What Do The Ricketts Have In Store For Wrigley?

By Marcus Gilmer in Miscellaneous on Aug 26, 2009 4:00PM

Actually, not a whole heck of a lot, for now. It seems that the new owners of Wrigley Field, as well as the Cubs (pending MLB owners' approval), have plans but they're a ways off. Which is understandable, given the boat-load of money they just dropped to buy the stadium and team (and a 25 percent stake in Comcast Sports Net Chicago). Sources familiar with the plans tell Crain's that any work to the stadium won't happen for four or five years and that even then the undertaking won't be as massive as the Tribune Company's renovation plans for the ballpark were; the Ricketts are aiming to spend around $250 million as opposed to the TribCo's $450 million-$600 million range.

Among the upgrades possibly coming? According to Crain's:

The family views as perhaps its biggest new moneymaker the development of the so-called “triangle building” on the stadium’s west side, along Clark Street, one source said. Tribune has had a similar project on the drawing board for years. It would likely include a restaurant, shops, parking and other amenities, but the Ricketts family doesn’t yet have firm plans for the project, the source said.

Other elements are likely to include upgraded skyboxes, a lounge area, widened concourses, better bathrooms and concessions, and some sort of fan-friendly space between the triangle building and the stadium, a source said.

So. No dome then. Good.