrera but I could be wrong.

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Marlins were 93-02, Cabrera had a cup of coffee there in 01 with Adrian Gonzalez, then looks like he jumped to high A

edit: nope I misread he was there entire 01.  

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  On 2/26/2025 at 6:04 PM, DoUEvenShift said:

I guess this is kinda on topic since they have discussed building together.

Not sure who this guy is but he has 400k follows

 

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  On 2/27/2025 at 2:42 AM, PaleAleSox said:

Someone else tweeted earlier that they are announcing it after the draft and break ground this year. 

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If that means the Bears will privately finance a new AH stadium with the state paying for infrastructure, it probably sets in motion a similar deal for a Sox park in the South Loop (assuming the Ishbia rumor is true, and he commits to private financing of a new ballpark). 

I believe the Governor wanted stadium funding (infrastructure) for both teams to be covered in one package. 

Edited by 77 Hitmen
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  On 2/27/2025 at 5:56 PM, nitetrain8601 said:

Hearing that it won't hold much more than it can now. I think that's a dumb idea.

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For better or for worse, this is the trend in MLB ballparks.  The proposed new A's stadium in Vegas will seat only 33k if I'm not mistaken.  The proposed new Rays stadium in St. Pete would also seat in the low 30s.   The Guardians renovated Progressive Field a few years ago and dropped seating capacity by quite a bit to about 35k or so.  

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  On 2/27/2025 at 10:18 PM, 77 Hitmen said:

For better or for worse, this is the trend in MLB ballparks.  The proposed new A's stadium in Vegas will seat only 33k if I'm not mistaken.  The proposed new Rays stadium in St. Pete would also seat in the low 30s.   The Guardians renovated Progressive Field a few years ago and dropped seating capacity by quite a bit to about 35k or so.  

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Those are all small markets though.

Think Ishbia's going to believe he can fit at least 40-42,000 in Chicago...37-38000 on lowest side.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  On 2/20/2025 at 7:39 PM, Kyyle23 said:

I lived about five minutes from there back then, I could see the Fermi tower from my house.  A friend of mine was a player foster house and Josh Booty, Charles Johnson and a few other names stayed with them during the season 

I also was a Funway “animal” in 1995, we would roam the park in the character outfits lol

 

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I went to the season opener for the Marlins on a spring training trip for our HS team, back when they still played at Joe Robbie. Charles Johnson did his famous plate to the outfield warmup routine. Still a lasting sports live memory for me. Dude was a freak.

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