Bleacher Reconstruction Update - February 9

by Al on Feb 9, 2006 1:26 PM CST in 2005-06 Bleacher Reconstruction Project

It was cold today, unlike the past few times I've been to the ballpark to take photos, today's temperature at photo time was 28 degrees. That's normal for this time of year, but after the mild January, it takes a bit of getting used to!

After this diary and the various articles in the newspapers and online today about the reconstruction (because yesterday was Media Tour Day for the project), I can add this wire service story which doesn't add too much to what we already know, except the fact that the price tag is $13.5 million.

And no, that has nothing to do with player payroll -- that's money that comes out of Tribco's capital expenditure budget. So don't think that could mean $13.5 million more for players.

Incidentally, the Tribune article says there will be far fewer balls for the ballhawks on Sheffield and Waveland. Sorry, Paul Sullivan, but I think you're wrong. Yes, it'll cut down a little -- but remember, many balls that leave the park do so on a high arc that take them far past the sidewalk on the ballpark side. I expect this to continue.

The timeline has also been updated.

Top: Behind CF, where the entrance will be; lifting steel rods off a truck on Sheffield; nearly complete brick section on Sheffield; another section of wall beginning

Middle: workers lifting the steel from photo above onto RF bleachers; closeup of view in previous photo; wider view of wall in photo above; the "knothole

Bottom: RF corner immediately to the left (as viewed from street) of the "knothole"; another view behind CF; the restaurant area; construction of LF bleachers, looking back toward CF & RF

Photos by Al, taken Thursday morning

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I don't think

the number of balls leaving the park will not decrease that much either. Add Sullivan to Murph on WSCR who was bitching last fall about not being able to see the buildings on Waveland and Sheffield anymore after the project was complete. So many people payed to comment on this stuff just have their heads in their butts.

by TR on Feb 9, 2006 3:48 PM CST 0 recs

Anything to slam a franchise.....

in this town is considered sacred journalism. Thats what sells papers. If some journalist prints in his papers that less balls will fly out of the yard and his company sells more papers as a result, he wins a nobel prize in this town, so anything derogatory that is printed in the newspaper doesn't surprise me. Think about it, in today's world, who the hell needs a newspaper. All you need to do is turn on your TV for all your sports coverage, so the only way for newspapers to make money is to write controversial stories. This of course leads to half truth articles and journalist who think they are GM's and/or managers. Now that I got that of my chest, I can thank Al once again for another fantastic set of photos. Hey Al, any chance we can get another set of photos at night time ?

ya know steve, I just don't get it. Here's a guy who's born and raised in the Dominican Republic, and he loses the ball in the sun !!

by whitesux on Feb 9, 2006 6:20 PM CST 0 recs

I could, I suppose....

... go there at night, but you wouldn't be able to see much.

Lemme think about it.

by Al on Feb 9, 2006 6:38 PM CST up 0 recs

OH MY GOD

....snow.

That caught me off guard.

2006 -- AC036097 -- Eamus Catuli!

by priorpwnz on Feb 9, 2006 9:08 PM CST 0 recs

That brick wall

Al, that's on Center Field's wall?

2006 -- AC036097 -- Eamus Catuli!

by priorpwnz on Feb 9, 2006 9:08 PM CST 0 recs

Nope...

... that was on the RF side, on Sheffield.

by Al on Feb 10, 2006 8:28 AM CST up 0 recs

bleachers

There was some interesting speculation on the Score today. Boers and Bernstien were talking about the new bleacher seats that will be selling for 60 dollars. It was Bernsteins observation that if thsoe seats sell well that the the rest of the bleachers will be sold on a season ticket basis. And that the prices would probably be raised even more.

by sanman on Feb 9, 2006 9:57 PM CST 0 recs

Was just going to post this

Basically, what Boers and Bernstein were saying is that the element that the Bleachers became synonimous with, the drunken blathering idiots, is something that Cubs management wants gone. Wrigleyville, especially towards the end of 2003 was becoming a madhouse with upwards of 50,000 people descending upon the area. There was the shooting outside of Wrigley. Bernstein's premise was that perhaps the Cubs see more long term potential growth by getting rid of the drunkards and bringing in people who want to buy season tickets, take their kids to the games, etc.

DmL

by dmlichte on Feb 9, 2006 11:28 PM CST up 0 recs

Boers & Bernstein...

... are idiots. See, this is why I don't listen to sports talk radio. They talk out of their butts without a clue about what is really going on.

There is no way the bleachers will EVER be sold completely on a season basis. Those of us who are season ticket holders have had conversations about this with the ticket people and their position is that they want to keep season tickets limited, and get as many people in there as possible. The additional seats will, I suppose, help this idea.

The thing about Wrigleyville is a red herring. Yes, there were thousands of people in the streets during the 2003 playoffs. That has nothing to do with the bleachers; people were there because they wanted to take in the atmosphere.

by Al on Feb 10, 2006 8:31 AM CST up 0 recs

I guess

...if you can afford to live in Chicago proper, you can afford $60 bleacher seats for the family.

I suppose that's why I've resigned myself to enjoying the Cubs at Great America & Busch (old).

Languishing in Card Country.

by evillecubman on Feb 10, 2006 12:02 AM CST 0 recs

The $60 are REALLY for the Yuppies

They are their own section with backs etc. The rest of
bleachers are expensive enough at $40 but basically the
bleachers are at absurd prices due to the combination of
scalpers and the marketing the "atmosphere". As far as I know
in EVERY other MLB park Bleacher or outfield seats are MUCH
lower than nearly all seats in the main park let alone good ones
however the Bleachers now cost significantly more per ticket
than my very nice terrace infield seats. I think it actually the
single most successful element of Cubs marketing that people
want to pay a $100 to scalpers to sit in the outfield. One
thing you can be sure of is that they will not make this
a season ticket or reserve section. However I don't think
the $22-$32 per ticket I will be paying for my seats is that
crazy or out of line with other parks. In an era of $10 movies
$110 broadway shows etc I can deal with it and I honestly
think I make less than nearly any other season ticket holder
However I never buy any food in the park which saves a ton

by jessica on Feb 10, 2006 8:52 AM CST up 0 recs

walkway

maybe I'm just stupid but after reading the Trib online and looking at their bleacher picts I didn't realize the walkway would be below the back row of seats. I guess that will stop drunks from spilling beer down my back when they walk by. Also read portable restrooms....SpotApots on the walkway???

by mrcubsfan on Feb 10, 2006 8:47 AM CST 0 recs