The Wrigley Field renovations have reshaped the ballpark in a number of ways, and the vast majority have been significant improvements for the vast majority of fans.
At least one fan, however, says he’s been negatively impacted by the rebuilt bleachers and associated change to handicapped seating in the ballpark. In a federal lawsuit, David Cerda alleges that the renovation removed handicapped-accessible seating, and relocated other seating to areas with obstructed views (Tribune, NBC). The Cubs declined comment in the reports.
The legal issues involved in suits like this are necessarily complicated, and when you’re renovating a 100-year-old facility, there are going to be conflicts with more modern laws. The very nature of the park presents certain limitations, even as I’m sure the Cubs want to do right by their fans with disabilities. Legal obstacles – long part of the renovation process for a variety reasons – were thus going to come up.
The filing of a lawsuit is but one step in a very long process, and it would be months, if not years, before this were resolved in a court. The sides will likely engage in discussions about how the fan – and others with disabilities – can be better accommodated within the contours of the Cubs’ renovation needs, and we may not hear about this suit again.
But, of course, if it proceeds down the legal path, we’ll keep following along, since the ramifications would have the potential to be costly for the Cubs.