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Sam Zell, the owner of the Tribune Co., is fast
becoming Public Enemy No. 1. The publishing and real-estate magnate also owns the
Chicago Cubs, and he’s been alienating fans, the media, and
legislators with his arrogant talk about auctioning off the naming rights
to Wrigley Field and cutting a deal that would dump landmarking
requirements on the building before the ballpark is sold to the state. Cubs fans are outraged at the possible desecration of
their holy shrine. White Sox and Cardinals fans are incensed that the state
would dare do anything on behalf of the Cubs. Taxpayers are furious.
Legislators are freaking out.
“Excuse me for being sarcastic,” Zell
told a cable-TV interviewer who asked about the uproar over selling the
naming rights, “but the idea of a debate occurring over what I should
do with my asset leaves me somewhat questioning the integrity of the
debate.”
Zell is a tough-talking, no-nonsense, hugely
successful businessman — but good baseball owners are stewards of
beloved institutions that will outlive us all. For Cubs fans, that park is
everything. Relaxing the landmarking requirements — which, among
other things, prohibit changing the signage outside the stadium — is
a horrifying thought to many. If the naming rights are sold, fans could be
welcomed by a giant neon “Waste Management Field” sign or some
such atrocity out front. And being a billionaire doesn’t necessarily
ensure that you’ll be able to get a hugely controversial piece of
legislation passed. Zell, who came up with the idea of selling the park to
the state, is obviously hurting his own cause. “Over my dead body,” declared one
powerful Democratic state senator last week when he was asked whether the
state purchase would be approved. His sentiments were echoed throughout the
Capitol. Some legislators who have had meetings with
Zell’s people say Zell is merely attempting to strong-arm the Wrigley
Co. into paying for the advertising that it’s received gratis for
decades. But if the Wrigley Co. folks don’t cave and buy the naming
rights, it will be almost impossible for any legislator with Cubs fans in
his or her district to vote for a state takeover of Zell’s ballpark,
because the bill would essentially codify a name change. Even if Wrigley
does give in, the rest of the state is not going to go easy into the night.
Former Gov. Jim Thompson, who is in charge of
crafting the sale, last week said, “Everybody should calm
down.”
Thompson has pledged that he won’t do anything
to “destroy the charm” of Wrigley Field if the state buys the
park and leases it to the new Cubs owners. “I love the Cubs,”
he says.
But what about all that talk of relaxing or even
abandoning the stadium’s landmark status? Thompson vows to
“keep those elements of Wrigley which are landmarked and which the
city won’t agree to change,” such as the signage out front.
However, he says, he needs to make sure that the park is
“habitable” for the teams. Plus, luxury suites need to be added
to produce revenue.
Even without Zell’s remarks, Thompson would
have a tough time. Illinois politics is an absolute mess right now. The
Democrats are fighting each other, and nothing is getting done. The budget
is deeply in the red. The governor’s adviser Tony Rezko is about to
go on trial for corruption. Things couldn’t get much worse.
Thompson knows that the future is perilous. He must
first craft a deal that “lets us acquire and restore Wrigley at no
cost to the taxpayers.” Then, he says, he can “at least make
the argument with a straight face” to all the parties involved. And
then he has to get the bill passed. All I know is, Thompson’s game this spring will
surely be more entertaining than anything played at Wrigley. Go Sox.
Rich Miller also
publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and
thecapitolfaxblog.com.
This article appears in Feb 28 – Mar 5, 2008.
