Source: Cubs Agree To Mayor's Requests On Wrigley Renovations
(CBS) The Cubs have agreed to Mayor Rahm Emanuel's requests as part of a deal to present their latest Wrigley Field renovation proposal to the Commission on Chicago Landmarks at a Thursday meeting, a City Hall source tells CBS 2.
The main conditions the Cubs acquiesced to are to reduce the size and increase spacing and other restrictions for the proposed signs. The source said that the Cubs have agreed to continue conversations with the rooftop owners and address community concerns.
The Chicago Cubs say reports implying they've agreed to several new changes the mayor wanted in their Wrigley Field renovation plan are not accurate.
Cubs spokesman Julian Green, "There has been no agreement to change 10 other things in our revised bleacher expansion package."
Green says everything the Cubs previously agreed to still stands.
Cubs Spokesman Denies New Wrigley Concessions
The Cubs gained approval last year to put a video board in right field and another sign in left field, but after reaching an impasse with rooftop owners this past spring, they moved forward with a more ambitious plan that called for seven signs -- which needs to be passed by the city still. Rooftop owners contend those signs will block their view into the ballpark and hurt their business, which they claim would violate a previously signed contract.
The rooftop owners said last week they would agree to not sue the Cubs if they moved forward with the two-sign proposal, but that's done nothing to change the organization's plan.
In other concessions to Emanuel, the Cubs have agreed to reduce sizes of signs along the exterior outfield walls. Previously, the team had already agreed to table a plan to widen the outfield doors beneath the bleachers if the bullpens move under there. Emanuel was surprised by that proposal and a few other items, so the June presentation to the Commission on Landmarks was postponed as the Cubs dealt with a PR mess for seemingly not communicating clearly with the mayor's office.
The proposed renovations for Wrigley Field and the surrounding area is projected to cost $575 million.
