The once-urgent concern over where the Cubs would play their postseason games has abated for 1985 because of the team`s disappointing performance, but planning for a possible new stadium continues.
Don Grenesko, executive vice president of business operations, said the Cubs definitely will play their home games in Wrigley Field next season. Grenesko added that a committee has been formed to research building a new stadium at sites such as Schaumburg.
”We are looking at the economic feasibility of a new stadium,” Grenesko said. ”We`re trying to determine if the Cubs can support a new stadium by themselves.
”That would be strictly a baseball stadium of 50,000 to 65,000. Can we build a replica of Wrigley Field somewhere? If not, the alternatives we`re looking at are a multipurpose stadium that we would obviously share with a football team.
”We have talked to a couple of engineering firms and we have gotten some estimates on what the construction costs would be on each of those types of facilities. We are in the process of gathering information on operating costs for stadiums across the country, both open-air and covered.
”As far as site selection, we`re basically wide open, whether it is within the city of Chicago or whether the suburbs come in. WGN radio owns 100 acres of land in Schaumburg, where its transmitter is located, as everyone is aware now. Obviously we have to take a hard look at that.
”But at the same time, we are not wedded to that idea. We`re basically reviewing all proposals. We`ve gotten any number of proposals from various suburbs in and around Chicago.”
Grenesko said the organization would prefer to keep the Cubs at their present site if permanent lights could be constructed.
”We are prepared to put lights in, and we are prepared to expand the seating capacity to get up to the 45,000-48,000 range. We definitely will not put in temporary lights.
”Realistically, to build a new stadium, you`re looking at three to five years. We haven`t set a time frame as yet. It`s a massive process. It`s going to be a couple of months before we come to any type of conclusion. If we ever get the go-ahead on this thing, I think the easy part will be constructing the stadium.”
