This iconic MLB franchise is seriously considering a major stadium move
Published 10:45 am Friday, January 19, 2024
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The Chicago White Sox have seemed like a team poised to move stadiums for a while, and a new report suggests that the team has identified the location it may move to.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the White Sox are having “serious” talks with developer Related Midwest about building a new stadium in an area called “The 78,” which is a large patch of land in the South Loop of Chicago.
The area is about two miles north of the current site of Guaranteed Rate Field, but would be within Chicago’s downtown area and closer to tourist sites like Cloud Gate and the Magnificent Mile.
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Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson and White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf responded to the Sun-Times in a joint statement:
“We met to discuss the historic partnership between the team and Chicago and the team’s ideas for remaining competitive in Chicago in perpetuity.”
Reinsdorf, who also owns the Chicago Bulls, has expressed interest in moving the team from Guaranteed Rate Field in the past with its lease expiring in 2029. There were even reports that the suggested the team could move outside of the city of Chicago.
A move closer to an area with more foot traffic could help raise attendance for the franchise that has consistently been in the bottom third in attendance despite being a big mark. Thought this could also be attributed to the team’s on-field struggles — the team was 14th in attendance in 2021, when it made the playoffs.
The potential move for the White Sox may create a problem in the city if public funding is requested to build the site. The Chicago Bears are also in talks about moving out of Soldier Field, the oldest stadium in the NFL that is also located in South Loop. The team has explored locations within Chicago and the surrounding Chicagoland area.
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