White Sox considering building new stadium in Chicago's South Loop
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Bears may not be the only Chicago sports team considering a new home. The White Sox may be on the move, but the potential spot is not too far from its current home turf.
The team's lease at Guaranteed Rate Field runs out in 2029. Now, the team is in talks to move closer to downtown.
The team is talking with a developer about possibly building a new stadium in South Loop, sources told CBS 2. The site is the large parcel of land called "the 78" near Roosevelt and Clark.
The White Sox first confirmed a possible move from Guaranteed Rate last summer. However, the team has not released any specifics.
Mayor Brandon Johnson and White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf issued a joint statement saying they both met to discuss the historic partnership between the team and Chicago and the team's ideas for remaining competitive in Chicago in perpetuity.
The statement didn't mention the South Loop project or specifics on what was discussed with Johnson.
The team has yet to officially open talks with the state of Illinois about their status at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Illinois General Assembly passed legislation in the late 1980s to help fund the ballpark, which opened in 1991.
That law created the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority to oversee the construction and renovation of stadiums for professional sports teams in Illinois. The state-run agency owns Guaranteed Rate Field.
Before the state passed the legislation to help fund a new stadium, the White Sox had been on the brink of moving to Tampa Bay, Florida.
Guaranteed Rate Field is located across 35th Street from the former site of old Comiskey Park, the White Sox' home from 1910 until 1990.
CBS 2 also reached out to Related Midwest, the developer of the 78, for comment, but they did not immediately respond.
