Angi: Wrigley Field renovation could be rare win-win deal for city, team
From SABR member Cee Angi at SB Nation on April 18, 2013:
Thanks to the recent agreement between the Cubs and the Chicago municipal government, Wrigley Field will finally get the treatment it deserves. No, Lance Berkman, they won’t be blowing it up. Instead, a $500 million renovation will give Wrigley the polish and modernization that a ballpark that attracts over three million visitors a year warrants. Goodbye, protective netting that’s been keeping chunks of concrete from falling on fans. See you later, randomly scattered pieces of plywood that have been holding together the 99-year-old ballpark.
It’s been long overdue, but new stadium deals take time. Stadium capital improvements are a good thing in theory, but implementation is always difficult. In the case of the Cubs, not only will the renovations remove some of the blemishes on an aging ballpark, they will improve revenue and provide jobs. Still, new stadiums and renovations tend to make people nervous, because the first question is always, “Where is the money coming from?”
Read the full article here: http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2013/4/18/4238926/wrigley-field-renovation-chicago-cubs
Originally published: April 18, 2013. Last Updated: April 18, 2013.