Ricketts Silent On Rooftop Owners' Opposition At City Club Luncheon
(CBS) -- Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts, speaking at the City Club on Wednesday, was mum on the rooftop owners' efforts to stop a 2,200-square-foot video board from being put up in right field.
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The rooftop owners and the Cubs had a marathon court session this week: rooftops trying to stop the giant video board, Cubs trying to keep the right to put it up.
The judge's decision is expected any time.
Ricketts spoke at the City Club luncheon and afterwards, one of the questions from the audience was...
"Which has been the toughest opponent - the St. Louis Cardinals or the Wrigleyville roof owners?"
Ricketts says the Cubs have had only 17 winning seasons since 1945. The Cardinals? They've only had 17 losing seasons.
"Financially they're very strong. They have huge fan support. They're the number-one sport in their town. So chasing the Cardinals is a great challenge.
"And rooftops? No comment."
And afterward with reporters, no comment either.
Ricketts told the City Club that he's working to make Wrigley Field the best ballpark in baseball and he says part of the still-unfinished bleachers may incorporate a tribute to the late Ernie Banks.
The opener is Sunday, April 5 at Wrigley Field.
Ricketts says all the reconstruction is going "pretty nicely," most of it infrastructure work so far on the 101-year-old ballpark.
"People that come opening night won't see a big change in the grandstands."
And the big signs that the Cubs want to put up - will they be up by opening day?
"Yeah, I don't know the exact number of signs off the top of my head. But it is my intent to have the video board in left field ready by opening day."
The Cubs want to put a 2,200 square foot video board in right field. The rooftops owners are fighting that. A court decision is expected on that any time now.
The Cubs have already said the bleachers won't be ready by opening day. Ricketts was asked about a cover for the bleachers.
"Yeah we've got some ideas on how to make it kind of a cool tribute to Ernie Banks. But I'm not sure they're finalized."
Ricketts says the whole reconstruction plan - with the plaza and the hotel and everything will mean four more years of construction.
