Brad Stephens: bring the brick and ivy to Rosemont

[justBLAZE]

As the Chicago Cubs' quest for a fair stadium refinancing deal continues to drag on with the Wrigleyville community throwing up roadblocks to slow down the settlement process, a new and potentially viable option to Wrigley Field has emerged.

 

[RELATED: Cubs lay out their new vision for Wrigley Field]

 

Rosemont mayor Brad Stephens told me this morning in a CSNChicago exclusive that he is willing to give the Cubs and the Ricketts family a 25-acre parcel of land in the village that is a prime piece of real estate large enough to accommodate a new ballpark as well as parking and anything else the Ricketts family would desire to have as a part of the new complex.

 

“The Chicago Cubs are being held hostage by the neighborhood as they look to run their business. We are willing to offer them a tremendous opportunity if they are interested. Bring the bricks and the ivy and we can get a deal done, ” Stephens told me this morning.

 

The Cubs have looked to renovate 99-year-old Wrigley Field since the Ricketts family purchased the team from the Tribune Company in October of 2009. The ballpark is in major need of a complete overhaul and after going through a number of possibilities for financing the renovation project, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts announced at the Cubs Convention in January that he is willing to fund the project estimated at $500 million.

 

However, in return for no public monies, Ricketts is asking that the city agree to relax some of the restrictions on the stadium that limit signage as well as the number of night games that can be played. Currently, the Cubs are capped at 30 night games while the major league average is 57. Increased signage and more night games will increase revenue dramatically, which would help to pay for the costly rehab of a ballpark that is Illinois’ third-largest tourist attraction.

 

44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney, whose ward includes Wrigley Field, has been a major impediment to getting a deal done and Rosemont’s mayor believes he is losing sight of the big picture.

 

"Tunney is trying to appease everybody, but he is losing sight of what the engine is that drives the economy of the community," Stephens told me. "He says that this is one of the richest families in America, but he has to realize that he has to do business with them. Rosemont is very pro-development and we understand that a good deal for the business is a good deal for the community."

 

Currently, the Cubs pay an amusement tax of 12 percent, (Rosemont's amusement tax is 3 percent) which amounted to $17 million going into the city and county coffers in 2011. In addition, signage restrictions, caps on night games, the rooftop owners and limiting concerts and street festivals costs the Cubs approximately $75-100 million.

 

Financial Restrictions on the Chicago Cubs

 

• Revenue generated by the rooftop owners: $24 million – 17 percent = $4 million (The Cubs receive 17 percent of revenue)

• Signage restrictions: $20-30 million

• Amusement taxes paid in 2011: $17 million

• Addt'l. night games (Avg. in MLB is 57): $1 million addt'l. per game = $27 million

• Street Festivals and more concerts: (Could have naming rights if a consistent number is allowed each season) = $10 million estimate.

 

Add in the potential for some form of naming rights for the new Wrigley Field expansion (not the ballpark itself) and marketing experts that I spoke with believe that could generate a minimum of $4 million per year.

 

Additional revenues could come in a variety of ways including vastly improved concessions, which are unavailable currently at Wrigley Field due to space restrictions and an improved team could significantly raise the value of the Cubs' future TV negotiations.

 

Total revenue the Cubs fail to receive per year: Could approach $100 million

 

“Rosemont is very pro-development and we have a long history of experience dealing with big business. From my position, you have a wealthy family willing to pay all of the costs of a major renovation project, which will bring a tremendous number of jobs to the community,” Stephens said.

 

“However, they are not getting cooperation from the neighborhood," Stephens added. "Even if the Cubs get a deal done now what will happen when they need something else a year or two years down the road? This will not be the last time the community or the alderman will be difficult to deal with. The Cubs will never have those kinds of problems if they move to Rosemont."

 

Tom Ricketts was unavailable for comment but Dennis Culloton, a spokesman for the Ricketts family issued this statement:

 

"Since Day 1, the Ricketts family has been working tirelessly to develop a championship organization and to come up with a plan to preserve Wrigley Field and invest in the neighborhood. The family appreciates the expressions of interest from Rosemont and others, however the current focus is to work toward an agreement with the City of Chicago."

 

link.

 

[Cali]

Wrigley Field is the biggest obsticle in the way of the Cubs winning a World Series.

 

If they moved into a new location, I wouldn't be surprised if they won a title within 5 years of the place opening.

[Leonard Zelig]

Wrigley Field is the biggest obsticle in the way of the Cubs winning a World Series.

 

If they moved into a new location, I wouldn't be surprised if they won a title within 5 years of the place opening.

Care to explain?

[clyons]

That guy should shut up and just worry about getting his Butler team ready for the tournament.

[LittleHurt05]

The Stephens family is just printing cash at this point, modern-day mafia in Rosemont.

[cabiness42]

That guy should shut up and just worry about getting his Butler team ready for the tournament.

 

Maybe the Cubs should listen to him. He's made two more championship appearances than the Cubs in his lifetime.

[Cali]

Care to explain?

 

Neighborhood restrictions force the entire team to play on a weird schedule. They don't have the regular day/night splits as the other 29 teams. Up until 88 they played no night games at all, 70+ day games at home. I can't even imagine. The ball does different things at night than it does during the day.

 

Ball players are creatures of habit, I would imagine having to play the Cubs schedule messes with that. Especially if you're new to the team. I would imagine the facilities are less than ideal as well in the clubhouse. That would affect injuries and again those habits, if you're used to modern and nice locker rooms.

 

For years Wrigley has been the bigger attraction than the actual team, which means the various owners were sitting on a cash cow, they found no need to care about the product on the field if the "fans" didin't seem to care either. They became complacent -- and to some extent still are.

 

The biggest thing to me, which is completely mental, is the "mystic" of the park. Being able to win a title in the "hallowed" Wrigley Field (which has NEVER happened) has to get into the heads of the players.

 

If they had a nice modern ballpark, where they knew people showing up were there FOR THE TEAM, where the day/night schedule was normal for 162 games a year, where the pressure was off if even a little bit (100+ years is still pressure, obviously) I think they could take the revenue you make at all new parks and actually use it wisely (a Big if) then I could see them breaking the "curse".

 

I mean, the Yankees won 26 titles in Yankee Stadium. They knock it down and build a new park and in it's FIRST SEASON, win a title. If the Yankees can make dur with a new park, so can the Cubs.

[caulfield12]

But how soon before the "mysticism" wears off in a suburban or Rosemont stadium...would those Cubs fans then start supporting the team based more on winning percentage than using the crutch of Wrigley Field as a touristic/entertainment destination? In other words, becoming more like the Sox fanbase?

 

 

Edited March 19, 2013 by caulfield12

[Soxbadger]

As a neighbor of Wrigley, I approve this move.

 

Wrigleyville gets people regardless of Cubs games at this point. And Id bet that some fans would still go to bars near wrigley during the games.

 

[Balta1701]

Read the thread title, wondered what it had to do with Butler.

[southsider2k5]

Read the thread title, wondered what it had to do with Butler.

 

The Cubs are as likely to move to the Butler campus as they are to move to Rosemont.

[Quin]

That stadium is their biggest blessing and curse and it's hilarious.

[justBLAZE]

Read the thread title, wondered what it had to do with Butler.

 

You're the second person to mention this, minus misspelling word stadium, what else did I mess up?

[Swingandalongonetoleft]

As the Chicago Cubs' quest for a fair stadium refinancing deal continues to drag on with the Wrigleyville community throwing up roadblocks to slow down the settlement process, a new and potentially viable option to Wrigley Field has emerged.

 

[RELATED: Cubs lay out their new vision for Wrigley Field]

 

Rosemont mayor Brad Stephens told me this morning in a CSNChicago exclusive that he is willing to give the Cubs and the Ricketts family a 25-acre parcel of land in the village that is a prime piece of real estate large enough to accommodate a new ballpark as well as parking and anything else the Ricketts family would desire to have as a part of the new complex.

 

“The Chicago Cubs are being held hostage by the neighborhood as they look to run their business. We are willing to offer them a tremendous opportunity if they are interested. Bring the bricks and the ivy and we can get a deal done, ” Stephens told me this morning.

 

The Cubs have looked to renovate 99-year-old Wrigley Field since the Ricketts family purchased the team from the Tribune Company in October of 2009. The ballpark is in major need of a complete overhaul and after going through a number of possibilities for financing the renovation project, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts announced at the Cubs Convention in January that he is willing to fund the project estimated at $500 million.

 

However, in return for no public monies, Ricketts is asking that the city agree to relax some of the restrictions on the stadium that limit signage as well as the number of night games that can be played. Currently, the Cubs are capped at 30 night games while the major league average is 57. Increased signage and more night games will increase revenue dramatically, which would help to pay for the costly rehab of a ballpark that is Illinois’ third-largest tourist attraction.

 

44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney, whose ward includes Wrigley Field, has been a major impediment to getting a deal done and Rosemont’s mayor believes he is losing sight of the big picture.

 

"Tunney is trying to appease everybody, but he is losing sight of what the engine is that drives the economy of the community," Stephens told me. "He says that this is one of the richest families in America, but he has to realize that he has to do business with them. Rosemont is very pro-development and we understand that a good deal for the business is a good deal for the community."

 

Currently, the Cubs pay an amusement tax of 12 percent, (Rosemont's amusement tax is 3 percent) which amounted to $17 million going into the city and county coffers in 2011. In addition, signage restrictions, caps on night games, the rooftop owners and limiting concerts and street festivals costs the Cubs approximately $75-100 million.

 

Financial Restrictions on the Chicago Cubs

 

• Revenue generated by the rooftop owners: $24 million – 17 percent = $4 million (The Cubs receive 17 percent of revenue)

• Signage restrictions: $20-30 million

• Amusement taxes paid in 2011: $17 million

• Addt'l. night games (Avg. in MLB is 57): $1 million addt'l. per game = $27 million

• Street Festivals and more concerts: (Could have naming rights if a consistent number is allowed each season) = $10 million estimate.

 

Add in the potential for some form of naming rights for the new Wrigley Field expansion (not the ballpark itself) and marketing experts that I spoke with believe that could generate a minimum of $4 million per year.

 

Additional revenues could come in a variety of ways including vastly improved concessions, which are unavailable currently at Wrigley Field due to space restrictions and an improved team could significantly raise the value of the Cubs' future TV negotiations.

 

Total revenue the Cubs fail to receive per year: Could approach $100 million

 

“Rosemont is very pro-development and we have a long history of experience dealing with big business. From my position, you have a wealthy family willing to pay all of the costs of a major renovation project, which will bring a tremendous number of jobs to the community,” Stephens said.

 

“However, they are not getting cooperation from the neighborhood," Stephens added. "Even if the Cubs get a deal done now what will happen when they need something else a year or two years down the road? This will not be the last time the community or the alderman will be difficult to deal with. The Cubs will never have those kinds of problems if they move to Rosemont."

 

Tom Ricketts was unavailable for comment but Dennis Culloton, a spokesman for the Ricketts family issued this statement:

 

"Since Day 1, the Ricketts family has been working tirelessly to develop a championship organization and to come up with a plan to preserve Wrigley Field and invest in the neighborhood. The family appreciates the expressions of interest from Rosemont and others, however the current focus is to work toward an agreement with the City of Chicago."

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/blog/kapman/rose...makes-his-pitch

 

guffaw

 

Although, if you're Ricketts and the Cubs, you've got to be loving every act of courtship that comes your way purely for whatever leverage it gives you with the city of Chicago and those who impose restrictions on you in Wrigleyville. One does not simply buy the Cubs to move them from Wrigleyville. Besides, say you do move to Favorite non-Wrigleyville Location X, what happens after you do win this fabled World Series? Baseball doesn't stop happening the instant that final out is recorded. I think most of us are familiar with the level of goodwill that buys with a fandom.

 

All they need is to be competitive, which they're working their way towards.

[southsider2k5]

You're the second person to mention this, minus misspelling word stadium, what else did I mess up?

 

The person who wrote the article has the same name as the coach of the Butler Bulldogs basketball team (though his last name is spelled Stevens instead). You didn't mess anything up.

[cabiness42]

Neighborhood restrictions force the entire team to play on a weird schedule. They don't have the regular day/night splits as the other 29 teams. Up until 88 they played no night games at all, 70+ day games at home. I can't even imagine. The ball does different things at night than it does during the day.

 

Ball players are creatures of habit, I would imagine having to play the Cubs schedule messes with that. Especially if you're new to the team. I would imagine the facilities are less than ideal as well in the clubhouse. That would affect injuries and again those habits, if you're used to modern and nice locker rooms.

 

For years Wrigley has been the bigger attraction than the actual team, which means the various owners were sitting on a cash cow, they found no need to care about the product on the field if the "fans" didin't seem to care either. They became complacent -- and to some extent still are.

 

The biggest thing to me, which is completely mental, is the "mystic" of the park. Being able to win a title in the "hallowed" Wrigley Field (which has NEVER happened) has to get into the heads of the players.

 

If they had a nice modern ballpark, where they knew people showing up were there FOR THE TEAM, where the day/night schedule was normal for 162 games a year, where the pressure was off if even a little bit (100+ years is still pressure, obviously) I think they could take the revenue you make at all new parks and actually use it wisely (a Big if) then I could see them breaking the "curse".

 

I mean, the Yankees won 26 titles in Yankee Stadium. They knock it down and build a new park and in it's FIRST SEASON, win a title. If the Yankees can make dur with a new park, so can the Cubs.

 

I agree with pretty much all of this. I work in a historical, 80 year old building. People who come to visit once or twice a year think they're visiting somewhere really cool. People who come here to work 260 days a year thing they're coming to a dump. I can imagine many Cubs employees, including players, feel the same way.

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

Would the Cubs REALLY want to move to land immediately adjacent to O'Hare? Plane noise all day long.

 

That being said, it's a nice location. PLENTY of space for actual parking lots. Easy expressway access. Hotels and Restaurants in the area, within walking distance.

 

It also moves the Cubs to a more centralized location that is more easily accessible to fans in the suburbs. There's a lot of fan base in the expanding NW and western burbs, but getting to games is a limiting factor. I'd go to more Sox games, but I HATE driving from Hoffman Estates all the way to the south side.

[DukeNukeEm]

The Cubs are not moving. They will lose their entire fanbase overnight.

 

The only thing keeping people going to games is Wrigley, nobody watches them on TV, and while they still move a lot of merchandise you'd figure that'll suffer too with the end of Wrigley. That ballpark is a crutch on which an unbelievably bad franchise can stay ludicrously profitable while running out a bottom 5 MLB roster every year. It'll never move.

[pettie4sox]

Would the Cubs REALLY want to move to land immediately adjacent to O'Hare? Plane noise all day long.

 

That being said, it's a nice location. PLENTY of space for actual parking lots. Easy expressway access. Hotels and Restaurants in the area, within walking distance.

 

It also moves the Cubs to a more centralized location that is more easily accessible to fans in the suburbs. There's a lot of fan base in the expanding NW and western burbs, but getting to games is a limiting factor. I'd go to more Sox games, but I HATE driving from Hoffman Estates all the way to the south side.

 

Take the metra you weenie.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Take the metra you weenie.

I think Metra/El would take even longer. It's not a matter of distance or driving, it's time.

15 minutes to nearest train station.

Wait for train

60+ minutes from Barrington to Ogilvie

15 minute walk to LaSalle Street Station

Wait for Train

10 minutes from LaSalle to 35th Street

 

By my best guess, if I left my house at 4pm, i would not arrive at US Cellular until 06:21pm. Then i need to make the 2+ hour commute back home.

Edited March 19, 2013 by Athomeboy_2000

[southsider2k5]

Would the Cubs REALLY want to move to land immediately adjacent to O'Hare? Plane noise all day long.

 

That being said, it's a nice location. PLENTY of space for actual parking lots. Easy expressway access. Hotels and Restaurants in the area, within walking distance.

 

It also moves the Cubs to a more centralized location that is more easily accessible to fans in the suburbs. There's a lot of fan base in the expanding NW and western burbs, but getting to games is a limiting factor. I'd go to more Sox games, but I HATE driving from Hoffman Estates all the way to the south side.

 

There is no chance the Cubs move to Rosemont. None.

 

This is just the Stephens mob trying to take advantage of this situation. Heck I wouldn't even be surprised if Rickets set this up to try to gain some leverage against Rahm and the City of Chicago.

[LittleHurt05]

There is no chance the Cubs move to Rosemont. None.

 

This is just the Stephens mob trying to take advantage of this situation. Heck I wouldn't even be surprised if Rickets set this up to try to gain some leverage against Rahm and the City of Chicago.

 

Exactly. The reason why Ald. Tunney is acting like such a penis is because he can. He knows the Cubs aren't going anywhere and need Wrigley more than Wrigleyville needs the Cubs. The possibility of them moving to the suburbs is their only chance for leverage, and it's hard to convince people it's legit.

[Soxbadger]

Wrigleyville will be fine with or without the Cubs. Its basically just another Lincoln Park at this point, its just a place where people congregate to get drunk, like Division, 6 corners, etc.

 

[Chicago White Sox]

I disagree with those who say Wrigleyville would be fine without the Cubs.

 

First, all the rooftops would obviously have to close. Second, a good chunk of the bars on Clark Street would have to shut down as well. Most of them rely on income during baseball season to survive throughout the year. A few bars would survive of course, but Wrigleyville would have a hot mess on its hands.

[Harry Chappas]

If the cubs move to rosemont can't the city not allow them to use the name Chicago?