Saturday, February 6, 2010

More 2010 Wrigley Field renovation details revealed

Bruce Levine of ESPN has released more details of the renovation work going on around Wrigley Field this off-season.

Anyone that has driven around the ballpark lately will have noticed work being done to the back of the scoreboard and on the corner of Addison and Sheffield. BCB has been doing a nice job documenting the work outside so far...go here and here for the latest.

Previously the Cubs had release some information including the creating of a new weight room and players lounge. The umpires dressing room is also being moved. And work is proceeding on a new club on the the skybox level.  There have been conflicting reports on what this club/lounge will actually be for, but Levine states it will be rented out to corporations who are on the skybox waiting list.  We'll see.

Levine reveals more on what is happening on the interior of the ballpark, though...some stuff that I had not heard before.

First, what's going on in right field:
The team also is building a mirrored opening on the back end of the right-field wall with the intention of allowing fans outside of the park to watch Cubs players take batting practice under the right-field stands.

The window will be open on Sheffield Ave. as part of a plaza the Cubs are building, which will also access their Sheffield Grill, the restaurant that will be open to the public before and after games. New food at the Grill will include bison beef specialties. That’s correct, it is buffalo, which is raised on the Ricketts’ ranch in Omaha, Neb.
This is interesting. Late last year, something that few people noticed was that the doors under the right field grandstand wall disappeared and were replaced with gates similar to the "keyhole" fence under the bleacher boxes in right field.  This might have something to do with this "mirrored opening".

Right now the Cubs also appear to be removing those ugly concrete panels on the Addison side of the park (finally).  This might be part of this mirrored opening and new restaurant as well.  This seems rather close to the "Captain Morgan Club" that sits near the Harry Caray statue.  There has been a lounge down in that corner off of Sheffield for a number of years, so I would assume that is where the buffalo will be served.

Of course this is all the tip of the iceberg.  The major renovations will likely start at the end of this coming season...and the Ricketts' appear to be gearing up for those renovations:
The team is hiring a construction manager to oversee the building of their new triangle building that will cover 400,000 square feet.

The new manager will oversee that construction as well as the construction of the new complex in Mesa, Ariz.
During the season, expect extensive details to be revealed.  I sincerely hope that they get started on that triangle build relatively soon after the 2010 season ends.

There is also a bit of a mystery of what is going on down the left field line where tarps are covering the brick wall. I suppose all will be revealed in 2 months.

One last note in the Levine story...a new marketing campaign will be starting up in the next week or so:
The team will announce a new marketing campaign that will be introduced next week, focusing on the future while retaining the culture of the past.
Overall, it does appear that the Ricketts' are committed to a substantial renovation...and that's good.  I have feared that they might only do a half-ass job with this renovation, but already they have done more this season than I could have possibly imagined.