Governor J.B. Pritzker expressed hesitancy Monday towards public money funding a new White Sox ballpark.
Answering questions at an event on the south side of the city, the governor stated “taxpayer dollars are precious” and he’s “really reluctant” to subsidize such a project. This comes on the heels of recent information that Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is seeking roughly $1 billion in subsidies.
“I start out really reluctant … unless a case is made that the investment yields a long-term return for the taxpayers that we can justify in some way, I haven’t seen that yet.”
J.B. Pritzker
According to Pritzker, the new stadium isn’t high on his priority list. His comments come after Reinsdorf traveled to Springfield last week to meet with lawmakers regarding the future home for his team. The White Sox and Related Midwest put out brief statements afterward confirming the meeting and detailing their hopes for cooperation. Referring to the rumored proposal put out, the governor today said he doesn’t currently view public subsidies as a good deal for taxpayers.
In his response to a follow-up question, Pritzker said no plan has been presented to him directly. It isn’t clear when an official proposal may be submitted to Pritzker or the Illinois General Assembly.
The current South Loop stadium plan puts the new ballpark in the center of the action, with a Petco Park-esque vibe among the renderings. The ballpark would lay right along the river and would ensure a skyline background. It would also be part of a larger “ballpark village” that is reminiscent of what the Braves and Cardinals currently have.
The economic impact of the White Sox’s proposed new stadium is expected to be as follows:
- $9 billion economic investment in Chicago
- $4 billion stabilized annual economic impact
- $200 million annual stabilized tax revenue
- 10,000+ construction jobs
- 22,000+ permanent jobs
As a reminder, the White Sox’s current lease for Guaranteed Rate Field does not end until after the 2028 season, but there would still be plenty of work necessary to get a stadium ready by 2029. With plans far from being a done deal, it will be interesting to see how things play out in the coming weeks and months.
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