SOX MIGHT BE ON THE MOVE JUST A LITTLE BIT NORTH TO THE PARCEL OF LAND KNOWN AS THE 78.

THE SUN TIMES FIRST REPORTED LAST WEEK THAT THE TEAM HAS BEEN IN SERIOUS TALKS WITH DEVELOPER RELATED MIDWEST AND THE CITY ABOUT BUILDING A NEW STADIUM THERE BORDERED BY THE SOUTH PRESS, THE CHICAGO RIVER, ROOSEVELT ROAD.

AND CLARK STREET.

BUT THAT WOULD MEAN PACKING THEIR BAGS AND LEAVING TEAM'S HOME FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.

BRIDGEPORT.

COULD THIS BE A HOME RUN FOR THE SOX OR IS IT ANOTHER STRIKEOUT FOR A TEAM HAVING TROUBLES ON THE FIELD?

AND JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS ARE MARC GANIS PRESIDENT, THE SPORTS BUSINESS CONSULTING FIRM SPORTSCORE.

HE'S WORKED MORE THAN 2 DOZEN SPORTS FACILITY PROJECTS AND SEEING WOMEN DO AS A SPORTS CONSULTANT BASED IN CHICAGO.

WE ALSO INVITED THE CHICAGO WHITE SOX AND RELATED MIDWEST, BUT NEITHER ACCEPTED OUR INVITATION TONIGHT.

WE'RE GLAD TO TALK TO BOTH OF YOU SO MARC GANIS AND THIS KIND RHYMES WITH WHAT HAPPENED 30 YEARS AGO.

OJ RISER THREATENS TO MOVE TAMPA.

THE STATE STEPS IN AND THEY BUILD A NEW STADIUM.

HOW SERIOUS DO YOU THINK THIS TALKS ARE FOR THE 78?

>> THINK THEY'RE ACTUALLY QUITE FOR NUMBER OF REASONS.

ONE IS THE WHITE SOX LEASE IS COMING UP OVER GUARANTEED RATE FIELD.

THEY NEED ABOUT 6 YEARS TO PLAN.

ABOUT THAT MUCH TIME LEFT.

ROGER WRITES, STUART IS IN HIS MID TO LATE 80'S.

HE DOES WANT TO LEAVE THE TEAM GOOD HANDS.

AND IN CHICAGO, HE IS COMMITTED TO THE CITY.

AND THIS SITE IS A GREAT SITE RELATED MIDWEST DOES COME OUT AND SAID SOME PUBLIC STATEMENTS ABOUT IT IT WOULD REALLY BE MAJOR STEP FORWARD FOR THE WHITE SOX IF THEY COULD A NEW BALLPARK ON THIS SITE.

>> WOMEN, THOSE AS JUST THE RIGHT SPOT FOR A WHITE I MEAN, IT'S STILL THE SOUTHSIDE TECHNICALLY ABOUT 111200 SOUTH, NOT 3500 SOUTH.

>> YEAH.

WELL, YOU SAID IT YOURSELF.

IT'S STILL THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO.

SO THEY STAY AT HOME AND IN A REALLY GREAT YOU KNOW, THE 78 IS SOMETHING THAT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN EXPLORED IN THE LATE 60'S.

AREA WAS ACTUALLY IT'S FLORIDA AS A PLACE TO PUT SPORTS TEAMS.

AND I THINK IT WAS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY THAT AND I THINK THIS IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE WHITE SOX TO STAY ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO.

BUT IN THE SOUTH LOOP SOMEWHERE THAT THEY WILL DEVELOP NEXT.

A VERY TRANSPORTATION AND AN ACTUAL CTA STUFF THAT MIGHT GET BUILT IN THE AREA, AREA YOU KNOW, SUCH ITS VOTING NOT TOO FAR FROM WINTRUST ARENA.

THAT'S ALREADY IN OTHER SPORTS FACILITY SOLDIER FIELD.

>> YEAH, THERE'S LOTS OF TRANSIT AROUND THERE.

BUT MARK, I MENTIONED IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, 30 SOME ODD YEARS AGO WHEN HE THREATENED TO AND THEN THE STATE STEPPED IN AND AND CREATED THIS QUASI PUBLIC PRIVATE, ILLINOIS SPORTS FACILITY AUTHORITY BASICALLY FUND THE WHOLE THING.

SO IS THIS.

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NOW IS IS A SPORTS FACILITY AUTHORITY ISSUE HOTEL BONDS TO PAY FOR THE WHOLE WELL, IT HAS TO BE PAID FOR AND JURY HAS SHOWN KNACK OF BEING ABLE TO GET THE PUBLIC SECTOR PONY UP A LOT OF MONEY.

>> FOR STADIUMS, NOT JUST IN CHICAGO DID THE SAME THING IN WASHINGTON WHEN THE EXPO'S MOVE DOWN FROM OUR TRAIL HAVING BEEN SAID, IT'S A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT.

PARIS, THIS IT'S A VERY TOUGH ENVIRONMENT TO GET THE KIND OF DEAL THAT WAS DONE BACK THEN WITH THE ARM TWISTING OF GOVERNOR JIM THOMPSON AND SPEAKER MICHAEL MADIGAN, WHO HAD A LOT TO TRADE BACK THEN THERE ISN'T THE SAME KIND OF ECONOMIC IN SPRINGFIELD ORE IN CHICAGO.

THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT'S TIED INTO THE SOLDIER FIELD.

BONDS THAT HAVE BEEN REFINANCED MULTIPLE TIMES FROM THE SAME TACK AS WELL SO THAT THEY'LL HAVE TO BE MORE CREATIVE THIS TIME.

THEY'RE LIKELY BE MORE PRIVATE IN THIS ONE.

THEN THERE WAS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE, NOT ON THIS SITE, THERE MAY BE SOME OF THE SUBURBAN THAT COULD WORK WHERE THEY CAN BUILD REAL ESTATE AROUND IT TO HELP OFFSET THE COST OF BUILDING AND OPERATING THE STADIUM.

BUT THIS IS A GREAT SITE IF THEY'RE GOING TO STAY WITHIN THE MAY BE THE BEST SITE IF THEY'RE GOING TO STAY WITHIN THE CITY PROPER.

>> WOMEN, HOW ATTRACTIVE IS THAT TO SOMEONE LIKE JERRY REINSDORF, THE FACT THAT THERE'S THIS REAL ESTATE WHERE THEY CAN BUILD HOTELS AND EVENT SPACES.

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IN THE MODERN DAY.

YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO EMULATE THE WRIGLEYVILLE, YOU KNOW, THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.

YOU KNOW, IT CAME ORGANICALLY WITH REALLY LOW.

BUT EVERYONE'S DONE THAT FROM ST. LOUIS YOU KNOW, HERE IN KANSAS CITY WHERE I'M SITTING JUST BLOCKS AWAY FROM WHERE THEY WANT A BILL, ONE OF THE THINGS THE ROYALS HAS COMMITTED TO SHOULD THEY BUILD A DOWNTOWN ALL PARTIES TO AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT TO CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY.

YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS VERY GOOD ON PAPER, BUT GOING BACK TO IT.

YOU KNOW WHAT MARK JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM TO BUILD THIS BEAUTIFUL 30,000 BALLPARK.

THE BALLPARK YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING BUILD IN VEGAS FOR THE ATHLETICS WHEN THEY MOVE FROM OAKLAND HAS A COSBY, YOU KNOW, ONE AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS, RIGHT?

SO WHERE IS THAT GOING I THINK LIKE MIKE SAYS, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO COME WITH SOME PRIVATE MONEY AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET CREATIVE BE ON THE UNIVERSITY ILLINOIS'S INSTITUTE GOING IN THERE, HOTELS, YOU KNOW, BRING IN BARS IN AND HAVING IT BE A FULL COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY FROM, YOU KNOW, THE ALDERMAN AND EVERYBODY INVOLVED.

>> WELL, SPEAKING OF THE WE INVITED PAT WHOSE WARD INCLUDES A 78 ON THE SHOW.

SHE DECLINED BUT SENT A STATEMENT THAT SAID IN PART, QUOTE, AFTER MEETING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM AT RELATED MIDWEST TODAY BELIEVE THE PROPOSED CHICAGO WHITE SOX TATUM CAN BE A POSITIVE ANCHOR FOR THE NEW 78 COMMUNITY.

ASSUMING THE FINANCIAL DEALS CAN BE WORKED OUT.

THIS DEVELOPMENT SHOWS PROMISE AS A GREAT GROWTH OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

THE ADDITION OF SIGNIFICANT MARKET IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RETAIL AND A WORLD-CLASS BASEBALL STADIUM AND CONCERT VENUE CAN BE THIS SORT OF CATALYTIC INVESTMENT THIS CITY NEEDS.

SO MARC GANIS SAID IT SEEMS LIKE THEY ALREADY GOT A SKEPTICAL ALDERMAN KIND OF ON BOARD HERE WITH WITH ALL THESE KIND OF BENEFITS FOR THE CITY >> WOULDN'T WOULDN'T BE NICE IF THE ALDERMAN COULD WRITE THE CHECK FOR AS IT IT YES, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE MOMENTUM.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE POSITIVE STATEMENTS BY THE POLITICAL BY POLITICAL OFFICIALS.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE TOXICITY OF OUR POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT HERE IN CHICAGO.

THE DRAIN AN IMPORTANT RESOURCES, THINGS THAT ARE EXPECTED LIKE NEW TEAM, NEW UNION CONTRACT AND THINGS THAT ARE UNEXPECTED LIKE THE MIGRANT THAT WE HAVE.

SO IT'S THIS IS THIS IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE FINANCIALLY.

BUT THE SITE IS A GREAT SITE.

THE ALDERMAN IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ABOUT THAT.

THE LOCATION WOULD BE GREAT FOR THE WHITE SOX FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

IT'S WHERE THE CITY IS GROWING RESIDENTIAL E ENTERTAINMENT RETAIL.

SO IT WOULD REALLY CREATE REALLY GREAT SOUTHWEST ANCHOR TO WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AROUND WORLD.

WROTE IN WHOLE AREA, LOTS TO TO SAY WHY THIS SHOULD HAPPEN.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS HAPPEN AROUND HERE, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT SHOULD HAPPEN DON'T AND THINGS DON'T AREN'T NEEDED SOMETIMES.

DO SO.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS ONE BUT WOULD BE A GREAT PROJECT.

DIFFICULT.

OF US IN A WAY, PERHAPS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS AS THE SOX INVESTING LIKE THIS IN THE BRIDGEPORT.

>> THERE ISN'T MUCH OF A ANY KIND OF COMMUNITY AROUND THE STADIUM.

YOU HAVE TO GO INTO THE TRACKS ARE OVER THE EXPRESSWAY.

>> DO YOU THINK IT'S A GOOD MOVE FOR THE TEAM LEAVE A HOME THAT THEY'VE BEEN FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.

>> WELL, IT WOULD BE TOUGH BECAUSE THAT IS ACTUALLY THE THE WINDS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR LONGER.

YOU KNOW, WILL STATE IT WAS JUST BLOCKS AWAY IN ONE OF THOSE LOT SET.

NOW HE'S STILL GETTING GOING ON.

I HAVE BEEN ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT I MENTIONED, THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.

THEY COULD BUILD AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT RIGHT NEXT TO A RED LINE.

STOP RIGHT NEXT TO GREEN LINE.

STOP NEXT TO A METRO STOP.

SO THE CURRENT WHITE SOX LOCATION IS ACTUALLY THE FACTS AND ALL CHICAGO SPORTS IN TERMS OF GETTING THEIR PUBLIC TRANSIT.

AND WHAT I'VE ALWAYS SAID YOU KNOW, THE THE BALLPARK IS ACTUALLY I LOVE GOING THERE I WILL SAY I'M A CUBS FAN.

I LIVE 2 BLOCKS FROM WRIGLEY FIELD.

I STILL LOVE GOING TO THE BALLPARK.

IT'S EASY TO ACCESS AND EVERYTHING AND IT COULD EASILY HAVE AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT BUILT ALONGSIDE THE REAL-LIFE USING SOME OF THOSE LOT.

THAT WAS MY FIRST THOUGHT YOU KNOW, WHY NOT JUST DEVELOP THE LAND?

THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF IT.

BUT MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THE CHICAGO FIRE, THE CHICAGO BEARS.

SHOULD THE WHITE SOX MAKE THE RIGHT MOVE TO GO TO THE 78 AND SAY, HEY, NOW WE HAVE ALL THESE CHICAGO BEARS.

WHY DON'T YOU STAY IN THE CITY AND, YOU KNOW, BUILD THEIR, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE CITY.

IT'S GOING TO SOME SUPER BOWL, SOME NATIONAL TITLES.

AND, YOU KNOW, WWE WRESTLEMANIA.

>> ISN'T THAT A TANTALIZING THOUGHT?

ALWAYS SKY'S THE LIMIT.

IF YOU CAN KEEP THE >> YOU CALL THIS POTENTIAL