Real estate developer releases renderings of possible new White Sox stadium in Chicago's South Loop
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The real estate development firm Related Midwest issued artist's renderings of a possible new White Sox stadium in "The 78" development on the South Loop.
Related Midwest is the developer behind "The 78" – a long-undeveloped 62-acre parcel of land near Roosevelt Road and Clark Street. The land has been dubbed "The 78" for its potential to become the city's 78th official community area.
The White Sox are talking with Related Midwest building a new stadium on the site. The renderings are preliminary, but the new stadium on the site is a serious consideration for the Sox.
As part of the vision, the ballpark would create tens of thousands of permanent and construction jobs – while brining a state-of-the-art White Sox ballpark to the South Loop riverfront.
The renderings show a new White Sox stadium along the South Branch of the Chicago River, amid a grove of new high-rise buildings.
The renderings also include a riverwalk next to the road alongside the stadium, and a pedestrian plaza out front. The design includes pinwheels like those from the scoreboard at Guaranteed Rate Field – and old Comiskey Park before it – shooting off fireworks.
"The development would be a catalyst for the creation of Chicago's next great neighborhood, create tens of thousands of permanent and construction jobs and bring a state-of-the-art White Sox ballpark to the South Loop riverfront," Related Midwest said in a statement.
Another view shows the stadium as it fits into downtown Chicago – just south of Roosevelt Road, due south of the Willis Tower, and due west of Soldier Field.
Sources first told CBS 2 last month that the Sox are talking with developer Related Midwest about possibly building a new ballpark in "The 78," to which they would relocate from their home since 1991 at Guaranteed Rate Field, 333 W. 35th St. The Sox are under lease at Guaranteed Rate through 2029.
Midwest Related also issued renderings of a new plan for the area around Guaranteed Rate Field.
"[W]hile we do not own the land at 35th & Shields, Related Midwest has a long history of working in communities," Related Midwest said in the statement. "We knew there would be questions about 35th St. use, so we put together conceptual ideas, understanding there would a robust community process to determine the best use for this land."
Guaranteed Rate Field is still standing in the renderings for the plan – with new high-density buildings on some of the surrounding land now covered by surface parking lots.
Developers are coming up with plans to turn the current Guaranteed Rate Field into a possible soccer stadium.
Guaranteed Rate Field – originally known as new Comiskey Park and later U.S. Cellular Field – and was financed by the State of Illinois, after owner Jerry Reinsdorf had threatened to move the team to the Tampa Bay Area in Florida. The state-run Illinois Sports Facilities Authority owns Guaranteed Rate Field.