Reports: White Sox, developer invite lawmakers, other VIPs on riverboat cruise in latest pitch for new stadium funding

CHICAGO — On the field, the White Sox are finishing up one of the worst seasons in Major League Baseball history.

Off the field — in this case, on the water — the team and a prominent real estate developer pulled out all the stops to pitch lawmakers as they seek public funding for a proposed new stadium.

The Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune both reported that the White Sox and developer Related Midwest invited legislators, business leaders and other VIPs on a downtown riverboat tour Monday. The boat docked at the undeveloped, 62-acre South Loop parcel of land called “The 78,” which the team has proposed as the site for a new ballpark to replace Guaranteed Rate Field.

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Related Midwest is the developer that owns “The 78,” so named for its potential to become Chicago’s 78th neighborhood. The land is located along the Chicago River near Roosevelt Road and Clark Street.

The White Sox appear to really be putting the shine on for state lawmakers, who’ve opposed public funding for both proposed new White Sox and Bears stadiums.

The White Sox released slick renderings of the proposed new stadium at “The 78” in February (see below).

Then, the Sun-Times reported last month, the White Sox and Related Midwest created a makeshift baseball diamond at “The 78,” which faces northeast toward Chicago’s skyline to preview the view that owner Jerry Reinsdorf desires for the new ballpark.

And for Monday’s riverboat cruise, the Tribune says former White Sox stars Ozzie Guillen, Bo Jackson, Harold Baines and Ron Kittle were brought aboard to schmooze with legislators. According to the Sun-Times, a Related Midwest spokesperson declined to reveal how many lawmakers were invited on the cruise.

Despite the glitzy presentation, both the Sun-Times and the Tribune report at least some lawmakers don’t appear to be swayed on their stance against public funding for a new stadium.

“It was a great presentation on their part,” Illinois House Speaker Chris “Emanuel” Welch acknowledged in the Tribune report. “But the reality is we still represent the taxpayers of the state of Illinois. And they have to change the environment to convince the taxpayers of the state of Illinois that it’s a good idea to have taxpayers pay for a new stadium.

“And nothing (Monday) that I’m aware of changed that environment.”

The Sun-Times first reported in mid-January that the White Sox were in “serious talks” about building a new ballpark on “The 78.” Then, in February, Reinsdorf and other top White Sox executives travelled to Springfield to make their new stadium pitch to state legislators.

That pitch was rumored to request north of $1 billion in public funds to get off the ground.

According to that report, from Crain’s Chicago Business, the White Sox and Related Midwest proposed paying for the new ballpark by using various tax revenues, including a 2% hotel occupancy tax. Sales tax revenue in that plan would allow the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA) to borrow more money, allowing the White Sox to reach roughly $1.2 billion in assistance sought by Reinsdorf to build the ballpark and retire the current ISFA debt.

Then, according to a Crain’s report in April, Reinsdorf proposed to help pay for the new stadium from his own wallet.

The White Sox have played at Guaranteed Rate Field, located in Armour Square on the city’s South Side, since 1991. Their lease there runs through 2029.

This week’s Tribune report notes that in 1988, Reinsdorf convinced legislators to approve a last-minute deal leading to the construction of Guaranteed Rate Field. According to the Tribune report, the IFSA still owes $50 million on that stadium, plus $589 million on the 2002 renovation of Soldier Field.