As has been stated by the Cubs for several months, the Wrigley Field bleachers (at least in left field) will reopen Monday, May 11, when the Cubs take on the New York Mets. The team says work will continue throughout May and June, at times during games, and the bleachers will fully reopen in early July, with a "celebratory event" at the game July 3 against the Marlins.
You'll notice some changes in the renderings above. The first image is of "Platform 14," the patio that will be located behind the center-field bleachers. It's scheduled to open in early July and will offer expanded food preparation spaces and a larger variety of freshly prepared food items.
Other new or renovated areas in the bleachers are as follows:
Budweiser Bleacher Suite: The enclosed Budweiser Bleacher Suite in center field can accomodate groups of 50-100. It will open May 11 and groups in the suite get a food and beverage package with their ticket.Left Field Porch: This large group space offers a mix of standing room and bleacher seating options beneath the new left field video board (photo 2) for groups of up to 100 people. This area features an all-inclusive beverage package and will also open May 11.
Left Field Well: The new Left Field Well (photo 3) features space close to the action in the first two rows above the left field wall with designated standing room and limited seating for groups of 15 to 50 fans. This area will also open May 11. The porch and the well will both require a separate ticket, but according to this Chicago Tribune article:
Tickets for each section will be sold separately, although for the next few home series, the Cubs will allow anyone with a bleacher ticket to explore the porch for free. Separate tickets will be available for the well. Season tickets are not available in either section.
Right Field Porch: Similar to the Left Field Porch, this large group space offers a mix of standing room and bleacher seating options for groups of up to 100 people and feature an all-inclusive beverage package. It will be located at the top of the right-field bleachers and open on June 11.
“With new offerings to complement the bleacher experience fans already know and love, we are thrilled to open the enhanced Budweiser Bleachers and welcome back our fans in the coming weeks,” added Vice President of Sales and Partnerships Colin Faulkner. “Guests can begin booking these new spaces today to ensure they are part of an exciting season of Cubs baseball.”
So the bleachers will be the same -- from what I can tell from the views I've had of the left field construction, my corner in left field will have the same seating as before -- but also provide some different areas for groups. I can tell you that you likely won't see people as well-dressed as they are in photo 4, though.
There are tickets on sale now for the bleachers for all upcoming games, including May 11. Go here for more information.