The Dreaded M-word...

[Boondock Saint]

Originally Posted by Dan H

I agree. Ricketts is not going to move. Take away the Wrigely neighborhood and all you have is a lousy baseball team that is going to stay lousy for the years to come.

Whiny David Haugh thinks that Ricketts should be able to do what he wants with Wrigley. Once Ricketts irons out some legal problems, I agree. As long it is with his money.

Bingo. But he'd have to be stupid to move the team.

[DumpJerry]

Wrigleyville residents are afraid the Cubs will turn their quiet neighborhood into Times Square, but I'm thinking more like the Vegas Strip in terms of signage and bright lights.

[Red Barchetta]

Originally Posted by DumpJerry

Wrigleyville residents are afraid the Cubs will turn their quiet neighborhood into Times Square, but I'm thinking more like the Vegas Strip in terms of signage and bright lights.

What I never have understood about this argument is that the ballpark was there before the residents (unless their brownstones were handed down through family generations).

The fact that someone could buy a home a few blocks away from a major league ball park and then complain about the noise and traffic of night games is ridiculous. Sort of like buying a condo on the Vegas stip and then complaining about the lights never turning off.

[Steelrod]

Why is the word moving dreaded?
I wish nothing more than them to move! Anywhere.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by Red Barchetta

What I never have understood about this argument is that the ballpark was there before the residents (unless their brownstones were handed down through family generations).

The fact that someone could buy a home a few blocks away from a major league ball park and then complain about the noise and traffic of night games is ridiculous. Sort of like buying a condo on the Vegas stip and then complaining about the lights never turning off.

Um, obviously those of us who live close enough to Wrigley to be affected by it on gamedays are aware the park is there and are willing to make sacrifices. I don't think most residents around here have a problem with giving a little to the Cubs. Half of the charm of Wrigley Field is the vibrant, affluent surrounding neighborhood. But when the Cubs keep coming in and asking for more concessions, more night games, and more burden on their neighbors, yes, it does become a problem. They're not the only residents here. They're only a part of this neighborhood. If they want to have 81 night games a season and have 20 Jumbotrons and advertising as far as the eye can see, they're more than welcome to do that, but they won't because the Wrigleyville and surrounding neighborhoods are too important to them.

It's no different than if someone bought a house that backed up to busy 4-lane road. Obviously that person would have to live with the fact that there would be traffic noise, but if the county came in and said they were going to widen it to 8 lanes, I have a feeling some people wouldn't just roll over and take it.

This may come as a shock to some people, but not everyone wants to live in a place where the roads look like this:

[C-Dawg]

Originally Posted by doublem23

This may come as a shock to some people, but not everyone wants to live in a place where the roads look like this:

Taco Bell... McDonald's...

Let me guess - Addison St. out in front of Wrigley Field?

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by C-Dawg

Taco Bell... McDonald's...

Let me guess - Addison St. out in front of Wrigley Field?

Yeah, and it's ****ing horrible, so I'm happy to see they're finally working on a solution, but replacing some ****ty advertising with more, brighter ****ty advertising isn't exactly the ideal solution.

[Red Barchetta]

Originally Posted by doublem23

Um, obviously those of us who live close enough to Wrigley to be affected by it on gamedays are aware the park is there and are willing to make sacrifices. I don't think most residents around here have a problem with giving a little to the Cubs. Half of the charm of Wrigley Field is the vibrant, affluent surrounding neighborhood. But when the Cubs keep coming in and asking for more concessions, more night games, and more burden on their neighbors, yes, it does become a problem. They're not the only residents here. They're only a part of this neighborhood. If they want to have 81 night games a season and have 20 Jumbotrons and advertising as far as the eye can see, they're more than welcome to do that, but they won't because the Wrigleyville and surrounding neighborhoods are too important to them.

It's no different than if someone bought a house that backed up to busy 4-lane road. Obviously that person would have to live with the fact that there would be traffic noise, but if the county came in and said they were going to widen it to 8 lanes, I have a feeling some people wouldn't just roll over and take it.

This may come as a shock to some people, but not everyone wants to live in a place where the roads look like this:

It can also be looked at from the owner of the ballclub perspecitve as well. I'm sure Wrigley never expected to have to concede anything to residents who built grandstand seating on their rooftops to view his product without paying for tickets. The only difference between that and the 4-lane road analogy is that the 4-lane road doesn't have city aldermen on its side.

[Parrothead]

Originally Posted by doublem23

Um, obviously those of us who live close enough to Wrigley to be affected by it on gamedays are aware the park is there and are willing to make sacrifices. I don't think most residents around here have a problem with giving a little to the Cubs. Half of the charm of Wrigley Field is the vibrant, affluent surrounding neighborhood. But when the Cubs keep coming in and asking for more concessions, more night games, and more burden on their neighbors, yes, it does become a problem. They're not the only residents here. They're only a part of this neighborhood. If they want to have 81 night games a season and have 20 Jumbotrons and advertising as far as the eye can see, they're more than welcome to do that, but they won't because the Wrigleyville and surrounding neighborhoods are too important to them.

It's no different than if someone bought a house that backed up to busy 4-lane road. Obviously that person would have to live with the fact that there would be traffic noise, but if the county came in and said they were going to widen it to 8 lanes, I have a feeling some people wouldn't just roll over and take it.

This may come as a shock to some people, but not everyone wants to live in a place where the roads look like this:

you won't have to worry about all the lights and signs, they will be facing inside the park and there will be big scoreboards in the outfield to shield the lights from getting to the rooftops.

You all you people complaining....you knew the park was there before you moved in (unless you moved there over 100 years ago) quit complaining. It is like moving near an airport and complaining about the noise.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by Red Barchetta

It can also be looked at from the owner of the ballclub perspecitve as well. I'm sure Wrigley never expected to have to concede anything to residents who built grandstand seating on their rooftops to view his product without paying for tickets. The only difference between that and the 4-lane road analogy is that the 4-lane road doesn't have city aldermen on its side.

That and the Cubs have a contract with the rooftop owners that runs for another 11 years.

Originally Posted by Parrothead

you won't have to worry about all the lights and signs, they will be facing inside the park and there will be big scoreboards in the outfield to shield the lights from getting to the rooftops.

You all you people complaining....you knew the park was there before you moved in (unless you moved there over 100 years ago) quit complaining. It is like moving near an airport and complaining about the noise.

**** that. The Ricketts have been here for 3 seasons and they're suddenly allowed to run this neighborhood like they own the place? What a ****ing joke. They knew what they were getting into when they plunked down nearly a billion dollars for the team and the park (or, if they didn't, they're morons who don't deserve pity either way). Nobody here is asking the Cubs to retract what they already do, almost all of us who live here are well aware of the sacrifices we have to make for the Cubs and we accept them, but that doesn't mean giving them a blank check to destroy the fabric of this place that drew us here in the first place. I don't care what the Cubs do with their own building, but when you start talking about throwing up skywalks and electronic advertising outside the park? Then you start infringing on the public space.

Again, I get that some of you guys live in miserable places and have given up hope. That's fine. Those of us who live here don't. Every community in Chicago that is still thriving can thank a strong, tight-knit community advocacy groups that ensure that quality of life for the residents of the neighborhood is still a priority in the city's business. If the Cubs don't like it, they can move to ****ing Rosemont. They can build a replica of their ****hole in a ****hole town. It's karma.

[DumpJerry]

Originally Posted by Parrothead

you won't have to worry about all the lights and signs, they will be facing inside the park and there will be big scoreboards in the outfield to shield the lights from getting to the rooftops.

You all you people complaining....you knew the park was there before you moved in (unless you moved there over 100 years ago) quit complaining. It is like moving near an airport and complaining about the noise.

Originally Posted by doublem23

**** that. The Ricketts have been here for 3 seasons and they're suddenly allowed to run this neighborhood like they own the place? What a ****ing joke. They knew what they were getting into when they plunked down nearly a billion dollars for the team and the park (or, if they didn't, they're morons who don't deserve pity either way). Nobody here is asking the Cubs to retract what they already do, almost all of us who live here are well aware of the sacrifices we have to make for the Cubs and we accept them, but that doesn't mean giving them a blank check to destroy the fabric of this place that drew us here in the first place. I don't care what the Cubs do with their own building, but when you start talking about throwing up skywalks and electronic advertising outside the park? Then you start infringing on the public space.

Again, I get that some of you guys live in miserable places and have given up hope. That's fine. Those of us who live here don't. Every community in Chicago that is still thriving can thank a strong, tight-knit community advocacy groups that ensure that quality of life for the residents of the neighborhood is still a priority in the city's business. If the Cubs don't like it, they can move to ****ing Rosemont. They can build a replica of their ****hole in a ****hole town. It's karma.

Ricketts thinks that he bought a neighborhood and not a baseball team and its park. The sheer arrogance of this is appalling, it has now gone beyond a "baseball thing" because we're talking about transforming an entire community's character.

The Tribune Company could have easily done the same thing. They had the money, they had the political clout. They chose to be responsible neighbors.

I'm looking forward to the day the karma comes back around and bites Ricketts in the ass. It will happen. Not today. Not tomorrow. But some day.....


This whole thing started as "we need to renovate Wrigley Field" to "we need to make people forget that the Cubs play baseball and the Cubs are a Disney-like source of entertainment."

[russ99]

I can understand the perspective of the team dealing with the rooftop owners. But if you sign a contract, you shouldn't decide later to push it.

And that's what Ricketts is doing - pushing everyone a little more to see what he can get. If he gets more, why not push a little more. 3 concerts, 5 concerts, concerts with a street fair, more nite games, more seats, more video boards, more ads, even more nite games, etc. Give him what he wants and 2-3 years later, he'll be at it again.

The thought that the Cubs need some of these concessions to be economically viable is downright laughable.

The residents have a legitimate concern, and as anyone who's gone to the bars in the area on a Friday or Saturday night can attest to, the last thing they want are a ton of drunken idiots hanging out at "Cubs Square" all hours of the night. Plus this wouldn't just an issue during Cubs dates, that would be a year-round issue.

Ironic, the Cubs used the Trib use to spin lies about Bridgeport being problematic...

[blandman]

Originally Posted by doublem23

Um, obviously those of us who live close enough to Wrigley to be affected by it on gamedays are aware the park is there and are willing to make sacrifices. I don't think most residents around here have a problem with giving a little to the Cubs. Half of the charm of Wrigley Field is the vibrant, affluent surrounding neighborhood. But when the Cubs keep coming in and asking for more concessions, more night games, and more burden on their neighbors, yes, it does become a problem. They're not the only residents here. They're only a part of this neighborhood. If they want to have 81 night games a season and have 20 Jumbotrons and advertising as far as the eye can see, they're more than welcome to do that, but they won't because the Wrigleyville and surrounding neighborhoods are too important to them.

It's no different than if someone bought a house that backed up to busy 4-lane road. Obviously that person would have to live with the fact that there would be traffic noise, but if the county came in and said they were going to widen it to 8 lanes, I have a feeling some people wouldn't just roll over and take it.

This may come as a shock to some people, but not everyone wants to live in a place where the roads look like this:

Doublem, I get your argument. I just think the neighborhood is failing to realize that the Cubs can't operate with as much sacrifice as they're asking. Yeah, they did it for years, and that's part of the reason they've been the clowns of the league. The reality is, you're either going to see a lot more of what you see in that picture, or you're going to see none of it because it's all going to be somewhere else, along with the Cubs. The Cubs are going to play the bulk of their games as night games, and they're going to have all the amenities of a legit ballpark neighborhood. Wrigleyville needs to decide if it's the neighborhood or not.

[SI1020]

Originally Posted by blandman

Doublem, I get your argument. I just think the neighborhood is failing to realize that the Cubs can't operate with as much sacrifice as they're asking. Yeah, they did it for years, and that's part of the reason they've been the clowns of the league. The reality is, you're either going to see a lot more of what you see in that picture, or you're going to see none of it because it's all going to be somewhere else, along with the Cubs. The Cubs are going to play the bulk of their games as night games, and they're going to have all the amenities of a legit ballpark neighborhood. Wrigleyville needs to decide if it's the neighborhood or not.

I totally agree with the blandman on this. Especially the bolded.

[Moses_Scurry]

I just want this saga to drag on as long as humanly possible. It's been quite entertaining!