11 minutes ago, DoUEvenShift said:

I can think of at least 1 more

For all of the talking, I would bet money he doesn't even live in Bridgeport.

34 minutes ago, CBJ03 said:

Are the Bridgeport residents the only ones that are upset with this proposal or are there more?

I haven't really heard of others being upset about this. The local media has been all over this because a bunch of people shouting at officials at a public hearing makes for a good news story, but I haven't seen any indications that people outside of that neighborhood are mad about this.

Quigley and Mendoza are running for mayor and say they'd block this. Other politicians (the current mayor, the Gov, the 2 Senators, at least one other mayoral candidate) have only said that Amtrak needs to be transparent and should work with the residents to address their concerns.

FWIW, many people commenting on YouTube and Facebook in reaction to this news story point out that this facility will be on an existing railyard. But that's a very unscientific read.

I don't know if others here have a better read on the general reaction to this.

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

Explain to me why long before Ishbia got into the picture, that it was Jerry who was first pushing for a stadium on this site?

Also, do you really not understand why a team that isn't dead last in MLB in overall revenues might actually be great for the future success of the franchise? The Cubs made an estimated $552 million last season. The Sox made $224m. Do you enjoy having a historically awful team? I know I don't. I would love to be able to do things like sign real free agents instead of D listers like Andrew Benitendi.

Your singular hatred of one person, for no good reason, blinds you to literally every single objective thought about the future of this franchise.

1) Jerry claimed the current location is not economically viable and wanted to move the team to the 78 closing in on 3 years ago (January 2024) - long before Ishbia entered the picture as a possible successor to him. His ask was ~$1B in taxpayer money for the ballpark.

2) Amtrak identified the Bridgeport railyard parcels as their desired location for a modernized maintenance yard several years ago - again, long before Ishbia entered the picture.

3) Ishbia was working on buying the Twins and not part of the Sox future ownership plans while the first two items were happening.

I mean, those are actual facts of what happened. The only thing that is opinion here is JR's assertion that the Sox cannot compete at the current site. That's open to debate, but the rest is just plain and simple facts of what has transpired. All the meltdowns, lashing out, manufactured motives, and laugh emojis can't change reality.

I suspect the singular, irrational hatred of Ishbia stems from the fact that he is the one guy who has the wealth to provide enough private investment to make this happen. Ishbia’s wealth enabling this to happen is probably true. If this were up to the Reinsdorfs, as rich as they are, they don't have the personal liquidity to make this happen, so the South Loop stadium would probably remain a pipe dream.

Almost all other new stadiums include hundreds of millions in public money to build the thing (including for the A's, Rays, and Royals). Here, Ishbia is suggesting that he'll privately finance the ballpark. I'd imaging that is welcome news to most fans and most taxpayers. Are residents suppose to be outraged because he'd also benefit from such an enormous private investment? What do residents of Nevada, Tampa, and KC think about a stadium being proposed in Chicago where the only public funding is for infrastructure?

Edited 11 hours ago11 hr by 77 Hitmen

14 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

1) Jerry claimed the current location is not economically viable and wanted to move the team to the 78 closing in on 3 years ago (January 2024) - long before Ishbia entered the picture as a possible successor to him. His ask was ~$1B in taxpayer money for the ballpark.

2) Amtrak identified the Bridgeport railyard parcels as their desired location for a modernized maintenance yard several years ago - again, long before Ishbia entered the picture.

3) Ishbia was working on buying the Twins and not part of the Sox future ownership plans while the first two items were happening.

I mean, those are actual facts of what happened. The only thing that is opinion here is JR's assertion that the Sox cannot compete at the current site. That's open to debate, but the rest is just plain and simple facts of what has transpired. All the meltdowns, lashing out, manufactured motives, and laugh emojis can't change reality.

I suspect the singular, irrational hatred of Ishbia stems from the fact that he is the one guy who has the wealth to provide enough private investment to make this happen. Ishbia’s wealth enabling this to happen is probably true. If this were up to the Reinsdorfs, as rich as they are, they don't have the personal liquidity to make this happen, so the South Loop stadium would probably remain a pipe dream.

Almost all other new stadiums include hundreds of millions in public money to build the thing (including for the A's, Rays, and Royals). Here, Ishbia is suggesting that he'll privately finance the ballpark. I'd imaging that is welcome news to most fans and most taxpayers. Are residents suppose to be outraged because he'd also benefit from such an enormous private investment? What do residents of Nevada, Tampa, and KC think about a stadium being proposed in Chicago where the only public funding is for infrastructure?

I mean seriously, we have a dude saying I DO NOT WANT TAXPAYER MONEY, I GOT THIS, and somehow it is a bad thing. No more welfare queen billionaire hand outs sounds great to me.

1 hour ago, 77 Hitmen said:

1) Jerry claimed the current location is not economically viable and wanted to move the team to the 78 closing in on 3 years ago (January 2024) - long before Ishbia entered the picture as a possible successor to him. His ask was ~$1B in taxpayer money for the ballpark.

2) Amtrak identified the Bridgeport railyard parcels as their desired location for a modernized maintenance yard several years ago - again, long before Ishbia entered the picture.

3) Ishbia was working on buying the Twins and not part of the Sox future ownership plans while the first two items were happening.

I mean, those are actual facts of what happened. The only thing that is opinion here is JR's assertion that the Sox cannot compete at the current site. That's open to debate, but the rest is just plain and simple facts of what has transpired. All the meltdowns, lashing out, manufactured motives, and laugh emojis can't change reality.

I suspect the singular, irrational hatred of Ishbia stems from the fact that he is the one guy who has the wealth to provide enough private investment to make this happen. Ishbia’s wealth enabling this to happen is probably true. If this were up to the Reinsdorfs, as rich as they are, they don't have the personal liquidity to make this happen, so the South Loop stadium would probably remain a pipe dream.

Almost all other new stadiums include hundreds of millions in public money to build the thing (including for the A's, Rays, and Royals). Here, Ishbia is suggesting that he'll privately finance the ballpark. I'd imaging that is welcome news to most fans and most taxpayers. Are residents suppose to be outraged because he'd also benefit from such an enormous private investment? What do residents of Nevada, Tampa, and KC think about a stadium being proposed in Chicago where the only public funding is for infrastructure?

KC only has two Big 4 professional sports franchises...while Vegas will have 3.

So part of it's a scarcity argument in those markets.

Edited 10 hours ago10 hr by caulfield12

1 hour ago, 77 Hitmen said:

The only thing that is opinion here is JR's assertion that the Sox cannot compete at the current site. That's open to debate, but the rest is just plain and simple facts of what has transpired.

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

I mean seriously, we have a dude saying I DO NOT WANT TAXPAYER MONEY, I GOT THIS, and somehow it is a bad thing. No more welfare queen billionaire hand outs sounds great to me.

Yes and yes. The guy is funding the entire thing himself and only receiving help through taking advantage of existing federal programs for loans/grants. Although I can see the historical appeal of developing the existing area, since Ishbia’s paying for the whole damn thing, he’s more than entitled to use his preferred location.

2 hours ago, Mouthsider said:

Yes and yes. The guy is funding the entire thing himself and only receiving help through taking advantage of existing federal programs for loans/grants. Although I can see the historical appeal of developing the existing area, since Ishbia’s paying for the whole damn thing, he’s more than entitled to use his preferred location.

And he's just taking Jerry's half assed plan to ask for more money and doing it right.

3 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

KC only has two Big 4 professional sports franchises...while Vegas will have 3.

So part of it's a scarcity argument in those markets.

There are plenty of people in KC and Nevada who are not pleased with the amount of public money being given to those MLB stadiums.

https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/poll-more-than-half-of-las-vegas-voters-oppose-public-funding-for-new-as-stadium/

3 hours ago, Mouthsider said:

Yes and yes. The guy is funding the entire thing himself and only receiving help through taking advantage of existing federal programs for loans/grants. Although I can see the historical appeal of developing the existing area, since Ishbia’s paying for the whole damn thing, he’s more than entitled to use his preferred location.

Ishbia putting so much private money into a stadium means he has a lot riding on its success. Taxpayers paid for New Comiskey and when attendance faltered, Jerry wasn't the one on the hook for the cost of paying off the stadium other than the rent he owed to ISFA.

Given all that's at stake in privately-financing a new ballpark, there will absolutely be detailed analysis involved to determine whether spending $1B+ to move to the South Loop and build a new stadium is worth it over just signing a long-term lease at Rate Field.

On the whole, I would think most taxpayers would be happy to see the state of Illinois get out of the stadium financing and maintenance business.

5 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

I mean seriously, we have a dude saying I DO NOT WANT TAXPAYER MONEY, I GOT THIS, and somehow it is a bad thing. No more welfare queen billionaire hand outs sounds great to me.

Yeah, but he's from Michigan and lives in Winnetka. His money is no good here. MLB should decree that the Sox can only be sold to someone who was born on the South Side and who currently resides on the South Side.

....though I guess it's okay that Reinsdorf lives in Highland Park with a winter home in Scottsdale.

South side isn't about Reinsdorf and certainly not about Ishbia . South side means something to the White Sox community - a history here of hard working middle class people, many of whom immigrated in large numbers to the Delta and the South side.

I am not Irish but several of my closest friends are. Many years ago they helped me understand what it meant to be a Southsider and a White Sox fan and it became part of who I am as well.

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

--Written by Tom Black, Tom Walsh, and Terry McEldowney A.K.A. The Irish Choir

We're the Windy City Irish-where the craic is always best
Where every day is Paddy's Day and everyone's a guest
If you're Irish on the North Side or Irish on the West
Welcome to the South Side come join our Irish Fest!

(Chorus) We're the South Side Irish as our fathers were before
We come from the Windy City and we're Irish to the core
From Bridgeport to Beverly from Midway to South Shore
We're the South Side Irish-Let's sing it out once more!

Our parents came from Mayo, from Cork and Donegal.
We come from Sabina's, St. Kilian and St. Gall
Leo, Visitation, Little Flower and the rest.
The South Side parishes are mighty-they're the best!

Chorus

We sing the songs our fathers sang when they were growing up
Rebel songs of Erin's Isle in South Side Irish Pubs
and when it comes to baseball-we have two favorite clubs
The Go-Go White Sox... and whoever plays the Cubs!

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by tray

Oh no, we don't want publicly owned stadiums and facilities. Lets continue to vector wealth inequality and usher in a new age of billionaire robber barons. Ishbia owns the most expensive home in Illinois while his brother has a mega mansion in Michigan and their father is maga wealthy. They own parts or all of major league soccer, baseball and basketball franchises. So you say that is good for everyone? OK then get ready to pay the prices they will charge and no, you will not have anything to complain about. Just look at what this guy is doing now if you have any question about that.