47 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

If anything, neighborhood and Ald. Lee's opposition could slow things down significantly. If Amtrak and Canal Edge want to head off that possibility, they'd be wise put some effort into coming up with ways to mitigate noise, light, air pollution impacts on the nearby residential areas. Those type of things should be feasible and not uncommon when addressing local concerns.

I think this is what the Bridgeporters will actually be able to muscle. It’s less about killing the project and more about throwing a wrench (or two, three, etc.) into Amtrak’s gears. If the residents are actually capable of delaying this project, I’m sure Ishbia will grease their palms. He/his firm is the one designing the maintenance facility, after all, so sound and light barriers can certainly be arranged if needed.

Another professional sports franchise Billionaire boy toy, this time Jared's brother Josh Kushner buying the Lakers.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/aug/21/los-angeles-lakers-12-5bn-sale-bob-iger-josh-kushner-private-equity-nba

Today teams are flipped with the calculated emotionlessness that a real estate speculator might get rid of a block of cheaply renovated apartments, and the old ideas of heritage, tradition, family, and community that once bound the pro leagues’ owner dynasties to their teams are now mostly useful as a rhetorical device, rather than a set of values to respect in practice.

There are still teams in the NBA holding out against the tide of private money: the Indiana Pacers have been in the same (majority) hands since 1983, the Chicago Bulls since 1985. But many long-time owners are now spying the exit, which is understandable given the boom in franchise valuations.

The NBA opened up to institutional money – investment from private equity firms, hedge funds, venture capital funds, and the like – in 2022, the first big pro league in US sports to embrace the worldwide emergence of sport as an investible asset class like technology or construction. It makes a rough kind of sense, given the NBA’s status as first mover, that basketball is now at the forefront of a fresh intensification in the sports investment cycle.

Iger and Kushner’s deal to buy the team will have to be structured in various tricky and byzantine ways – most likely as a consortium involving a number of individuals and firms, with finance coming via a mix of debt and cash. The families are out; the sharks are in.

What exactly does private equity want from sport? “Good returns” may seem like the simplest answer, and when appraising the surplus a figure like Walter has been able to extract in a single year from the Lakers, it’s hard not to feel that’s also the best answer..Others have speculated that the rich guys’ (and it is almost always a guy stumping up the cash) newfound interest in sport is a bid for cultural relevance, a cry for attention and perhaps even love amid the vexed politics of extreme wealth in an age of populist rage. No doubt there’s some truth to that, too. But the typical sports investor of the future probably looks more like Josh Kushner than Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos/

But to the Kushners of the world, what the Lakers are, above all, is a hedge.

The old NBA of Jerry Buss was about making money, building dynasties, giving the fans a good time, and injecting sport with a slick of Hollywood glamor. The new NBA of Josh Kushner is about saving investor-owners’ bank balances from the consequences of their own poor decisions. Everything else in sport now is secondary to the basic imperative of investor enrichment and protection. Once the Lakers were Showtime; now they are Insurance Time.

I think when Ishbia breaks ground, soxtalk members who can make it should all show up to the ceremony and offer huge thumbs up and carry “In for Ishbia!” Signs

28 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

I think when Ishbia breaks ground, soxtalk members who can make it should all show up to the ceremony and offer huge thumbs up and carry “In for Ishbia!” Signs

The sooner he breaks ground the better as far as I'm concerned. I wonder if he would start building the stadium before he actually takes ownership of the team.

9 minutes ago, WBWSF said:

The sooner he breaks ground the better as far as I'm concerned. I wonder if he would start building the stadium before he actually takes ownership of the team.

Good questions good questions

14 minutes ago, WBWSF said:

The sooner he breaks ground the better as far as I'm concerned. I wonder if he would start building the stadium before he actually takes ownership of the team.

I agree that way we can finally end all the talk from some (Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, SAY no more!) about the Sox moving to Nashville! 😗

1 hour ago, WBWSF said:

The sooner he breaks ground the better as far as I'm concerned. I wonder if he would start building the stadium before he actually takes ownership of the team.

Probably not. This might be why Reinsdorf and Ishbia agreed to such a long timeline for possible ownership transfer. It doesn't even start until the year the current ballpark lease expires and Reinsdorf's option to sell window of 2029-2033 seems to line up very closely to the timeline of when a new stadium might be constructed.

I don't expect us to hear any stadium proposal from Ishbia until the Amtrak property sale is finalized....and probably sale of the BNSF yard too. Until that's all done, he probably doesn't see any benefit of getting too far ahead of himself.

7 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

I don't expect us to hear any stadium proposal from Ishbia until the Amtrak property sale is finalized....and probably sale of the BNSF yard too. Until that's all done, he probably doesn't see any benefit of getting too far ahead of himself.

Also probably why Ishbia has been phrasing this as a Northwestern Medicine development/campus rather than a potential stadium site. If I’m remembering correctly, Ishbia and his representatives haven’t actually said anything about using the Amtrak yard for a future White Sox stadium. All that talk has stemmed from journalists (correctly) deducing that such is the case. Until he owns the land itself, it’s wise to not make plans known publicly (which is also likely why he and his team made sure Amtrak’s presentation at UIC was never publicly released).

6 hours ago, Kyyle23 said:

I think when Ishbia breaks ground, soxtalk members who can make it should all show up to the ceremony and offer huge thumbs up and carry “In for Ishbia!” Signs

no..."Sell the team".

21 hours ago, tray said:

I went to the last home game with two other couples, inc a former Chicago Policeman, his wife and a few friends in one guys' Wagoneer. They heartily laughed when I asked if any of them or their kids would ever consider taking a train to anywhere downtown, especially at night. Hey, I won't be around to see what thet fellow wants to build but as I told my friends, I hate to see some guy from Detroit do what he proposes doing. It's pretty sad, but oh well.

So someone from Bridgeport is afraid to go downtown?

Do you actually expect someone to believe this "story"

3 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

So someone from Bridgeport is afraid to go downtown?

Do you actually expect someone to believe this "story"

Isn’t Reinsdorf originally from Brooklyn?

Probably his fault the Dodgers went west, too.

On 8/30/2026 at 5:15 PM, WBWSF said:

A couple of the local Chicago TV stations have showed how the citizens of Bridgeport and the Alderman are gathering to oppose the proposed Amtrak railyard in Bridgeport. If the railyard is not moved how would that affect the new baseball stadium in the South Loop? I can't believe the city would oppose the new railyard in Bridgeport. We'll have to wait and see how this plays out.

On 8/30/2026 at 6:04 PM, WBWSF said:

If there is no land for the new stadium what happens after that? The new owner doesn't want to stay at the present location.

Earlier I just replied that the Amtrak deal is unlikely to fall through. However, it's still a possibility. This is Chicago, after all. If the Amtrak land purchase effort fails, then perhaps the fallback option would be to build a new ballpark on the site of Old Comiskey and develop an entertainment district around it on the site of the current stadium and some of the parking lots. Then the question becomes whether such a district there would really draw enough people on non-game days to be financially viable.

26 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

Earlier I just replied that the Amtrak deal is unlikely to fall through. However, it's still a possibility. This is Chicago, after all. If the Amtrak land purchase effort fails, then perhaps the fallback option would be to build a new ballpark on the site of Old Comiskey and develop an entertainment district around it on the site of the current stadium and some of the parking lots. Then the question becomes whether such a district there would really draw enough people on non-game days to be financially viable.

The feds have already committed $600 million to the Amtrak relocation, and Ishbia is kicking in another $125 million, so it's extremely unlikely that the city will walk away from that kind of investment (and the potential for billions of dollars more to redevelop the current Amtrak site.)

But in the event that happened, the original 78 site south of the soccer stadium could still be a possibility for a ballpark.

1 hour ago, 77 Hitmen said:

Earlier I just replied that the Amtrak deal is unlikely to fall through. However, it's still a possibility. This is Chicago, after all. If the Amtrak land purchase effort fails, then perhaps the fallback option would be to build a new ballpark on the site of Old Comiskey and develop an entertainment district around it on the site of the current stadium and some of the parking lots. Then the question becomes whether such a district there would really draw enough people on non-game days to be financially viable.

Honestly, I get the feeling that the reason that nothing ever happened around the new park was because the neighborhood didn't want it, and that's why the Sox are looking to move a couple of miles north.

9 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Honestly, I get the feeling that the reason that nothing ever happened around the new park was because the neighborhood didn't want it, and that's why the Sox are looking to move a couple of miles north.

I’d wager that it was Jerry’s lack of ambition (he could’ve had Camden Yards) or the ISFA not caring to develop or sell their land before I would wager it was the alderman/neighborhood. Bridgeport loves being the home of the White Sox.

1 minute ago, Mouthsider said:

I’d wager that it was Jerry’s lack of ambition (he could’ve had Camden Yards) or the ISFA not caring to develop or sell their land before I would wager it was the alderman/neighborhood. Bridgeport loves being the home of the White Sox.

So what is different between there and the west side where he is building like crazy around the UC?

2 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

So what is different between there and the west side where he is building like crazy around the UC?

I’d imagine the Wirtz family’s involvement, as well as Michael Reinsdorf taking over operations for the Bulls, are factors that would incentivize Jerry to join in developing land around there. Furthermore, the successful development of West Loop over the past couple of decades has created a domino effect heading west, so a development of the 1901 Project’s scale makes more sense to do now. Lastly, Reinsdorf and Wirtz actually own those parking lots. The ISFA owns Rate Field’s lots, so any development would involve getting the ISFA on board.

Edited September 1Sep 1 by Mouthsider

Just now, Mouthsider said:

I’d imagine the Wirtz family’s involvement, as well as Michael Reinsdorf taking over operations for the Bulls, are factors that would incentivize the owners to develop land around there. Furthermore, the successful development of West Loop over the past couple of decades has created a domino effect heading west, so a development of the 1901 Project’s scale makes more sense to do now. Lastly, Reinsdorf and Wirtz actually own those parking lots. The ISFA owns Rate Field’s lots, so any development would involve getting the ISFA on board.

Supposedly Bridgeport has been on the same (or better) elevator ride up. I am also not following why the ISFA WOULDN'T want development around Sox Park as it would mean more people at games, which is more tax dollars to all of the entities involved here? The Sox have also had plenty of huge dollars come in from their investors like Hobson and now Ishbia in the last five years.

Just now, southsider2k5 said:

Supposedly Bridgeport has been on the same (or better) elevator ride up. I am also not following why the ISFA WOULDN'T want development around Sox Park as it would mean more people at games, which is more tax dollars to all of the entities involved here? The Sox have also had plenty of huge dollars come in from their investors like Hobson and now Ishbia in the last five years.

Bridgeport is nowhere near as corporate/apartment centered. It has more family-based residences, so the Near West Side is a better demographic for that type of development. I can’t speak onto the ISFA part since they’re a black-box state department. Jerry is much easier to characterize and predict, since he’s only one person, has owned the team forever, and tends to be a creature of habit.

I agree with you that it would make sense for the lots to be developed, but unfortunately nothing of the sort has been made publicly known since the Armour Field proposal. Because of this, I think it’s more likely that the relevant authorities just weren’t interested in it to begin with, rather than Bridgeporters shutting a potential development down.

5 minutes ago, Mouthsider said:

Bridgeport is nowhere near as corporate/apartment centered. It has more family-based residences, so the Near West Side is a better demographic for that type of development. I can’t speak onto the ISFA part since they’re a black-box state department. Jerry is much easier to characterize and predict, since he’s only one person, has owned the team forever, and tends to be a creature of habit.

I agree with you that it would make sense for the lots to be developed, but unfortunately nothing of the sort has been made publicly known since the Armour Field proposal. Because of this, I think it’s more likely that the relevant authorities just weren’t interested in it to begin with, rather than Bridgeporters shutting a potential development down.

To me, with all of the complexities and moving parts of what is happening around making the South Loop deal happen, it doesn't seem to jive with the idea of JR being lazy for sure. The laziest thing possible would be staying put and adding on around the existing facility. Instead they are in some major projects with railroads around a landswap to get something done. The Sox not being able to get what they want in Bridgeport and looking for green pastures elsewhere is a TON more work for Jerry and this franchise.

1 minute ago, southsider2k5 said:

To me, with all of the complexities and moving parts of what is happening around making the South Loop deal happen, it doesn't seem to jive with the idea of JR being lazy for sure. The laziest thing possible would be staying put and adding on around the existing facility. Instead they are in some major projects with railroads around a landswap to get something done. The Sox not being able to get what they want in Bridgeport and looking for green pastures elsewhere is a TON more work for Jerry and this franchise.

I see what you’re saying, but that’s all Ishbia’s doing. Remember that while Ishbia has been working the Amtrak angle, until recently, Reinsdorf’s been saying that his focus is on getting an entirely publicly-funded stadium at the 78… even though his next-in-line was known to be exploring a different site. Besides, the South Loop stadium has only been in the works for maybe 5(?) years now. Reinsdorf’s had ample time, but unfortunately he’s developed nothing around the stadium. It just seems like a lack of ambition.

3 minutes ago, Mouthsider said:

I see what you’re saying, but that’s all Ishbia’s doing. Remember that while Ishbia has been working the Amtrak angle, until recently, Reinsdorf’s been saying that his focus is on getting an entirely publicly-funded stadium at the 78… even though his next-in-line was known to be exploring a different site. Besides, the South Loop stadium has only been in the works for maybe 5(?) years now. Reinsdorf’s had ample time, but unfortunately he’s developed nothing around the stadium. It just seems like a lack of ambition.

Even Jerry trying to get a stadium at the 78 is a lot more than just trying build in the Old Comiskey parking lot. THAT is lack of ambition. With everything happening around the UC, and absolutely nothing at Sox Park, there has to be more than selective laziness.

1 minute ago, southsider2k5 said:

Even Jerry trying to get a stadium at the 78 is a lot more than just trying build in the Old Comiskey parking lot. THAT is lack of ambition. With everything happening around the UC, and absolutely nothing at Sox Park, there has to be more than selective laziness.

I tend to believe the simplest explanation is the most likely explanation. Jerry was handed plans to Armour Field, a first-of-its-kind, mixed-use, ballpark-centered neighborhood, but gave it all up so that he could lease parking lots owned by the state. He’s won a single World Series off trapping lightning in a bottle, and has come nowhere close since. Now, he’s asking the state to fund a new stadium (again) and to include a ballpark district to surround it. He’s just not an ambitious guy. He’s hardly willing to take on any risk. So, that all being said, I think it’s a lot simpler of an explanation to say that he just never bothered to raise a finger towards developing around 35th and Shields than it is to blame Bridgeport for shutting down a development that he probably never came up with.

Bridgeport isn’t perfect by any means, but inventing a way that those residents could’ve screwed over Jerry, of all people, just doesn’t compute to me for the reasons I’ve said.

4 minutes ago, Mouthsider said:

I tend to believe the simplest explanation is the most likely explanation. Jerry was handed plans to Armour Field, a first-of-its-kind, mixed-use, ballpark-centered neighborhood, but gave it all up so that he could lease parking lots owned by the state. He’s won a single World Series off trapping lightning in a bottle, and has come nowhere close since. Now, he’s asking the state to fund a new stadium (again) and to include a ballpark district to surround it. He’s just not an ambitious guy. He’s hardly willing to take on any risk. So, that all being said, I think it’s a lot simpler of an explanation to say that he just never bothered to raise a finger towards developing around 35th and Shields than it is to blame Bridgeport for shutting down a development that he probably never came up with.

Bridgeport isn’t perfect by any means, but inventing a way that those residents could’ve screwed over Jerry, of all people, just doesn’t compute to me for the reasons I’ve said.

Again, the easiest thing would be just to stand pat on both accounts. He didn't stand pat with the Bulls. He also isn't standing pat with the Sox. He's taking on risk both on the west side of Chicago, and massive risk in the south Loop. The most simple thing to do would be the status quo in Bridgeport. He didn't do that, even before the sale announcement with looking for a new park in the 78. The next easiest thing to do would be to build new on site in Bridgeport. He didn't do that in the 78 pitch, nor does he appear to be doing that with the crazy complex transaction about to happen around the south loop. That is NOT the most simple explanation.

Could you imagine if DeBartolo was allowed to buy the White Sox and JR wound up buying the Cubs a year later? They would have moved out of Wrigley. Old park, no lights at that time, and no parking lots as far as the eye can see. They would be playing in a suburban ballmall (one word Marriotti got right) with a Pittsburgh Pirates like payroll.