According to Chicago Cubs VP of Communication Julian Green, the team did very seriously consider moving a portion of their home slate of games to Miller Park in Milwaukee while renovations were being done at Wrigley Field.
Green, who spoke to Gordon Wittenmyer, says the plan, which would have moved home games in April and May 2014 and 2015 to Miller Park, is now “off the table,” and was just one of many options considered. Clearly, the Cubs were hoping to accelerate the renovation process, whenever they were able to get it started.
Green conceded to Wittenmyer that part of the reason the Cubs scrapped that plan is because it would seem untoward to receive public funding and then take games – and the associated revenue for the city and surrounding businesses – out of Chicago.
That’s probably the right awareness to have, even if it slows the renovation slightly.
Wittenmyer’s article is worth a read for those heavily interested in the renovation story. In it, he notes that sources now say we probably won’t hear about funding at tomorrow’s renovation unveiling (though I still say there’s no way they unveil the plans unless they know the funding isn’t going to be a problem), and suggests the Cubs could see an annual increase in revenues upwards of $95 million once the renovations are complete.
Like I keep saying: this is a hugely important story for the Cubs’ future.