05-04-2010, 05:53 PM
Thanks for sharing, Butch. I thought I had read that this was resolved, but I guess not.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-04...c-ballpark-sign
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->"Wrigley Field is not a museum," he said. "We have to look for revenue opportunities."
Ricketts singled out one person for stirring up much of the opposition to the sign: Tom Gramatis, who owns four buildings overlooking the stadium. He has converted three into rooftop clubs that sell tickets to games and host groups. The fourth features an ad for an Indiana casino on its roof. The Toyota sign would partially obstruct the view of the ad from inside the stadium.
Gramatis belongs to a small group called the Wrigley Rooftop Association that opposes the sign, saying it would violate the ballpark's landmark features. The group issued a satirical video last week, which shows signs popping up all over Wrigley Field's ivy-covered walls and around its center-field scoreboard.
Ricketts said Gramatis wants to stop the sign because he would like to add rooftop seats to the fourth apartment building.
"If the way this works in the city, that one guy can stop a sign, then let's find out now," Ricketts said, adding that if the team does not gain city clearance, it would affect family investment decisions in the neighborhood.
"I don't see how it couldn't," he said. "It's going to color everything."
Gramatis did not return requests for comment. Rob Nash, a spokesman for the rooftop association, said the group is concerned that the Toyota sign may be the first of many. More signs in the outfield would threaten the livelihood of all rooftop owners.
But Ricketts said the family has no intentions of installing other signs along the outfield. The rooftop owners and the Cubs have a revenue-sharing agreement until 2023, which is an incentive to the team to not destroy the views from those perches.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-04...c-ballpark-sign
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->"Wrigley Field is not a museum," he said. "We have to look for revenue opportunities."
Ricketts singled out one person for stirring up much of the opposition to the sign: Tom Gramatis, who owns four buildings overlooking the stadium. He has converted three into rooftop clubs that sell tickets to games and host groups. The fourth features an ad for an Indiana casino on its roof. The Toyota sign would partially obstruct the view of the ad from inside the stadium.
Gramatis belongs to a small group called the Wrigley Rooftop Association that opposes the sign, saying it would violate the ballpark's landmark features. The group issued a satirical video last week, which shows signs popping up all over Wrigley Field's ivy-covered walls and around its center-field scoreboard.
Ricketts said Gramatis wants to stop the sign because he would like to add rooftop seats to the fourth apartment building.
"If the way this works in the city, that one guy can stop a sign, then let's find out now," Ricketts said, adding that if the team does not gain city clearance, it would affect family investment decisions in the neighborhood.
"I don't see how it couldn't," he said. "It's going to color everything."
Gramatis did not return requests for comment. Rob Nash, a spokesman for the rooftop association, said the group is concerned that the Toyota sign may be the first of many. More signs in the outfield would threaten the livelihood of all rooftop owners.
But Ricketts said the family has no intentions of installing other signs along the outfield. The rooftop owners and the Cubs have a revenue-sharing agreement until 2023, which is an incentive to the team to not destroy the views from those perches.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->