5 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

In that case, I wonder why Amtrak doesn't just release the environmental review they conducted. They said they need approval from the USDOT before they can do that. Is that forthcoming? Maybe that process does indeed take time.

Otherwise, it gives people the impression they're stonewalling and that's fueling this opposition.

Indeed. They currently are awaiting approval per the Crain’s article I just linked.

Amtrak has not released the full environmental studies backing the exclusion, saying today it is waiting on Federal Railroad Administration approval.

The findings in that study’s report, if accurate to Amtrak’s stance, should change the tune of this whole situation pretty quick.

Ald. Lee discusses the Amtrak proposal on Fox 32.

14 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

Ald. Lee discusses the Amtrak proposal on Fox 32.

Pandering to the NIMBY crowd.

3 hours ago, BrittBurnsFan said:

I don't get the continued use of the word "arrogant"??? What is arrogant about it? Most would describe Ishbia's vision as "progress"!

3 hours ago, Kyyle23 said:

I think because he is mad this board isn’t with him and he continues to try and get people to agree with him.

and when that doesn’t work, he goes into the comments of someone he doesn’t like (moi) and laughs at a comment made almost 2 months ago

There's a lot of bizarre gatekeeping going on over the course of this thread. Who qualifies as a real Sox fan? Someone who is South Side enough? Does that mean only people who live south of Cermak? Who should be the owner of the Sox after Jerry is gone? Certainly not a billionaire who wants to invest heavily on this team because that makes him arrogant.

Sure, people can honestly say that they like the current park and want the Sox to stay there (or at least at the site). But, from a business perspective, it shouldn't shock anyone that both Reinsdorf and Ishbia believe that the team has a higher ceiling and better ability to compete as a big market team at a South Loop ballpark. Just look at the economics around of teams around the league and why teams want stadium districts/downtown-adjacent ballparks instead of ballparks with acres of surface lots.

It would be very interesting to see some sort of survey of what most Sox fans/Chicagoland residents think of the South Loop proposal if the stadium is privately financed. I bet most people are generally in favor of the idea. Perhaps a better question would be "Would you be more likely or less likely (or no difference) to attend Sox games if they built a stadium in the South Loop."

4 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

There's a lot of bizarre gatekeeping going on over the course of this thread. Who qualifies as a real Sox fan? Someone who is South Side enough? Does that mean only people who live south of Cermak? Who should be the owner of the Sox after Jerry is gone? Certainly not a billionaire who wants to invest heavily on this team because that makes him arrogant.

Sure, people can honestly say that they like the current park and want the Sox to stay there (or at least at the site). But, from a business perspective, it shouldn't shock anyone that both Reinsdorf and Ishbia believe that the team has a higher ceiling and better ability to compete as a big market team at a South Loop ballpark. Just look at the economics around of teams around the league and why teams want stadium districts/downtown-adjacent ballparks instead of ballparks with acres of surface lots.

It would be very interesting to see some sort of survey of what most Sox fans/Chicagoland residents think of the South Loop proposal if the stadium is privately financed. I bet most people are generally in favor of the idea. Perhaps a better question would be "Would you be more likely or less likely (or no difference) to attend Sox games if they built a stadium in the South Loop."

Soxtalk was about 85% for it, very unscientifically.

7 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Soxtalk was about 85% for it, very unscientifically.

Let’s face it, for various reasons the Sox have never been a huge draw at 35th and Shields though I’ve never had a problem with the location. The franchise is one of the few that has never drawn 3 million fans for a season though they came very close in 1991 and 2006. It’s time to look for greener pastures.

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by The Mighty Mite

50 minutes ago, The Mighty Mite said:

Let’s face it, for various reasons the Sox have never been a huge draw at 35th and Shields though I’ve never had a problem with the location. The franchise is one of the few that has never drawn 3 million fans for a season though they came very close in 1991 and 2006. It’s time to look for greener pastures.

I think most people associated as Sox fans appreciate this as a once in a generational chance to grow the fanbase, which has been sorely lacking for decades now.

50 minutes ago, The Mighty Mite said:

Let’s face it, for various reasons the Sox have never been a huge draw at 35th and Shields though I’ve never had a problem with the location. The franchise is one of the few that has never drawn 3 million fans for a season though they came very close in 1991 and 2006. It’s time to look for greener pastures.

This stadium has been a great problem from the beginning. It was built in a location that isn't popular and secondly they built an upper deck (which originally was 45% of the seats in the stadium) which everybody has hated from the start.

Ishbia just bought some more land. Sorry if already posted.

Block Club Chicago

White Sox Minority Owner's Firm Buys Another Property Nea...

The $15 million purchase of The Maxwell shopping center by an affiliate of Justin Ishbia’s Shore Capital Partners adds to the footprint of his proposed Railyards development.

Guys and gals and otherwise, might I suggest treating tray’s posts as satire?

It keeps the conversation moving forward, the vibes lighter and friendlier, and it’s also just funny.

33 minutes ago, Snopek said:

Guys and gals and otherwise, might I suggest treating tray’s posts as satire?

It keeps the conversation moving forward, the vibes lighter and friendlier, and it’s also just funny.

Not taking him seriously isn't a bad idea.

2 hours ago, The Mighty Mite said:

Let’s face it, for various reasons the Sox have never been a huge draw at 35th and Shields though I’ve never had a problem with the location. The franchise is one of the few that has never drawn 3 million fans for a season though they came very close in 1991 and 2006. It’s time to look for greener pastures.

2 hours ago, WBWSF said:

This stadium has been a great problem from the beginning. It was built in a location that isn't popular and secondly they built an upper deck (which originally was 45% of the seats in the stadium) which everybody has hated from the start.

Location and poor stadium design has always been a drag on attendance. Once the team gets popular enough to fill the lower bowl, the 500 level seats are a tough sell. Tailgating is cool....but that doesn't bring in more casual fans.

The proposed new location is only 2 miles and 2 red line stops away, is still on the south side of town, and as @southsider2k5 just said above, many people seem to agree it's a better location.

Really, the biggest objection since Jerry announced the 78 proposal almost 3 years ago is having taxpayers pay for yet another Sox stadium. But it looks like Ishbia is planning to privately-finance a ballpark if he builds one there - so that removes the biggest sticking point.