Expert says if White Sox are serious about moving, he sees it going 1 of 3 ways
CHICAGO - The White Sox are reportedly kicking around the idea of moving out of Chicago.
Nothing is official yet, but Crain's Chicago Business reports the team's owner is considering getting out.
Everything is on the table here, including staying put, moving within the city, moving to the suburbs, or leaving town.
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Marc Ganis, with Sportscorp Limited, sees it going one of three ways:
- Staying put but making meaningful upgrades to Guaranteed Rate Field
- Moving to another part of town or a suburb where they could build out an attractive and lucrative retail district directly around the ballpark footprint, including bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, hotels, and housing — similar to what the Ricketts have done in Wrigleyville
- Or leaving town for a growing market like Nashville, Tennessee
The one thing Ganis doesn't see happening, though, is White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf selling the team.
"He loves the game. He loves being in the business itself. And this guy is incredibly sharp. He's like a 57-year-old, not an 87-year-old and I think the people who interact with him will tell you the same thing," Ganis said.
The White Sox lease at Guaranteed Rate Field still has six years left, so Ganis describes this as just the "first inning" of the decision-making process.