Dear Neighbors,

On Wednesday, City Council approved a package that gives the Cubs flexibility and certainty in the operations and development of the ballpark - while maintaining and strengthening neighborhood protections for Lakeview.

This type of economic development - hospitality, tourism and entertainment - as you all know, has been one of the growth engines of our city. I think it's good for the city. It is certainly good for the neighborhood.

The revised Night Game Ordinance strengthens existing neighborhood protections while giving the Cubs flexibility in their schedule. We have enhanced safety and remote parking while maintaining all the protections from the original ordinance in 2004. The Night Game Ordinance also provides more protections on larger concerts and events. It limits the number to four per summer, includes penalties for playing past 11pm, gives an absolute end to alcohol sales (at 11pm), and increases the security presence in the neighborhood on event nights.

Our neighborhood needs hotels and the plaza will draw tourists and residents year-round, further enhancing our small business community.
The Planned Development has been revised to be more sensitive to the surrounding residential neighborhood. The hotel entrance has been moved to Clark Street. The bridge over Clark Street, and portico on Patterson have been removed.

We were able to put this package together with no taxpayer assistance and minimal public support. The Cubs are only receiving the Landmark "Class L" tax credit, available to all owners of Landmarked buildings. This is unheard of major league sports.

In addition to the private investment in the campus, the package calls for the Cubs to contribute over $4 million dollars to neighborhood infrastructure improvements over the next ten years.

We are anxious for the Cubs to start the work as soon as possible and believe this package allows them to begin work and renovate Wrigley Field for the next 100 years of baseball.

Thank you for your patience and involvement throughout this entire process.

Have a great weekend!


Sincerely,


Alderman Tom Tunney

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

"No taxpayer support" and "minimal public assistance" would seem to be contradictory.

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Cubs winning the world series and losing 100 games every year, seem to be contradictory.

Isn't tonight the night all the frat bags burn down his ward?

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

There is a COMMAND CENTER to make sure in the event the 120 extra security people dont hold back the guys dressed in red tights and santa hats, they have communication to call in the National Guard.

Seen a couple of pukings and heard and saw ambulances all day long.

But remember, the Cubs are the problem around here we need to keep an eye on!

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Shouldn't the bars be required to stop serving alcohol after 11pm, as well?

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Shhhhhhhhhh...thats Tunneys honey pot now! The rooftops cant make the money anymore they used to, when they each game him 1 night for free to fundraise for everything from just his Spring, Summer and fall fundraiser to his Birthday. $250 a head, all the leftover beer and wine you can drink and as many hot dogs as possible for $250!

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Wait wait. These bars were all rented out for the day pretty much to create an enclave of drunken idiots? Where are the neighborhood groups demanding that the bars pay for the added police and make them pay to put up a stop light or a new park nowhere near there?

The city is giving away thousands of square feet of right of way to the Cubs without compensation. They are also giving away air rights for signage not used as identifiers but as advertising. That is public funding.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.