CHICAGO (AP) — The owner of the Chicago Cubs threatened to move the team out of Wrigley Field if his plans for a big, new video screen are blocked, saying he needs new advertising revenue to help bankroll a $500 million renovation of the storied ballpark.
Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts until now had said nothing as dire, despite months of contentious negotiations over how to keep everyone happy in sprucing up the 99-year-old stadium in the heart of Wrigleyville on Chicago’s North Side.
“The fact is that if we don’t have the ability to generate revenue in our own outfield, we’ll have to take a look at moving — no question,” Ricketts told reporters after outlining renovation plans to Chicago business leaders.