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City Council committee approves 43 night games at Wrigley Field

By : Subuk Hasnain

Wed, 12/04/2013 - 3:38pm

The City Council Committee on License and Consumer Protection passed an ordinance Wednesday allowing the Chicago Cubs to hold up to 43 regular season night games next baseball season.

The amended legislation permits the Cubs to schedule 35 night games and allows the team to move up to eight scheduled day games to nighttime starts in order to meet Major League Baseball's television broadcast obligations. The measure would not allow the city to veto the team’s choices for the rescheduled night games, unlike an ordinance approved previously by the City Council.

The earlier ordinance, which was approved by members of the City Council in June, permitted the Cubs to hold up to 46 night games each year. The team, however, agreed to the changes the committee approved Wednesday in exchange for more flexibility in scheduling the night games.

The ordinance passed Wednesday also requires the Cubs to increase security presence after games. Currently, there must be 15 safety personnel on site after each game. Now, the Cubs will be responsible for providing an additional 10 security personnel outside the stadium after games, and the city will be required to keep at least 10 police officers close to Wrigley after night games.

Wrigleyville Alderman Tom Tunney (44th) noted that he and the Cubs organization were “working with community organizations” to find a way to get another 10 security officers stationed outside the stadium after night games.

As per the ordinance, security personnel will have to remain in the Wrigley area for at least two hours after games held on Sundays through Thursdays, and for three hours after games on Fridays and Saturdays.

“Our neighbors have always complained about post game activities and not enough police presence, and I think this will be a real enhancement,” Tunney said.  

Tunney added that under the ordinance, the Cubs will offer 1,000 free remote parking spaces and shuttle services to Wrigley Field for all night and weekend games. Currently, the team has about 500 remote parking spots that cost about $6 per car.

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, committee members held back an ordinance that would allow the sale of beer and wine year-round in the new sports plaza that will be located adjacent to Wrigley Field. The sports plaza is part of the Wrigley Field renovation plan and will “play host to a farmers' market in warmer months and ice skating in the winter,” according to DNAinfo Chicago.

The ordinance seeking a liquor license for the plaza was introduced on Nov. 26. Tunney stated that talks will be held with the Wrigleyville community before further action is taken.

Cubs Vice President and General Counsel Mike Lufrano agreed with Tunney on the need for community input on the proposal.

“We want to hear from the community and talk with them directly,” he said after the meeting. “We’ve always talked about the plaza as an exciting place to visit and we just want to make sure that we have an understanding with the community and with the City Council, and the alderman that’ll allow us to move forward.” 

This article was originally published on the Daily Whale website in 2013.

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