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Wrigleyville Leaders Voice Concerns Over Cubs' Request For Extended Liquor Sales

Wrigleyville community leaders yesterday "accused the Cubs of running roughshod over the neighborhood -- and ignoring legitimate public safety concerns -- in a heavy-handed attempt to open what they called the 'Midwest’s largest beer garden,'" according to Fran Spielman of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. In a letter to Cubs Chair Tom Ricketts, local leaders "accused the Cubs of pulling the plug on months of negotiations in favor of an end-run around area residents" and their local Alderman Tom Tunney. At issue is the Cubs’ "surprise decision to apply for a patio permit that could pave the way for extended liquor sales" -- until 11:00pm CT on weekdays, at midnight on weekends -- at an "open-air plaza adjacent to a renovated Wrigley Field." If the team’s request is granted, the Cubs "would have a patio liquor license '30 times larger' than Chicago’s largest, which has a maximum capacity of 200 patrons." Community leaders said that it would "threaten both the safety of local residents and 'the quality of life that we’ve worked so hard to preserve while living in the shadow of Wrigley Field.'" The letter states, "It is not the responsibility of the community to help the Cubs owners generate revenue. And we won’t be bullied into meeting the demands of the Cubs organization by attacks on our process in the media.” Spielman notes Wrigleyville residents "have already accused" Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel of "going too far by giving the Cubs the go-ahead to put up two video scoreboards, four other outfield signs, extend the Wrigley footprint onto public streets and sidewalks without compensating Chicago taxpayers, and play more night games" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/18).

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