And Is This Anything?

The Sun-Times reported today that the White Sox are in negotiations with a developer for a new stadium about 1-1/2 miles north of Guaranteed Rate Whatever, in the South Loop. To which I can say, yikes. In the ideal world, this land wouldn’t even be available, but, between the Great Recession and COVID, it never got developed. The entire site is 62 acres, with the Sox needing something in the vicinity of fifteen to seventeen for a stadium and parking. This is where it gets truly bizarre. The story relies on a “veteran Chicago-based stadium consultant” who thinks the Sox could get by with a parking structure holding 7,000 cars, everyone else apparently coming by public transportation. And I am the tooth fairy. Yes, Cub fans make use of public transit for games at Wrigley Field, but Sox fans aren’t Cub fans. For generations, South Siders have driven to games. Take a look at photos of Comiskey Park from the 1930s; it was surrounded by parking lots. If anything, the ball mall opening in 1991 has even more parking. Consider what it would take to get fans out of their cars. They won’t flock to the CTA unless crime on the “L” goes way down, and there’s no indication that happening anytime soon. The site is close to several commuter train lines, but people would need to know they could access those trains after a short walk, not the mile-and-a-half it would presently take. Let’s say a super train stop encompassing those lines was built. Who would pay for it? For that matter, who would pay for the stadium? Not a word in the story about financing. Jerry Reinsdorf couldn’t pull off the Ring of Honor ceremony for his Bulls. How would he get Sox fans to take the bus, “L” and train to ballgames? My guess is, he wouldn’t. No, one of two things would happen. The stadium and parking structure would be built, and fans would go ballistic over the lack of parking. Or the new stadium would come with plenty of parking on what should be some of the most valuable real estate in urban America. Eventually, those parking lots would be redeveloped, and fans would go ballistic over the lack of options. Like the philosopher says, stupid is as stupid does.