The Cubs yesterday at a Chicago City Council meeting "agreed to drop a proposed pedestrian bridge over Clark Street" from their $500M Wrigley Field renovation plan, in exchange for city Mayor Rahm Emanuel giving the franchise "more flexibility on scheduling night games," according to Hal Dardick of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. The Cubs under the new measures "would be allowed to play up to 43 regular-season night games instead of the 46 approved a few months ago." Thirty-five night games "would be scheduled prior to the start of the season and another eight would be games that national TV broadcasters ask to be shifted from day to night games." Emanuel's proposed change also would "remove a requirement that the Cubs get city approval to change the game times after Cubs officials said those provisions could be a deal killer." Emanuel additionally is "proposing the Cubs get to put up already-approved new signage with minimal further red tape." The Cubs also would "get city land to push back the exterior right-field wall by seven feet and the left-field wall by 16 feet." Emanuel's Dir of Communications Sarah Hamilton yesterday said that he has agreed to accept $4.75M in "previously pledged neighborhood investments as compensation" for being allowed to move the wall back. Despite steps taken by Emanuel to "get the stalled project moving, Cubs officials indicated they still have no plans to start work." The team has "opted not to start construction without getting an agreement from rooftop club owners not to sue over blocked views" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/17).
