Could the White Sox be coming to the South Loop in the future?
According to Daryl van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times, sources believe the White Sox are considering building a new stadium on the land at Clark and Roosevelt known as “the 78.” While not much is known at this time, the talks are considered “serious” by those with knowledge of the situation.
According to van Schouwen, the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, which owns and financed Guaranteed Rate Field, has not yet been involved in the discussions. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Jerry Reinsdorf released a joint statement related to the matter, stating:
“We met to discuss the historic partnership between the team and Chicago and the team’s ideas for remaining competitive in Chicago in perpetuity.”
Named after its potential to become Chicago’s 78th neighborhood, “The 78” is a large, undeveloped plot of land near the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Clark Street. It has been in the news quite a bit recently, as developers begin to try and figure out just what will be done with the land.
The 78 Chicago website is dedicated to a vision for the future of the land that “can galvanize communities and transform the city.” Prospective plans include an innovation center, riverfront access, and housing, among other ideas. However, the only concrete plan for this land is Governor J.B. Pritzker’s plan to use part of the property for a University of Illinois tech research center known as “Discovery Partners Institute.” Bill Jackson, the executive director of Discovery Partners, said he has heard the White Sox may be interested and thinks the team would make a great neighbor for the four acres of land they plan to use.
It’s certainly been an offseason filled with rumors surrounding the White Sox’s future at Guaranteed Rate Field. Early in the offseason, there were the initial reports that Jerry Reinsdorf was considering moving the team away from its home at 35th and Shields, with Arlington Heights, Soldier Field, the United Center, and even Nashville among rumored areas of exploration. Nothing concrete is known at this time – especially since this could all be for nothing as a leverage play for a new stadium in Bridgeport.
As for the site’s accessibility: according to the Sun-Times, sources said mass transit access — the nearby Roosevelt station serves the CTA’s Red, Green, and Orange lines — could reduce the need for stadium parking. With the Chicago River just west of the site, Sun-Times’ sources also noted the possibility of a water taxi service for game-day crowds. As a reminder: the White Sox’s current lease for Guaranteed Rate Field does not end until after the 2028 season.
Should more information become available, we will continue to provide updates.
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Featured Image: By Sea Cow – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=119413656
The Reinsdorf should have to pay for this themselves. Not a single dime of public money should be given out.
The Reinsdorf Cabal has been stealing from the taxpayers, fans, city, county & state for decades. So jf they want a new place to play, Jerry can pay it.