The Rosemont Cubs? Suburban Mayor Offers Team 25 Acres Of Land For New Ballpark
By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 19, 2013 2:00PM
Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens’ proposal to give the Chicago Cubs 25 acres of land to develop a ballpark complex in his suburb may not be as “potentially viable” as Comcast SportsNet’s David Kaplan wrote Monday, but it does serve as a reminder as to how much revenue the Ricketts family is missing out on while their plan to renovate Wrigley Field remain stalled.
Let’s start with Stephens’ plan. The land, located at Balmoral and the Tri-State Tollway, does pose some enticing options for Cubs brass, starting with a 3 percent amusement tax. (The combined amusement taxes of Chicago and Cook County are 12 percent.) In addition to being located right by the Tollway, the land is located near the Rosemont Blue Line station so fans can take advantage of public transit to attend ballgames.
Kaplan crunched some numbers that showed the Cubs are missing out on nearly $100 million thanks to the amusement tax, revenue sharing with the rooftop clubs and caps on night games, concerts and street festivals, and signage restrictions stemming from Wrigley Field’s landmark status. Stephens called Rosemont “very pro-development” and the Rickettses footing the bill for the project would be a boon for his town.
That’s a rose-colored view, pun intended. Here’s why Stephens’ plan is a non-starter: As one of the state’s largest tourist attractions, Wrigley Field is a major economic engine for the Cubs, Chicago and Illinois. The allure of heading to Clark and Addison for a game is more romantic than hopping on the Kennedy and driving out of the city to see the Cubs. And the Ricketts family, the city, rooftop owners and surrounding neighborhood realize this. Even last year's 101-loss team drew 2.8 million to the Friendly Confines. Dedicated as the Cubs fan base is, we don't see them completely moving with the ballclub to a suburban ballpark.
The Ricketts’ plan to relax Wrigley Field’s landmark status in order to finance the renovations the ballpark sorely needs may be held up by Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) and rooftop owners right now, but the Cubs are still determined to broker a deal, despite the swipes Stephens took at Tunney.
"Tunney is trying to appease everybody, but he is losing sight of what the engine is that drives the economy of the community," Stephens told (Kaplan). "He says that this is one of the richest families in America, but he has to realize that he has to do business with them. Rosemont is very pro-development and we understand that a good deal for the business is a good deal for the community."
Ricketts family spokesman Dennis Culloton told Kaplan, “The family appreciates the expressions of interest from Rosemont and others, however the current focus is to work toward an agreement with the City of Chicago.”