Renderings revealed for potential White Sox stadium along the river in South Loop
Plans for a newly designed Chicago White Sox stadium along the river in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood were released on Saturday.
Canal Edge released renderings for the new stadium in the area known as "The Railyards," with a mixed-use space concept including retail and "potential healthcare offerings by Northwestern Medicine along the riverfront."
White Sox minority owner Justin Ishbia is a shareholder of Canal Edge, which has the riverside property under contract.
Back in March, CBS News Chicago reported Shore Capital, a private equity firm of the Sox's owner-in-waiting, Justin Ishbia, was in the process of buying a 47-acre Amtrak railyard.
The White Sox addressed the renderings, saying in a statement, "Justin Ishbia recently approached us about his vision for the Canal Edge development, which explores it being a possible future site for the next White Sox ballpark once our lease at the state-owned Rate Field ends. He agreed to conduct a multi month study and evaluation of the site and to present those findings to the White Sox for consideration. If the site proves interesting and viable after his due diligence, it would be added to the locations up for consideration for a new ballpark, along with The 78 and other options."
Local leaders, fans react to stadium renderings
Ald. Jason Ervin (28th Ward) said he is looking forward to this plan.
"We're definitely going to have conversations with the stakeholders in the community as well as my colleagues in city council to see what we can do to bring forth the development," he said.
The proposed development would sit in Ervin's ward. While he welcomes investment in the area, he says private financing should be a priority.
"I think that people have a level of fatigue of the public financing major sports franchises, especially franchises owned by fairly wealthy people."
Cook County Commissioner John P. Daley and Ald. Nicole Lee called the announcement a "betrayal." They issued the following statement, in part, on Saturday in response to newly announced renderings.
"Today's announcement from Justin Ishbia represents nothing less than a betrayal to the community that the White Sox have called home and relied upon as their most loyal fan base for 116 years. For 116 years, Bridgeport and the entire 11th Ward has supported this team. We have accepted inconvenience–and done so without complaint–out of deep reverence for our team. Generations have grown up walking over to the ballpark with our kids and parents. Working class residents have spent their hard earned money on season tickets, merchandise, concessions, year after year, in support of this team. Ishbia's new proposal demonstrates a profound disrespect for the team's own fan base and for our city."
Daley and Lee's statement said this plan would be "abandoning Bridgeport" and would leave the neighborhood with economic impacts.
Meanwhile, fans are abuzz over the new renderings.
"It looked beautiful on the water and just overall it would be a nicer stadium, so I'm up for it," said Eric Clamage.
"The location looks nice, the renderings look really beautiful, just wondering about the parking, don't know how that's going to be, but hey, I'm all up for new stuff," said Roy Davis.
The White Sox's current lease for Rate Field expires after the 2029 season.
