21 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

How big is the NYC msa?

10-12 million?

I’ll modify what I posted about JR. His comments used to include “the retail will come.” But it didn’t for economic reasons.

7 hours ago, Middle Buffalo said:

I don’t live in Illinois, but I try to get to a game when I am in town if the dates line up.

I’ve heard about the tailgate scene, and see some people being sad it is going away, but I’ve never seen or been involved in the tailgates in person. I went to a game in May and parked in the lots near Cork and Kerry. I was early and walked through the lots to the entrance, and I didn’t see one tailgate. Attendance was ~15K. It was a nice night weather wise. I’m sure tailgates for Cubs/Sox is a good time, but when I see people clinging to this as an argument….I don’t know.

As someone who’s been to a bunch of parks - most of which have been built in the last 30 years, the Rate sorely lacks things to do before and after the game. Growing up, my dad would park somewhere in the neighborhood and we’d walk through the viaduct to the game and leave in the 8th inning to “beat traffic.” Later, I took the Archer Express with friends. There was never any hanging out around the stadium. That’s the aspect of this stadium JR totally failed on.

People like to be able to spend time around the stadium, but the current location doesn’t have many opportunities to do it. From what i recall, the major obstacle to building up the Rate has always been JR.

Ishbia doesn’t want to be stuck with gate revenue, concessions and parking as his only income sources. He’s looking for year round income. Kinda hard to fault him for that.

There's always a good number of tailgaters in Lot G. I don't know about other lots because I always park in G. There's no doubt that tailgating is a thing at Rate Field, but i really couldn't tell you how many fans out of all attendees tailgate. If it's 1,000 fans - that looks like a lot of people in the parking lots, but if attendance is 25k, then that's only 4% of the fans. So, I'd guess it's not a huge % of fans, but it's probably a core group of diehards who attend many games. I don't know if there's a way to keep some amount of tailgating if they move to the South Loop. That would be ideal, but it would have to be scaled down since there's no way they're going to have 40 acres of surface lots like they have now. With so many transit options there, they'd have fewer drivers anyway. Not "no drivers", but fewer drivers for sure.

You're absolutely right about the lack of things to do around the ballpark and that's a problem because many fans today are looking to do more than just drive in traffic, park, see the game, and then just go right back home. This isn't the 60s or 70s anymore.

Amazing thread to return from travel to. Everyone brought it. No notes.

10 hours ago, 77 Hitmen said:

There's always a good number of tailgaters in Lot G. I don't know about other lots because I always park in G. There's no doubt that tailgating is a thing at Rate Field, but i really couldn't tell you how many fans out of all attendees tailgate. If it's 1,000 fans - that looks like a lot of people in the parking lots, but if attendance is 25k, then that's only 4% of the fans. So, I'd guess it's not a huge % of fans, but it's probably a core group of diehards who attend many games. I don't know if there's a way to keep some amount of tailgating if they move to the South Loop. That would be ideal, but it would have to be scaled down since there's no way they're going to have 40 acres of surface lots like they have now. With so many transit options there, they'd have fewer drivers anyway. Not "no drivers", but fewer drivers for sure.

You're absolutely right about the lack of things to do around the ballpark and that's a problem because many fans today are looking to do more than just drive in traffic, park, see the game, and then just go right back home. This isn't the 60s or 70s anymore.

Maybe they can tailgate on boats on the river?

18 hours ago, Chisoxfn said:

So I had been wondering for a while if Chicago would make a push for the Bears in Bridgeport. Not sure if this is where it is getting at and I'm not saying it would be option 1 - I doubt Bears ownership would get over it - but they have land, infastructure, etc - could they do something unique here.

I would imagine or at least hope that the city has brought this idea to the Bears. But it seems like the Bears want to break ground soon. Would that be possible in Bridgeport?

34 minutes ago, Rocky said:

I would imagine or at least hope that the city has brought this idea to the Bears. But it seems like the Bears want to break ground soon. Would that be possible in Bridgeport?

Aren't the Bears looking for some type of entertainment complex in addition to a stadium? Doesn't seem like Bridgeport would work for them if it won't work on 81+ dates for the White Sox? Although can't see NW Indiana becoming a destination either!

How would Bridgeporters feel with 75,000 fans showing up on 10 Sundays a year? And for concerts (do concerts still draw those numbers??

4 minutes ago, BrittBurnsFan said:

Aren't the Bears looking for some type of entertainment complex in addition to a stadium? Doesn't seem like Bridgeport would work for them if it won't work on 81+ dates for the White Sox? Although can't see NW Indiana becoming a destination either!

How would Bridgeporters feel with 75,000 fans showing up on 10 Sundays a year? And for concerts (do concerts still draw those numbers??

The bears don’t have the money to do that. They either are going to AH with the plot they already own, or they are going for the free land in Indiana.

2 hours ago, soxrwhite said:

Maybe they can tailgate on boats on the river?

I saw the boat in the artists rendoring, and I am not going to lie, if they figured out a way to have a view from a party boat on the river, I would do that in a milisecond.

On 9/7/2026 at 10:43 AM, Mouthsider said:

In terms of North—South, I’ve always heard of Roosevelt being the “cultural” boundary. If you pick Cermak, you’re essentially sawing Chinatown in half.

I couldn’t tell you where the West Side is supposed to start (and no, State St. does not count).

I always thought Western, but would accept “the Lake.”

3 minutes ago, Timmy U said:

I always thought Western, but would accept “the Lake.”

I always felt the physical separation of the Kennedy kind of made a nice line. Then you get into places like Greektown and such, it kind of loses the downtowny vibe.

24 minutes ago, Timmy U said:

I always thought Western, but would accept “the Lake.”

I would agree that it's Western, but only south of North Avenue and North of, say, 18th street.

3 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

I saw the boat in the artists rendoring, and I am not going to lie, if they figured out a way to have a view from a party boat on the river, I would do that in a milisecond.

You should see the boats line up next to the Salt Shed when there is shows. lol I feel like baseball would demand no stopping at that spot

22 hours ago, Timmy U said:

I always thought Western, but would accept “the Lake.”

I think Ashland is what separates the West Loop from the West Side imo.

21 hours ago, Kyyle23 said:

You should see the boats line up next to the Salt Shed when there is shows. lol I feel like baseball would demand no stopping at that spot

I would guess so too, but damn I would be so down for a baseball boat party.

On 9/9/2026 at 3:14 PM, Kyyle23 said:

You should see the boats line up next to the Salt Shed when there is shows. lol I feel like baseball would demand no stopping at that spot

2 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

I would guess so too, but damn I would be so down for a baseball boat party.

How does that kind of thing work at PNC Park and Oracle Park, which are both on the waterfront?

9 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

How does that kind of thing work at PNC Park and Oracle Park, which are both on the waterfront?

I think the river passing PNC is way wider than where the Chicago River passes the shed and what would be the 78, and of course the bay just has plenty of space.