The Chicago White Sox Major League Baseball team is reportedly in “serious talks” over building a new stadium in the South Loop neighbourhood of the city.
The Chicago Sun-Times newspaper, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that the White Sox have held discussions with property developer Related Midwest, owner of the site on which the stadium would be built.
The White Sox currently play at Guaranteed Rate Field (pictured) in the Bridgeport area of Chicago. The team’s lease at the stadium expires in 2029, and in August a report claimed that the franchise was reviewing its options with a potential relocation to Nashville one of the proposals said to be on the agenda.
Guaranteed Rate Field has a capacity of 40,615 and has served as the home of the White Sox since opening in 1991. The stadium is owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, which, according to the Sun-Times, is not part of the talks between the White Sox and Related Midwest over a potential South Loop ballpark.
In a joint statement provided to NBC Chicago following the Sun-Times’ report, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said: “Mayor Brandon Johnson and White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf met to discuss the historic partnership between the team and Chicago and the team’s ideas for remaining competitive in Chicago in perpetuity.
“The partnership between the city and the team goes back more than a century and the Johnson administration is committed to continuing this dialogue moving forward.”
Should the White Sox pursue a move to Nashville, an MLB-standard stadium would have to be constructed in the city. The Music City Baseball group has long held plans to bring MLB to Nashville at a proposed sports and entertainment district, including a stadium with a retractable roof.
The White Sox are not the only Chicago team considering building a new stadium, with the NFL’s Bears assessing the possibility of a move away from Soldier Field.
