Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Justin Ishbia makes move for potential South Loop White Sox ballpark site

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Zack Pearson | Last updated Mar 18, 2026 9:08 PM ET

Chicago’s newest land project “The 78” has become a hot topic for stadiums. The Chicago Fire were able to move forward with their stadium project, bringing a state of the art stadium to the land, funded all by ownership.

Now, the Chicago White Sox could be looking to make a big move and a report on Wednesday suggests just that.

A report on Wednesday from Crain’s Chicago Business states that Shore Capital, Justin Ishbia’s private equity firm, is close to a deal to buy 47 acres of rail yard across from The 78. The site is currently owned by Amtrak. However, the report suggests that Amtrak is looking for a bigger location which would open the door for this purchase.

Does this mean a new stadium for the Chicago White Sox?

There’s the obvious connection there with Ishbia who is the owner in waiting for the White Sox. With the stadium deal running up in 2029 for Guaranteed Rate, moving forward with a new stadium seems like an obvious move for the franchise.

However, there are some hurdles.

Shore Capital doesn’t mention anything about a potential site for a White Sox stadium. The land that is being purchased may not be big enough either to accommodate a new stadium. There were plans for The 78 before the Fire scooped in and landed it. But there were questions about that plot of land as well.

The report from Crain’s does say that if this deal goes through, the groundwork could be all set for a stadium-centric district on the southern edge of downtown. If it works, it would be an awesome spot for a new stadium. It would also grow that area near the 78, with two stadiums close together.

This is still all speculation until the sale is finalized and then there are stadium plans. But at least for now, there’s some hope for a new stadium project with a new owner ready to spend.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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