6 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I won't believe it until kick off happens. Honestly, the Bears don't want to be there, and are just using Indiana to get concessions out of Illinois.

We’ll see. I was initially thinking about moving to Wisconsin for the lower taxes, my son going to college there, and New Glarus, even with having to put up with Packers fans. But I might have to consider Indiana if they have the Bears, Colts, and Three Floyds. 🤣

6 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

We’ll see. I was initially thinking about moving to Wisconsin for the lower taxes, my son going to college there, and New Glarus, even with having to put up with Packers fans. But I might have to consider Indiana if they have the Bears, Colts, and Three Floyds. 🤣

Look, if you want lower taxes, lower costs, and Three Floyds, The Region is the place for you. It's Chicago without the taxes. If that was your last kid that just graduated, you will miss out on the worst part of the state, which is the educational system.

3 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Look, if you want lower taxes, lower costs, and Three Floyds, The Region is the place for you. It's Chicago without the taxes. If that was your last kid that just graduated, you will miss out on the worst part of the state, which is the educational system.

The older one just graduated from Brother Rice HS. The younger one has two more years there. I plan to GTFO of Cook County once the younger one graduates from HS.

Edited June 25Jun 25 by WhiteSox2023

1 minute ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

The older one just graduated from Brother Rice HS. The younger on has two more years there. I plan to GTFO of Cook County once the younger one graduates from HS.

In all seriousness, if you don't need your kids to be educated, it is a great place to live. Everything costs less, starting with property taxes. I pay no more than 1% of my homes assessed value every year. After last years tax cuts, I was back under $1000 for the whole year. Plus, even out here I am an hour to downtown by car, and an hour and 15 minutes by train. I live a mile from the beach, two miles from the Dunes National Park, and a bunch of other stuff. if you have any questions about specific spots, feel free to reach out.

2 hours ago, WBWSF said:

I went to Tuesdays night game. Being a season ticket holder I got invited to a season ticket holder event in one of the suites. The only thing I had to pay for was the parking. The food was decent and I had Harold Baines sign his autograph on his MLB HOF postcard for my collection. The suite was next to the CHSN TV booth. The suite was the very last suite at the end of the stadium. It was miserable sitting up there. I should have brought binoculars. JR ruined this stadium by demanding that the second level of suites be included in the stadium design. I went downstairs on the concouse after the 7th inning. I'm hoping that the new owner doesn't make the same mistake as JR did with the new stadium design. Also I noticed that studio host Chuck Garfien doesn't like being bothered with talking with the fans. I've noticed it in the past at previous functions. If he doesn't like talking withe fans he should look for another line of work.

Aren't the TV and radio booths right behind home plate? I know the press box was moved to the first base side of the 400 level a number of years ago, so was your suite past the press box along the 1st base side?

JR's plan to have two solid rows of luxury suites sandwiching a very small (only 5 rows deep) club level was indeed one of the things that ruined the stadium by pushing anyone who isn't in the lower deck all the way up to the 500 level. As far as I know, they have never filled all those suites, either. Plus that members-only/not-for-regular-fans Stadium Club eats up a good chunk of space down the 1st base side too.

I've been to several other post-Camden ballparks and the luxury suites are blended in well throughout the park and aren't two massive blocks between the lower and upper deck. There's plenty of very good seats available for regular fans in the 200 and 300 level, including more club level seats available than at Rate Field.

46 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

Aren't the TV and radio booths right behind home plate? I know the press box was moved to the first base side of the 400 level a number of years ago, so was your suite past the press box along the 1st base side?

He's talking about where they do the pre/post game shows, not the normal booths.

7 minutes ago, DoUEvenShift said:

He's talking about where they do the pre/post game shows, not the normal booths.

7 minutes ago, DoUEvenShift said:

He's talking about where they do the pre/post game shows, not the normal booths.

The suite was near the left field foul pole next to the pre/post game show suite.

It sure has been quiet about the new Bears stadium.

The Rays have released 5 new renderings for their proposed new ballpark. Looks pretty cool. but lets see if they can secure funding for it.

They're saying that capacity will be just over 30,000 seats. That's similar to the A's new stadium in Vegas and that sounds very low to me.

https://www.mlb.com/news/rays-reveal-interior-renderings-of-proposed-tampa-ballpark

Edited July 9Jul 9 by 77 Hitmen

Related Development partners,LLC (Auchi, Mansueto) are seeking $425 Million TIF financing to make infrastructure improvements which mainly consists of a 1,200 space underground parking garage (similar in capacity to the Grant Park South underground garage)

Related's proposal is that the City of Chicago own and operate the garage and that the City can have some share of parking revenue on days when there is no soccer match. Mayor Brandon has been a vocal supporter of the proposed TIF financing. However, the proposed funding has drawn criticism from some members of the City Council including Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez who stated that the use of public money contradicts earlier assurances about private financing. "If the owner of the Chicago Fire states that they will use only private money, then do so. But you cannot have it both ways, and now say, well, it's going to be about $425 million," Sigcho-Lopez said.

This bait and switch reminds me of the ballroom deal.

Edited to add - in a hopefully unrelated matter: https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-crime-police-investigating-explosion-outside-25th-ward-ald-sigcho-lopezs-home-west-21st-street-south-damen-avenue/19291456/

Edited July 9Jul 9 by tray

It's almost as if as soon as this started, I said there were already existing parking structures there, and others would happen as well.

I wonder if Ishbia would be interested in a retractable roof or a dome. If the team was good, it would certainly help with April and May attendance.

Edited July 9Jul 9 by Dick Allen

3 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

It's almost as if as soon as this started, I said there were already existing parking structures there, and others would happen as well.

Uh, the parking garage off Randolph was part of the proposed plan for at least 2 years. Not sure what existing parking structures you are referring to or really, what you are talking about. The information in my post was about how Related partners (Auchi, Mansueto) are seeking TIF financing (instead of Mansueto's original promise to use his own money). Because the Mayor and his allies in the City Council support the TIF, I would imagine it will be approved. Related originally included a certain amount of affordable housing in their plans submitted to the City, but now, they have flip-flopped on that as well.

Edited July 9Jul 9 by tray

I would think that all that TIF money wouldn't be spent for just 20 soccer games a year. They must feel the White Sox stadium is a done deal at that location.

39 minutes ago, WBWSF said:

I would think that all that TIF money wouldn't be spent for just 20 soccer games a year. They must feel the White Sox stadium is a done deal at that location.

Nothing is a 'done deal' until it is officially announced to the media and public. Just look at the Bears situation.

2 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Nothing is a 'done deal' until it is officially announced to the media and public. Just look at the Bears situation.

Nothing is official until it opens, just ask the Spire.

3 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

Nothing is official until it opens, just ask the Spire.

Forgot about that thing. It did earn a Wikipedia page though…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Spire

15 hours ago, Dick Allen said:

I wonder if Ishbia would be interested in a retractable roof or a dome. If the team was good, it would certainly help with April and May attendance.

A retractable roof would be cool, but the maintenance cost is really high. I would not want a non-retractable dome stadium even though they are practical in our climate.

10 minutes ago, Falstaff said:

A retractable roof would be cool, but the maintenance cost is really high. I would not want a non-retractable dome stadium even though they are practical in our climate.

If the money is available a retractable roof is the way to go, the White Sox have had notoriously low crowds down through the years with cold weather in April and May. Look how well the Brewers draw with the smallest metro area in MLB.

Edited July 10Jul 10 by The Mighty Mite

On 7/7/2026 at 9:31 AM, WBWSF said:

It sure has been quiet about the new Bears stadium.

I am preparing for the worst-case scenario that the Bears end up in Indiana. I have determined to donate all Bears shirts, jackets, and jerseys to Goodwill instead of burning them. As far a new team to root for its slim pickings. As a kid I liked the Cowboys with Dandy Don Meredith, Bullet Bob Hayes and Bob Lilly, but Jerry Jones is a total buzz kill. My pro football interest might be OVAH.

19 hours ago, Dick Allen said:

I wonder if Ishbia would be interested in a retractable roof or a dome. If the team was good, it would certainly help with April and May attendance.

4 hours ago, Falstaff said:

A retractable roof would be cool, but the maintenance cost is really high. I would not want a non-retractable dome stadium even though they are practical in our climate.

Perhaps he would consider a retractable roof, but there are a few downsides: 1) It could easily add a half a billion $ to the cost of a stadium and that's without the maintenance costs that Falstaff mentions; 2) It would require more acreage than an open-air stadium and both the Amtrak site and the 78 are already tight on space; and 3) they'd have to be careful with the design so that the stadium doesn't end up looking like a warehouse like in Texas or Arizona. On the plus side, it would help draw more fans during those early season cold weather games and Ishbia could use the facility for events such as concerts even during the winter.

An ABSOLUTE NO to a fixed roof dome. It's not needed in Midwest cities like Chicago where people want to see games outdoors after maybe the first 6 weeks or on rainy days. It would mean artificial turf and being indoors when it's a beautiful 75 degree day outside. Such a thing makes more sense in Vegas or Tampa where they'd have to have the roof closed for all but maybe the first month of the season anyway. I think Houston has only opened their roof a few times per season. Ishbia would be crazy to spend all that extra money for a fixed roof only for people to complain about not wanting to see a game in a sterile indoor environment during the summer.

Edited July 10Jul 10 by 77 Hitmen

4 hours ago, Falstaff said:

I am preparing for the worst-case scenario that the Bears end up in Indiana. I have determined to donate all Bears shirts, jackets, and jerseys to Goodwill instead of burning them. As far a new team to root for its slim pickings. As a kid I liked the Cowboys with Dandy Don Meredith, Bullet Bob Hayes and Bob Lilly, but Jerry Jones is a total buzz kill. My pro football interest might be OVAH.

Just wondering - why?

2 hours ago, JoeC said:

Just wonder - why?

Because I am a fanatic, loyalty goes with the territory.

On 7/9/2026 at 4:02 PM, WBWSF said:

I would think that all that TIF money wouldn't be spent for just 20 soccer games a year. They must feel the White Sox stadium is a done deal at that location.

Speaking of TIF money:

West Loop TIF funds to back infrastructure around Chicago...

The shift raises fresh questions about taxpayers’ role in one of the most consequential local megadevelopments.

Chicago officials plan to redirect $287 million of West Loop property tax revenue for infrastructure surrounding Chicago Fire FC’s new stadium at the 78, a shift poised to help jumpstart the South Loop megaproject and reduce risk for developer Related Midwest.

Edited July 13Jul 13 by 77 Hitmen

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/07/14/chicago-bears-stadium-indiana-hammond/