Tunney Talks Wrigley Field, Lists His Demands
Ald. Tom Tunney says he has a few priorities when it comes to the controversial renovation of Wrigley Field.
The Chicago Cubs have announced revised plans for renovations of Wrigley Field, but Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) says he's sticking to his guns to protect Lake View and its residents.
Tunney released an official statement Tuesday evening outlining how he feels about the drastic and controversial renovation project the Cubs released Saturday. And according to the alderman, his first priority is maintaining a quality of life for neighbors.
“As I have stated in the past, there is no doubt that Wrigley Field is a Chicago treasure and an economic engine for the 44th Ward,” Tunney said. “While I support job growth and development within our ward, I was elected to represent the residents and to ensure the overall well-being of the Lakeview community.”
Cubs Executive Vice President of Community Affairs Mike Lufrano told the packed ballroom at the Cubs Convention Saturday that neighborhood relations are a top priority. He said making Lake View thrive is an important focus of the project.
“The Rickets family has really led the way to encourage us to be good partners, and that includes the neighbors around the ballpark,” Lufrano said.
However, with controversy revolving around public funding, parking, the number of night games played and more, tensions between the two have been high.
In the statement, Tunney outlined his priorities in working with the Cubs on their request for changes in the landmark status and zoning tied to the renovations.
Tunney's Priorities Include:
- A 10-year extension of the Neighborhood Protection ordinance that would include a limit on night games and concerts held annually at Wrigley Field.
- A dedicated police detail unit for all Wrigley Field events, especially post game coverage.
- An improved streetscape—lighting, sidewalks, traffic signals, identifiers and landscaping—on Clark Street to enhance commercial activity and on Sheffield Avenue to preserve the residential district.
- A commitment to restore the CTA Sheridan Red Line El Station.
- A limit on street closures of Sheffield or Waveland Avenues for any Cubs Street Festivals.
- An updated planned development for the proposed Triangle building and plaza on Clark Street north of Addison. This development should include space for public and community events like farmer's markets and ice skating.
- A long-term agreement between the Chicago Cubs and its rooftop partners concerning advertising inside and outside of Wrigley Field that has the approval of the Landmarks Commission, the City and our community.
However, the public's demands are what have the Cubs saying residents should pay up. Cubs President of Business Operations Crane Kenney said if the public wants to dictate how they operate, then they can help pay for the $300 million renovation through an entertainment tax.
“In most ballparks, if you’re a publically funded facility like our friends on the South Side, there’s an amusement tax,” Kenney said. “...If this is such an asset (to the community) and we’re being restricted, we need some help. If they want to treat us like the other 29 (privately owned) clubs, where we can play games whenever, have advertisements, the Rickets will be prepared to write the check.”
Funding and neighborhood issues aside, Tunney said he think the two will be able to soon reach an agreement that will work for both parties. And with the five-year renovation expected to begin this fall, the compromises will have to come quick.
“Keeping the priorities and residents' views in mind, I believe we can work together to find a compromise that will allow Wrigley Field to expand and improve while keeping an inviting and safe environment within our neighborhood,” Tunney said.
Tunney says he's yet to see a formal, updated plan on renovations the Cubs plan to do to Wrigley Field. The team says the plan to give a similar presentation gave at Saturday's Cubs Convention during Wednesday night's 44th Ward Community Directed Development Council meeting.
Dave McLaughlin
8:22 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Fix the real issues; parking in the area - especially on game days, drunks relieving themselves on the local buildings around the field and the absolute lack of sporting facilities for the local school kids. My guess is we have less than a half dozen sports fields available for the 10,000+ school kids in the area. Crane Kenney's arrogance reminds me of Bush and his re-building of the Rangers stadium at the expense of the local community.
Tom H.
10:07 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Not sure I understand how Crane Kenney is arrogant? He is pointing out that other sports teams (some of which have significantly less impact on the city) have received SUBSTANTIAL support from the city.
The White Sox got $167 million in Illinois tax dollars, to build Comiskey (which is far from a historical landmark) then got $41 million renovation in 2004 that was paid for by the state handing over naming rights to the stadium to the team, which sold them for $68 million. Then the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, the government agency that built and owns The Cell, paid $3.2 million for construction of the new Bacardi at the Park restaurant across the street plus just about everything inside the place.
Furthermore, the current owners of the United Center are asking the city for an extended property tax break to help finance an $85 million to construct a retail and practice facility in the West Loop that will benefit them.
The $600 million renovation of Soldier Field in 2002 has relied on Illinois' hotel tax, which took a tumble during the recession and forced the state to cover a debt payment shortfall in 2011 using Chicago's portion of the state income tax.
Tom H.
9:57 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
As an area resident, I support this development. Yes, the area is more congested in the summer. This isn't going to make it more congested. That's impossible. It actually will likely redirect and control the traffic. Instead of watching all the Cardinal's fans hop on the el to go to hotels downtown, they'll stay in our hood and spend more money. But no, let's support the rooftops who would not have a lucrative business if it wasn't for the stadium in the first place. We've given the rooftops concessions, allowing them to build higher when the bleachers were built. Time to give the Cubs some concessions so they can generate revenue and pull a team together. Do I get frustrated by Cubs traffic? Yes. But I knew the deal when I bought here. For the most part, I embrace it. It's actually pretty awesome to be close to such an amazing historical and cultural entity, and I'm not a boozing Cubs fan. But you better believe I walk my kid over to the stadium to peak through the gates; teach her "Take me out to the Ball Game,"; and take them out on our deck to listen to the seventh inning stretch. Let's recognize where the strengths of this neighborhood are, and instead of stonewalling a development plan, try to take a helpful approach...pose or brainstorm solutions that benefit the Cubs and the neighborhood residents. The two can co-exist. They have for almost 100 years. Get a grip folks, particularly Tunney.
Dave McLaughlin
10:43 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Tom, you list a litany of monies spent on sports teams and stadiums. And you seem OK with continuing this insanity. I am not. But my priorities are not the same as yours. I would rather see City money going into programmes to help with the pathetic shortage of sports facilities for the children in this area - a half dozen sports fields for 10,000 plus school kids is not acceptable. Schools are blocking off side roads so their kids can get some kind of run around. You want to give more money to owners of sports teams. Time to end that insanity.
Tom H.
12:06 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Dave,
I agree. My point was that prior stadiums were funded with public money. This stadium renovation (and construction of a hotel) is to be funding with private money. This is all to be funded privately for what is the Second or Third largest tourist attraction in the state of Illinois. It is an HUGE asset to the city and state and if the Ricketts want to privately fund it, people like Tom Tunney need to say thank you and stop trying to protect people (roof top owners) that have contributed tens of thousands of dollars to his campaign war chest.
Further, i was defending Crane Kenney who only pointed out that other teams have had public subsidies and if the Cubs aren't going to get one, then they should be able to do what they want. I feel the Cubs and the Ricketts understand the assets of the ballpark and surrounding area and they know that there are things (the rooftops) that you don't adversely impact so as to risk what the neighorhood brings to them.
The Truth
12:00 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
I would have to say raise your kids in the suburbs where there is more open space then. This is a city! You're the same people complaining about cigarette smokers in public while jibber/jabbing on your self-absorbed cellphone with the stroller planted at a bus stop with black smoke spewing on Baby Huey's face when the big monster truck pulls away. I've seen this.
Be an adult and raise your children in greener pastures and let THEM decide where they want to live when they reach 18. I would NEVER raise a child in this city.
Everyone wanted to see the intersection of Diversey/Clark/Broadway turned into a park but it didn't happen. Walmart moved in.
Gunnery Sgt Hartman
12:38 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Crane kenney forgets that Wrigley is a unique case, where the neighborhood is part of the charm of the park. Second, the Wgite Sox deal was one of the worst exmaples of giveaways; that being said, if he wants to deed Wrigley over to the State, then he can get the use of the entertainment taxes. Did he forget that the state doesn't own Wrigley? it's like the folks at the Latin school complaining about how much government funding Lincoln Elementary gets.
Longtime Lakeview Resident
6:25 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Thank you! Someone who points out the enormous difference in comparing Wrigley to US Cellular, the ownership of the facility. Ricketts bought the team & Wrigley 3 years ago knowing full well the neighborhood ordinances, but now he wants to ignore them to increase his profit. As a long-time resident of the area, I could care less about preserving the big-business rooftops view, they lost their charm a long time ago. I don't care about him building a hotel, or triangle building, or putting signs up in the ballpark. What the neighborhood cares about is the increased crime, pollution, & congestion that comes with evening events. The community allowed the increase from 0 to 18 night games to 30 night games to now concerts. Evening events create a lot more problems in the neighborhood than daytime events, & I do not think people realize just how much worse things are for the people that live there. If the State of Illinois owned Wrigley, we could be talk honestly about amusement taxes & demands that other pro teams made, but this is a different situation & those were bad eals. The state doesn't own Wrigley, & it's a truly residential neighborhood unlike others in baseball, with ordinances to protect residents safety. We genuinely love living near the ballpark, but we hope north shore suburbanites like Ricketts and Kenney get what it's like to live there & deal with the problems that are a direct result of their profit center. We need to limits on night events and increased police
Garry Albrecht
9:50 am on Friday, January 25, 2013
My issue is the 'rooftopers'. They operated like a biz. There should share the costs of renovation with the Cubs along with community association supervision.