Possible future home of White Sox could have a second stadium, developer says

The company behind Development “The 78” proposed in the South Loop said Friday that the departure of the University of Illinois’ Discovery Partners Institute from the project opens up new opportunities for the site, including the possible co-location of dual stadiums for the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Fire.

Crain’s Chicago Business reported Friday that the University of Illinois is scrapping plans to build a $285 million research and teaching facility called Discovery Partners Institute, a new research and innovation center, in the South Loop at the proposed site of The 78.

Related Midwest, the site’s developer, planned to donate about an acre of land on the site to the University of Illinois for construction of the institute. In a statement Friday, Related Midwest said it was “disappointed” by DPI’s decision to exit, but that the exit opens “opportunities for new partnerships and site configurations.”

“Given its proximity to downtown, its adjacency to the river, and its flexibility to accommodate a wide range of uses, 78 stands out for its ability to accommodate large institutions that want to plant their flag in the heart of Chicago,” said its statement, in part. “We are actively exploring co-locating dual stadiums for the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Fire, two organizations whose presence at The 78 would align with our vision of creating Chicago’s next great neighborhood.”

The company’s proposal comes days after an explosive report. revealed that White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf He is “open to selling” the team as his initiative to build a new stadium in the city meets resistance.

According to reporting by Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic, Reinsdorf is in “active discussions” with a group led by former MLB player Dave Stewart about a possible sale.

Reinsdorf, 88, has been pushing for state funding to help facilitate the construction of a new stadium as part of the development. The White Sox even built a full diamond on site, with panoramic views of the Chicago skyline in the background.

Local

Crime and courts

6 hours ago

Three teenagers shot at the foot of the United Center: Chicago police

McHenry County

8 hours ago

Body of missing skier removed from Fox River in McHenry County

The proposed stadium could will be priced at up to $1.1 billion in public financing. The site would also require tax increment funds to help facilitate infrastructure projects around the stadium, including a new CTA stop and rerouting of existing Metra tracks.

The land where the project has been proposed, which has been unoccupied for more than 90 years, was a finalist for the Chicago casino. The developer’s project encompasses 62 acres of former railroad property.

The team proposed paying for the park by extending a hotel service tax that has been used to pay bonds at Guaranteed Rate Field, the team’s current home.

The proposal has met with significant opposition from Springfield, with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker Calls Himself “Really Reluctant” to authorize the expense. According to estimates, more than $50 million in bonds still need to be repaid for the construction of Guaranteed Rate Field, which opened in 1991.