1st bid for Wrigley Field is in

by kaseyi on Jul 17, 2008 3:38 PM CDT

http://www.suntimes.com/business/1061331,wrigley071708.article

(Sorry if this has already been posted elsewhere - I'm having major problems viewing BCB today and I tried to seach to see if it was and could not find it elsewhere)

A leading Chicago-area real estate firm has submitted an offer to buy Wrigley Field, betting that lease payments from the Chicago Cubs and eventual improvements to the ballpark will make it a decent investment.

Sources said Thursday that Inland Real Estate Group of Companies Inc., based in Oak Brook, has turned in the offer to Cubs owner Tribune Co. The amount of the offer couldn’t be learned, but it is believed to be close to $300 million, the sum Tribune Chairman Sam Zell wants out of Wrigley if he sells the team and the property separately.

Edit:I just reread the article and this is for Wrigley Field only. Maybe Zell will get his wish and get Wrigley and the Cubs sold seperately and try to maximize his profits on the sale. He doesn't have to deal with MLB to sell Wrigley...he could sell that to anyone. The team on the other hand need MLB approval.

Kasey

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, or Al Yellon, editor-in-chief. FanPost opinions are, however, valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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300 million just for field

1 billion would be for the team and the field

by PirateDan on Jul 17, 2008 3:42 PM CDT 0 recs

How do the other bids work ?

Where they supposed to do one with and one without the field because it is safe
to assume that all the big bidders want the field too. Frankly this smells like a Zell set up
to me to give him leverage with other bids and MLB.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry

by Doggie Stalker on Jul 17, 2008 3:44 PM CDT 0 recs

Maybe.

It’s going to get pretty complicated, with some groups bidding only for the park, some groups bidding only for the team, and some groups bidding for both.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jul 17, 2008 3:49 PM CDT up 0 recs

If I said it once...

...I have said it a thousand times, Zell will not take lightly to MLB telling him who he can sell his assets to.

Sure, he is well aware of MLB rules, but he will do everything in his power to pressure them to go along with what he wants. Will he succeed to sell to a Cuban if his bid is 100 mil or so higher? I have no idea, but it will certainly be fun to watch.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Jul 18, 2008 1:31 PM CDT up 0 recs

Let's go Mark Cuban

by CHCOWNTHECENTRAL on Jul 17, 2008 3:48 PM CDT 0 recs

No thank you.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jul 17, 2008 3:49 PM CDT up 0 recs

Levin

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. ~Voltaire

by Jettero2112 on Jul 17, 2008 4:41 PM CDT up 0 recs

Twelve

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Jul 17, 2008 4:45 PM CDT up 0 recs

Days

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Jul 17, 2008 4:47 PM CDT up 0 recs

But Al

Wouldn’t you at least prefer Cuban to Canning?

"That’s what I love about my skip, man. He’ll tell you that you suck...I know I suck. We know we suck...Yeah, we suck. But we’ll see who sucks at the end."
- Gary Sheffield

by DrGalazkiewicz on Jul 17, 2008 9:57 PM CDT up 0 recs

No.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jul 18, 2008 7:57 AM CDT up 0 recs

Nauseating...

by StevenABQ on Jul 17, 2008 4:14 PM CDT up 0 recs

fine by me

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Jul 17, 2008 4:19 PM CDT up 0 recs

What do you have against Cuban Al?

by CHCOWNTHECENTRAL on Jul 17, 2008 3:53 PM CDT 0 recs

Who's Cuban Al?

by N Oakley on Jul 17, 2008 3:58 PM CDT up 0 recs

answer...

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Jul 17, 2008 3:59 PM CDT up 0 recs

LMAO

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jul 17, 2008 5:06 PM CDT up 0 recs

Let me introduce you

to my little hamster.

Fontenot (fon-te-no): Cajun for "scrappy"

by zambranofan on Jul 17, 2008 7:13 PM CDT up 0 recs

I know who Big Gay Al is...

by daeviant on Jul 18, 2008 8:03 AM CDT up 0 recs

Cuban Big Gay Al?

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. ~Voltaire

by Jettero2112 on Jul 18, 2008 1:25 PM CDT up 0 recs

Worried..

Mark Cuban would put money into the Cubs and to Wrigley but he would not be the guy we want in the front office. He has done a lot od wierd and crazy stuff in the NBA and I’m not sure MLB would put up with it. As well as a lot of important Cub personel.

by pickupman21 on Jul 17, 2008 4:19 PM CDT 0 recs

"and the actual retail price is....."

325 million…..Inland Real Estate you win! Come on up and play Plink-O

Fukudometer: Created 3/31/08 Wrigley Debut 4/5/08 WGN and Japan TV Debut 4/6/08 Sun Times Debut: 4/20/08

by Fuk-U-Meter on Jul 17, 2008 5:09 PM CDT 0 recs

According to the Onion.com...

Mark Cuban “purchased the entirety of sports for an undisclosed but undoubtedly large sum on Monday”.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/mark_cuban_buys_sports

""At the end of the day, boys, you don't tell me how rough the water is, you bring in the ship." -- Steve Stone

by kentmeister on Jul 17, 2008 6:43 PM CDT 0 recs

LMAO

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jul 17, 2008 7:29 PM CDT up 0 recs

A.B.C.

Anyone But Canning.

Eat More Katsui

by CaliCub on Jul 17, 2008 7:03 PM CDT 0 recs

Close...

A.B.C.
Anyone But Cuban

by Neifi Puppy on Jul 18, 2008 5:31 PM CDT up 0 recs

Its the second bid

I offered $6.25 and all I got was a Budweiser.

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Swung on belted!!!"---Chip

by Hammer on Jul 17, 2008 7:15 PM CDT 0 recs

Mais oui, M. Hammer

Il est une tres bien biere, non?

Budweiser – le manifique lager du Americainne… heh, heh, heh,,,,

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Jul 18, 2008 6:37 AM CDT up 0 recs

Bids are going to get real complicated

As mentioned, some groups will bid on the whole nine yards while others just on Wrigley Field. Which means the evaluation of bids is going to be a protracted process just like everything else about this sale.

I’m rooting for the Ricketts family to win this thing. Don’t want John Canning. Don’t think Donald Levin has enough financial resources to make it work.

Rich Harden Fever, Catch It !!!!!!!!!!

by MDBNIU on Jul 17, 2008 11:19 PM CDT 0 recs

Two years ago...

... Levin said he could do the deal in 90 days, for cash. I can’t imagine those circumstances have changed.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jul 18, 2008 7:57 AM CDT up 0 recs

Canning's Selig/Reinsdorf Connection Scares Me

I can hear it now:

“Yes, Mr. Commissioner…pare down the payroll, Mr. Commissioner? Be fiscally responsible and content to just compete within the division, Mr. Commissioner? Whatever you say, Mr. Commissioner.”

And Reinsdorf’s the type that would pull the ol’ “what’s that on the front of your shirt” nose flick maneuver on Canning (figuratively speaking).

Gimme Levin, Cuban, the Ricketts family, the Murray Brothers…anyone but Canning. Another Andy the Clown “honk honk” (stealing from Mike North) is the last thing we need around here.

Eat More Katsui

by CaliCub on Jul 18, 2008 10:21 AM CDT 0 recs