Extreme Makeover: Wrigley Edition?
So now that the Cubs have a new owner, what's next for their home, Wrigley Field? Included in the sale of the team, the iconic stadium may be in for some renovations soon. In question is the Wrigley 2014 plan which would account for $250 million in upgrades and fixes to the stadium that would - hopefully - spruce the Friendly Confines up enough to host the 2014 All-Star Game. And the reason for stressing 2014? That's the ballpark's 100th birthday. What's going to be fixed? According to the Sun-Times: "new concourses, washrooms, concessions, skyboxes and a club seating lounge." Not on the menu: clearing the bleachers of annoying drunk frat boys and girls in pink Cubs hats that have no idea what's happening on the field (full disclosure: I'm the lone die-hard Cubs fan on staff, or, rather, the only staff member brave or stupid enough to publicly claim that).
Fans could also be in for a pedestrian stretch similar to the very popular Yawkee Way next to Fenway Park.
Adjacent to the ballpark, the team would finally develop the so-called triangle building and turn the street in between into a Fenway Park-style pedestrian promenade bustling with shops and restaurants.The five-story triangle building promised to Wrigleyville residents in exchange for a bleacher expansion was supposed to house a 400-space garage, upscale restaurants, retail stores and rooftop garden and below-ground batting cages, pitching mounds and player workout facilities.
New owner Tom Rickett hasn't signed off on the renovations and the family may be a bit gun shy on the cost after shelling out $900 million for the deal. Ricketts family spokesman Dennis Culloton said, "Presuming Tom and the family get this deal done and Major League Baseball approves them, then they'll sit down and look at all of the Wrigley plans and see what they want to do going forward."