DuPage County (Ill.) Board Chair Dan Cronin is now among the "list of suburban politicians angling to lure" the Cubs "if there’s an unlikely collapse" in the team's $300M Wrigley Field renovation deal with the city of Chicago, according to Dardick & Sachdev of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Cronin yesterday said that he has "instructed his county’s economic development board to scout locations for a 'replica' Wrigley." He added, "We have learned that the Cubs have become particularly disappointed, disenchanted, unhappy with the progress of their negotiations with the city." Team Owner the Ricketts family spokesperson Dennis Culloton responded, "There are no plans at this time to listen to any other presentations" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/13). Cronin said that the county became interested "after being approached by an unnamed intermediary of the Ricketts family." He added DuPage County will "have something to propose within 10 days." However, Culloton said that Cubs Chair Tom Ricketts "has never talked directly to Cronin about moving the team." Culloton: "They have met once or twice, but they have never spoken about this issue. I can't speak to whether someone else suggested it to them." Cronin said county officials have identified "no less than two and no more than four" possible locations for a new ballpark (Illinois DAILY HERALD, 6/13). In Chicago, Fran Spielman reports DuPage also has "conducted a marketing study that shows the Cubs would earn even more money in the western suburbs, even though the demographics of the team’s fan base would change dramatically from bar-hopping singles to families." Cronin said that the team would earn an extra $17M per year "right off the bat, since DuPage County has no amusement tax" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 6/13).
