CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Former mayor and diehard Sox fan Lori Lightfoot is reluctant to endorse the proposal for a new White Sox stadium in the South Loop.
Lightfoot agrees the renderings of the proposed stadium look great, and she compliments the developers of the property known as The 78.
But, she tells WBBM the agreement between the team owners and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority needs to be fundamentally reexamined.
“I actually love Guaranteed Rate Field. I think it’s a great venue,” Lightfoot says.
“I’m not so sure about this idea of building a brand new stadium from scratch because then it means: What do you do with that other asset? But, I think there’s got to be a serious conversation sooner rather than later. I’m assuming there is between White Sox leadership, business folk and the state government about what makes the most sense for the future of the White Sox franchise.”
She says there could be further development at the current Sox park. The area has great transportation, she adds.
“You’ve got the IIT campus just on the other side of the expressway, and I think they would love to be in a conversation about kind of creating a campus with the White Sox in that area, and, truly, it could be the economic engine of that part of the South Side, because there’s really nothing else there that would compete with them. Make it a year-around destination,” Lightfoot says.
Lori Lightfoot is the featured guest this Sunday on WBBM's "At Issue," airing at 9:30 a.m. and replaying at 9:30 p.m.
Listen to our new podcast Looped In: Chicago
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram I TikTok