Peter Gammons: "it's a dump, Wrigley Field."

[FirstTimer]

The reason the White Sox got state aid is because U.S. Cellular is owned by the state

At the time the old stadium was not. Reinsdorf was threatening to move the team to Florida.

The only reason The Cell is "state owned" now is because the state poinied up money to help build it. It wasn't "state owned" before it was built because it didn't exist.

 

[Rice Cube]

toms dad is the one floating the bill boys.

He's probably pissed off as hell that Tommy Boy is flushing the investment down the tubes.

 

[FirstTimer]

Then I guess they don't get a new stadium. Dude can afford an MLB team he can afford to build a stadium. The dudes loaded, cut the crap.

Ricketts spent $900 million on the Cubs.....His estimated worth was 1 billion. New stadium>>>>$100 million.

Yes, he should of. Threatening to move the team to St. Petersburgh/Tampa Bay was a very underhanded thing to do.

Actually it was a brilliant move and got him what he wanted.

 

[TheCubfather]

Threatening to move the team to St. Petersburgh/Tampa Bay was a very underhanded thing to do.

and so goes the business/political side of professional sports. unfortunately that's how shit gets done.

 

[FirstTimer]

I think it's funny the Cubs fanbase demands World Series and a great on the field product and money to be spent but wants the owner to pay for everything when virtually no other ball club/owner in the MLB does the same thing. Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Comisky, etc etc etc all had public funding in large amounts. Why should Cubs fans want or expect anything different?

 

[TheCubfather]

I think it's funny the Cubs fanbase demands World Series and a great on the field product and money to be spent but wants the owner to pay for everything when virtually no other ball club/owner in the MLB does the same thing. Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Comisky, etc etc etc all had public funding in large amounts. Why should Cubs fans want to expect anything different?

I believe state funding should be used for Wrigley's renovation/new stadium, but where is the state going to get it? They're broke enough as it is. ricketts is in a catch-22 right now. Wrigley needs this renovation, he's in debt from all the contracts they've dealt out and attendance is starting to slip because the product on the field isn't producing.

 

[Rice Cube]

I believe state funding should be used for Wrigley's renovation/new stadium, but where is the state going to get it? They're broke enough as it is. ricketts is in a catch-22 right now. Wrigley needs this renovation, he's in debt from all the contracts they've dealt out and attendance is starting to slip because the product on the field isn't producing.

He's also in debt because the Tribune debt-loaded the shit out of the sale and he mistakenly thought that Wrigley Field would sell out no matter what. It wasn't a very well-conceived purchase, unfortunately.

 

[TheCubfather]

He's also in debt because the Tribune debt-loaded the shit out of the sale and he mistakenly thought that Wrigley Field would sell out no matter what. It wasn't a very well-conceived purchase, unfortunately.

he got that information from the Cubs' front office apparently since they believe that same shit as well. :lol:

 

[FirstTimer]

I believe state funding should be used for Wrigley's renovation/new stadium, but where is the state going to get it? They're broke enough as it is. ricketts is in a catch-22 right now. Wrigley needs this renovation, he's in debt from all the contracts they've dealt out and attendance is starting to slip because the product on the field isn't producing.

Valid question and concern. Frankly though states like NY and Pennsylvania, and California are all in terrible shape financially and still found money to help out. I don't think the state should take care of the entire bill, but they should help out. There are ways with tax increases on certain goods, bonds, etc etc to make it work(hopefully) but wanting or expecting Rickett's to pay for the whole thing himself is 1. Unrealistic and 2. Not the way things operate in today's MLB. One possible solution would be to sell the naming rights of the stadium to help get corporate funding but I'm sure Cubbie Nation will get all up tight about that.

 

[EnjoyYourTiger]

At the time the old stadium was not. Reinsdorf was threatening to move the team to Florida.

The only reason The Cell is "state owned" now is because the state poinied up money to help build it. It wasn't "state owned" before it was built because it didn't exist.

Did not realize that.

I think it's funny the Cubs fanbase demands World Series and a great on the field product and money to be spent but wants the owner to pay for everything when virtually no other ball club/owner in the MLB does the same thing. Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Comisky, etc etc etc all had public funding in large amounts. Why should Cubs fans want or expect anything different?

Okay, that's fine and all that Comisky, Fenway, and Yankee Stadium had public aid. Right now, the economy is in the crapper, and honestly, I'd much rather have a job right now and be able to finance a loan so I can finish my last year of undergrad and go onto grad school than for the state to fork over 250 million dollars that could go to creating new jobs and going towards the MAP grants that were just cut in half because the state has no money.

Ricketts needs to pony up and just pay for it. Because the state doesn't have it. And to withhold renovations under the premise that "well the state didn't help me out, wah, wah, wah," that's going to do more harm than good.

He might as well use the 250 million that he has to do something. Then in a few years when he has another 100 million, do some more. Maybe by the the economy won't suck so hard and the state can front 100 million.

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

Did not realize that.



Okay, that's fine and all that Comisky, Fenway, and Yankee Stadium had public aid. Right now, the economy is in the crapper, and honestly, I'd much rather have a job right now and be able to finance a loan so I can finish my last year of undergrad and go onto grad school than for the state to fork over 250 million dollars that could go to creating new jobs and going towards the MAP grants that were just cut in half because the state has no money.

Ricketts needs to pony up and just pay for it. Because the state doesn't have it. And to withhold renovations under the premise that "well the state didn't help me out, wah, wah, wah," that's going to do more harm than good.

He might as well use the 250 million that he has to do something. Then in a few years when he has another 100 million, do some more. Maybe by the the economy won't suck so hard and the state can front 100 million.

we'll see how that works out

 

[TheCubfather]

Valid question and concern. Frankly though states like NY and Pennsylvania, and California are all in terrible shape financially and still found money to help out. I don't think the state should take care of the entire bill, but they should help out. There are ways with tax increases on certain goods, bonds, etc etc to make it work(hopefully) but wanting or expecting Rickett's to pay for the whole thing himself is 1. Unrealistic and 2. Not the way things operate in today's MLB. One possible solution would be to sell the naming rights of the stadium to help get corporate funding but I'm sure Cubbie Nation will get all up tight about that.

no way they'd foot the entire bill. if anyone believes that, they're nuts. raising taxes is the last thing they should do to pay for it. Illinois has got themselve in enough trouble for doing that already.

what they could've done is use some of the money they spent on other projects to fund Wrigley and the Cubs..because that's far more important than anything else in Chicago and the whole state. :lol:

 

[DewsSox79]

I think it's funny the Cubs fanbase demands World Series and a great on the field product and money to be spent but wants the owner to pay for everything when virtually no other ball club/owner in the MLB does the same thing. Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Comisky, etc etc etc all had public funding in large amounts. Why should Cubs fans want or expect anything different?

Look, I understand where you are coming from. But at this time, the Government should not being floating any team anything right now, especially Illinois. In the future? sure...but not now.

 

[herky]

The only way everyone is going to win in the end is to just tear Wrigley down and build it on the same place but bigger in terms of batting cages, bullpens and what not. Don't need to increase the capacity but I'm sure they will. The playing surface at Wrigley is just as good as any other field out there. They fixed the crown, they fixed the drainage system on the entire field. The baskets are a feature at Wrigley that either you hate or love, I love them, it keeps the fans away from balls that might be a homer.........like what we saw in Philly with Colvin's hit, that wouldn't happen at Wrigley. Rickett's needs to bite the bullet and just spend the money on the satdium, the fans will spend the money to see the team and then he can afford to sign the right FA..

 

[DewsSox79]

pretty short and sweet....winning cures every little worry.

 

[FirstTimer]

Ricketts needs to pony up and just pay for it.

That's obviously either A. easier said than done or B. Not possible. I'm sure if he could just write a check and make it happen he would. No owner in their right mind would make themselves a boogyman and go to the public for funding if it wasn't needed.

no way they'd foot the entire bill.

And I wouldn't want them to.

what they could've done is use some of the money they spent on other projects to fund Wrigley and the Cubs..because that's far more important than anything else in Chicago and the whole state. :lol:

Not going to get an argument from me. We have States Attoney's paying with state funded credit cards for hotel rooms with 17 year old girls so I'm sure there is horrendous spending everywhere in the state.

 

[FirstTimer]

Look, I understand where you are coming from. But at this time, the Government should not being floating any team anything right now, especially Illinois. In the future? sure...but not now.

Honestly, IMO Wrigley Field and the money it brings the state through taxes, liquor licenses, tourism, Wrigleyville taxes etc etc etc is a more worthwhile investment than most things this state is spending it's money on.

 

[TheCubfather]

We have States Attoney's paying with state funded credit cards for hotel rooms with 17 year old girls so I'm sure there is horrendous spending everywhere in the state.

no doubt. I don't want to know how much these douchebags waste in Illinois tax money. that stat would probably make me go charlie sheen.

:sheen:

 

[Rice Cube]

pretty short and sweet....winning cures every little worry.

Yup. The best thing Ricketts can do is build a solid foundation of talent through the draft and foreign amateur free agent signings, put a winning team on the field, hope they win the World Series in about 3-4 years, then he'll have all the political capital and goodwill he needs to rebuild the stadium.

 

[FirstTimer]

Yup. The best thing Ricketts can do is build a solid foundation of talent through the draft and foreign amateur free agent signings, put a winning team on the field, hope they win the World Series in about 3-4 years, then he'll have all the political capital and goodwill he needs to rebuild the stadium.

So what you are trying to say is there will be no new stadium for 10 years?