Wrigley Field Night Game Ordinance Passes City Council Committee; Plaza Beer And Wine Plan Delayed
By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 4, 2013 10:40PM
An ordinance that would increase the number of night games at Wrigley Field to as many as 43 per season passed the City Council License and Consumer Protection Committee Wednesday but they held off on approving a proposal endorsed by Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) for an “outdoor sports plaza” ordinance where the Cubs could serve beer and wine and watch live music.
Tunney’s proposal has run into resistance from Wrigleyville home and bar owners who fear the outdoor sports plaza ordinance would lead to a spike in public nuisance complaints and a reduction in business for the bars that rely on Cubs fans and Wrigley Field visitors as their main sources of revenue. The proposal would allow the Cubs to serve beer and wine from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. on weeknights and from 11 a.m. until midnight on weekends. It would allow the Cubs to sell alcohol during non-baseball related events like concerts at Wrigley Field and allow patrons to carry alcohol from the plaza to the ballpark and vice-versa.
Tunney said he’ll bring the ordinance back to the community for further discussion and tweaking.
“It’s a brand new type of license, so we’ve got a lot of work to do. . . . The community wants more input. . . . I’m sure we’ll have a substitute,” Tunney said.
Cubs vice president Mike Lufrano told the Sun-Times the proposed ordinance is tied to the ballclub’s renovation plan for Wrigley Field and the club is willing to discuss the details with the surrounding community. "It really allows us to do what other teams can do on much bigger footprints with much bigger space. Other teams have bigger concourses. We’re able to use the plaza as part of our concourse,” he said.
The night game ordinance, if approved by the full City Council, would allow for 35 night games per season and grant the Cubs the right to schedule up to eight more night games per season to accommodate national television contracts without having to go to City Council for approval. In return, the Cubs will provide free parking for up to 1,000 cars and hire 10 more security guards for crowd control for two hours after games Sunday-through-Thursday and three hours Friday and Saturday. The new hires are in addition to 10 more officers funded by local businesses and 10 police officers provided by the city per game.