Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel yesterday said that he "wants to find a way to save 97-year-old Wrigley Field, but the taxpayer-financed plan being floated anew by Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts is a 'nonstarter,'" according to Fran Spielman of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Ricketts is "trying again to convince the city to forfeit 35 years' worth of amusement-tax growth to finance" a $210M renovation of the ballpark. Ricketts "had hoped for a different outcome with Emanuel ... after striking out" with outgoing Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn. But Emanuel "during a post-election meeting with Ricketts" said that he "reiterated the 'healthy skepticism' he expressed during the campaign about using taxpayer dollars to renovate Wrigley." Emanuel added that it is "not his job to suggest financing alternatives to Ricketts" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/30). Emanuel: "They have to come up with a proposal that works, both for them as well as for the public" (WBEZ.org, 3/30).
STICKING TO THEIR PRINCIPLES: In Chicago, Toni Ginnetti notes the Ricketts family "a year and a half into their ownership" of the franchise "anchored their principles, from making the team less dependent on free agency, to player development, to beginning the long-term task of creating a Wrigley Field for the future." Ricketts: "We've always talked about three goals: win a championship, preserve Wrigley Field and be a great neighbor." Wrigley renovations "could hinge on some kind of public financing help." But "improvements to the locker-room facilities, which began last season, have continued with an expansion of the training room," which "now includes X-ray equipment to help quickly diagnose some injuries." Fans this year "will see remodeled Sheffield Grill and Captain Morgan Club eateries," and Ricketts said that the "Batter's Eye area in center field will have windows instead of fixed glass 'so people can feel the game.'" Ginnetti also notes the Cubs have "aspired to be more cordial to surrounding businesses, rooftop owners and residents." The team "invested in one of the rooftop clubs last season when it was in danger of financial failure" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/30).
HOME IMPROVEMENT: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Don Muret reported the Cubs are "rearranging a few group areas at Wrigley Field to free up more room to mingle." The team reconfigured the Bud Light Batter's Eye lounge, replacing "two rows of long countertops with round tables to provide more space for people to move around." The lounge also will have "new windows that open slightly to give those premium ticket holders some fresh air and a greater sense of the sights and smells of the game." The Cubs also have "improved the look and feel of the Captain Morgan Club, an indoor-outdoor space just outside the ballpark." A circular bar "in the tented area should create more energy and excitement" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/28 issue).
