Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel made it clear yesterday he has "gone as far as he intends to go in relaxing rules governing the sale of beer and wine at an open-air plaza adjacent to Wrigley Field and advised the Cubs to accept the deal and declare victory," according to Fran Spielman of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Emanuel: "When you express your bottom lines and they’re met, sometimes you've just got to be able to take 'yes' for an answer. ... They wanted more than eight events. And that has been, by [Alderman Tom] Tunney and myself agreed to." He added, "They expressed what their bottom lines were. And we have an agreement on that. We’re gonna be moving forward." Cubs VP/Communications & Community Affairs Julian Green said, "Our answer and any further details about the plaza will be communicated directly to the city to bring this to resolution" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 6/14). Emanuel said that the City Council "will pass a new ordinance this month with or without the team's support." In Chicago, John Byrne notes the ordinance would "allow the Cubs to sell beer and wine until one hour after day games end in the courtyard the team is building on Clark Street next to the park, and only until the end of night games." Emanuel's administration said that game tickets "would be required to enter the plaza on game days." In addition to concerts at the ballpark "approved in advance, the Cubs would be allowed to hold 12 other 'special events' in the plaza, defined as either having more than 1,000 people in attendance or one where alcohol is sold." The ordinance "will lapse in three years." The Cubs "want considerably more control over the plaza than what they are given" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/14).
