Maxman Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Deal Reached to Expand Wrigley Field CHICAGO - After four years of negotiations, the Chicago Cubs (news) and the city agreed on a plan to add 1,790 seats to Wrigley Field, the National League's oldest ballpark. Officials said construction of the additions is expected to begin after the 2005 season and be completed in time for opening day 2006. "We have been working really hard and are excited to be able to move forward to show our designs to the community," Cubs vice president of community affairs Michael Lufrano said. The plan to expand the bleachers calls for the Cubs to pay the city $3.1 million up front while also contributing about $250,000 toward a park at a local school. The team also will fund a $400,000 traffic signal system at an intersection that borders the northern boundary of Wrigley Field. The plan goes to the Commission on Chicago Landmarks for its approval. The plan, which calls for the construction of a five-story building that includes a 400-space parking garage, restaurant and team offices, also must go through the city's Plan Commission and get the approval of the Chicago City Council. The Cubs initially proposed expansion of Wrigley Field in 2001, suggesting the construction of 2,100 seats. The proposal prompted community opposition, particularly among the owners of rooftop bleachers that overlook the 39,259-seat park, opened in 1914. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Sounds good. Now only if we can prevent large chunks of concrete from falling on the fans... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted March 1, 2005 Author Share Posted March 1, 2005 Sounds good. Now only if we can prevent large chunks of concrete from falling on the fans... Is it falling apart? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 I believe it was last year or the year before that a big piece of concrete fell down into the stands. Luckily, there was no game going on at the time. I love Wrigley and I'm ecstatic that they are renovating it rather than doing away with it for new ballpark. It's refreshing, isn't it, GOB? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patriots4ever Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 I believe it was last year or the year before that a big piece of concrete fell down into the stands. Luckily, there was no game going on at the time. I love Wrigley and I'm ecstatic that they are renovating it rather than doing away with it for new ballpark. It's refreshing, isn't it, GOB? Weren't the Marlins supposed to play a game there because of the hurricanes, only to have it moved to New Comisky because of Wrigley's concrete showers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Weren't the Marlins supposed to play a game there because of the hurricanes, only to have it moved to New Comisky because of Wrigley's concrete showers? I'm not sure. My memory isn't that great because around the time that the Marlins were evading hurricanes, I was drinking them. :twisted: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Wrigley Field is an institution and it and Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium are the ballparks that should never be replaced if you are a true baseball fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted March 1, 2005 Author Share Posted March 1, 2005 Wrigley Field is an institution and it and Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium are the ballparks that should never be replaced if you are a true baseball fan. You had me until the Fenway Park thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patriots4ever Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 You had me until the Fenway Park thing. Ditto that, it's a dump. You can't even move for it's too congested. Forget about getting a beer or going to the bathroom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Ditto that, it's a dump. You can't even move for it's too congested. Forget about getting a beer or going to the bathroom. You see if I was a Yankee fan I would say that that is exactly where the Red Sox belong- in a dump! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patriots4ever Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 You see if I was a Yankee fan I would say that that is exactly where the Red Sox belong- in a dump! In any event, moving on from that, I've never been to Wrigley, but both Fenway and the Toilet are both crummy ballparks. Fenway moreso than Yankee stadium, but it's close. Fenway is in a better area, but there's more room to manuever in the toilet. Each has it's own pros and cons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted March 1, 2005 Author Share Posted March 1, 2005 That's the thing. I was actually being serious. 34,000 fans a game. They need something BIGGER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn306 Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Never been to Fenway but those seat above Green Monster look great. Good luck trying to get them though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavrik Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Weren't the Marlins supposed to play a game there because of the hurricanes, only to have it moved to New Comisky because of Wrigley's concrete showers? If I remember right, Marlins had finished a 3 game series against the Cubs in Chicago and we're supposed to return home for a home series when the hurricanes hit. Cubs had another home series after that and the White Sox were on the road so they put them in Comisky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavrik Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 I've always wanted to visit Wrigley more than any other park in baseball. So much history around it and the stadium for a large part looks the same as it did years ago. Fenway, Yankee Stadium, and Wrigley definitely should never be torn down, because of the historical standpoint. I'll at least get to say I got to watch games at Tiger Stadium before they moved out in 2000. Still wish the hadn't moved... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patriots4ever Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Never been to Fenway but those seat above Green Monster look great. Good luck trying to get them though. They're OK. Depends upon where you're sitting. If you're sitting directly next to one of the light towers, you won't see anything hit to center field. The more towards left center you are, the better the monster seats. However, if you're over there, you can't see anything hit directly down the left field line. It's cool up there, because there's only 300 people, but there are WAY too many blind spots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haggis Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 The Sox are stuck between a rock and hard place. If the team had some success back in the 50s or 60s then it might have been easier to build a new park. Not anymore. The changes at Fenway, although slight, have improved conditions A LOT. The concourse area down the end of the right field grandstand is great and being able to hang on Yawkey before a game and have a beer is a touch I appreciate. That said, I can't get tickets. This team is SO popular now it is damn near impossible to get tickets to games you want. You end up with bleachers against Tampa on a Tuesday night. I'd hate to see Fenway go, but a 70 000 capacity stadium would be incredible. Me and the boys are planning a roadie to Camden Yards April 20th. That park looks like they got things right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 The Sox are stuck between a rock and hard place. If the team had some success back in the 50s or 60s then it might have been easier to build a new park. Not anymore. The changes at Fenway, although slight, have improved conditions A LOT. The concourse area down the end of the right field grandstand is great and being able to hang on Yawkey before a game and have a beer is a touch I appreciate. That said, I can't get tickets. This team is SO popular now it is damn near impossible to get tickets to games you want. You end up with bleachers against Tampa on a Tuesday night. I'd hate to see Fenway go, but a 70 000 capacity stadium would be incredible. Me and the boys are planning a roadie to Camden Yards April 20th. That park looks like they got things right. SJ I went to Camden Yards to watch the Mets play there I think three years ago already- great ballpark to watch a game-if you have time check Inner Harbor there too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Mac Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 I went to Camden Yards to watch the Mets play there I think three years ago already- great ballpark to watch a game-if you have time check Inner Harbor there too.Yeah take the ferry over to Fell's Point. The most bars/square inch than any town in America, including Hoboken. I'll be there for Preakness this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 Yeah take the ferry over to Fell's Point. The most bars/square inch than any town in America, including Hoboken. I'll be there for Preakness this year. T-Mac the number of bars on every street there amazed me -just walk your way through from one place to another Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haggis Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 Jebus now you've done it. Telling a Scotsman it has the most bars per square inch in any US city? SOLD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djaparz Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 that happened in Yankee Stadium also - a concrete chunk fell in the loge area duyring an off day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djaparz Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 so does mean people can stop sitt8ing on bleacehrs of teh apartment bldgs across the street? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 so does mean people can stop sitt8ing on bleacehrs of teh apartment bldgs across the street? Yeah it Does DJ - the Cubs organization has been dying to dukey shute all the poachers with buildings across the street in right and left field for some time. Looks like they will finally get their way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 quote="patriots4ever"] I believe it was last year or the year before that a big piece of concrete fell down into the stands. Luckily, there was no game going on at the time. I love Wrigley and I'm ecstatic that they are renovating it rather than doing away with it for new ballpark. It's refreshing, isn't it, GOB? Weren't the Marlins supposed to play a game there because of the hurricanes, only to have it moved to New Comisky because of Wrigley's concrete showers? They never canceled a game at Wrigley. City Council was threatening to do so as they thought the Tribune Company wasnt hopping fast enough to get the repairs done but nothing got canceled. The Marlins played one game at Wrigley vs. the Cubs that was supposed to be in Fla then played the Expo's at Wrigley (1 game) and Cellular One field (2 games)because of the hurricane. I'm lucky to have Wrigley as my home field, it's a great place to see a game. If any of you JN's are wanting to see a game here and have trouble with tic's - let me know. I've got pretty good connections with certain scalpers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted March 2, 2005 Author Share Posted March 2, 2005 Camden is really good. Basically that is the model that everyone copies nowadays. I do think that Cleveland improved upon it a bit. Really like what they have going on in Cleveland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 quote="patriots4ever"] Weren't the Marlins supposed to play a game there because of the hurricanes, only to have it moved to New Comisky because of Wrigley's concrete showers? They never canceled a game at Wrigley. City Council was threatening to do so as they thought the Tribune Company wasnt hopping fast enough to get the repairs done but nothing got canceled. The Marlins played one game at Wrigley vs. the Cubs that was supposed to be in Fla then played the Expo's at Wrigley (1 game) and Cellular One field (2 games)because of the hurricane. I'm lucky to have Wrigley as my home field, it's a great place to see a game. If any of you JN's are wanting to see a game here and have trouble with tic's - let me know. I've got pretty good connections with certain scalpers If I ever make my way farther north than Tennessee, I might take you up on that offer. I've always said there were three things I wanted to do before I died: 1)Go to the Hall of Fame in Canton, 2)Go watch a Cubs game at Wrigley, and 3)Have a three-way with two porn stars. I'm thinking I might actually have a shot at two of the three. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 If I ever make my way farther north than Tennessee, I might take you up on that offer. I've always said there were three things I wanted to do before I died: 1)Go to the Hall of Fame in Canton, 2)Go watch a Cubs game at Wrigley, and 3)Have a three-way with two porn stars. I'm thinking I might actually have a shot at two of the three. C'mon up Troll - I'll square you away with some choice seats (since it's your first time at the friendly confines) Can't help you out with the pornstars, but there are PLENTY of nice looking ladies at all Cub games. Many of whom subscribe to abusing alcohol at the game and at the mzny establishments surrounding the park after the game. You might be able to put together your own 3sey package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenjetsfan Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 Lets plan a JETNATION baseball game to ....ANYWHERE the YANKEES are....I will make all the necessary arrangements and I won't take a FREE RIDE on you! Make check payable to PAY PAL.... j/k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Mac Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 The Yanks don't play at Wrigley, but the Mets do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanDoug Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 I've always wanted to visit Wrigley more than any other park in baseball. So much history around it and the stadium for a large part looks the same as it did years ago.. Do yourself a favor, go to Wrigley. The train from downtown goes right there. Cool bars and restaurants there. Go early!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanDoug Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 Yeah take the ferry over to Fell's Point. The most bars/square inch than any town in America, including Hoboken. I'll be there for Preakness this year. Very True!!!!! I have fond memories, or lack thereof, of spending 4 or 5 hours at Fell's Point before an O's game. It's a bar hopper's dream. Man, I gotta go back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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