Getty Guaranteed Rate Field
After over 120 years on Chicago’s South Side, the White Sox could be just a few seasons away from a move. On January 17, Fran Spielman, Tim Novak and David Roeder of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the team is in “serious” talks to build new stadium in South Loop, a downtown Chicago neighborhood.
“The White Sox are negotiating with developer Related Midwest about the possibility of building a new ballpark on the South Loop parcel known as ‘The 78,'” wrote Spielman, Novak and Roeder. “Sources familiar with the talks, all of whom asked to remain anonymous, described the negotiations for a baseball-only stadium as ‘serious.'”
The White Sox’s lease at their current stadium, Guaranteed Rate Field, runs out after the 2029 season, and the team has already indicated it’s open to exploring new options for the club’s home.
In August 2023, Greg Hinz of Crain’s Chicago Business reported that White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf was “pondering” the idea of relocating the team to the Chicago suburbs or out of Chicago entirely or selling his ownership stake.
At the time, White Sox spokesman Scott Reifert said in a statement to Hinz, “We have not had any conversations about our lease situation, but with six years remaining, it is naturally nearing a time where discussions should begin to take place.”
A New Ballpark in Chicago
The South Loop parcel of land known as “The 78” is located just south of downtown, at Roosevelt Road and Clark Street, and acquired its nickname for its potential to become the 78th neighborhood of Chicago. The 62-acre lot is one of the largest undeveloped pieces of land in the city, and while Governor J.B. Pritzker and the University of Illinois have unveiled plans to use a small portion for a tech research center called Discovery Partners Institute (DPI), there are no other solid plans for the land at this time.
Still, the White Sox are keeping their cards close to their chest, even after the reports of their interest in The 78. A joint statement from Reinsdorf and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to NBC Chicago confirmed they’ve been in discussion regarding the team’s home but stopped short of mentioning the potential South Loop location.
“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 statement to NBC Chicago read. “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.”
Could the White Sox Leave Chicago?
The White Sox have been based in Chicago since 1901, but this isn’t the first time a move from the city has been on the table.
In 1988, the run-down state of the White Sox’s then-home field, Comiskey Park, saw Reinsdorf almost relocate the team to St. Petersburg, Florida. Financing to build a tax-subsidized new ballpark was pushed through in an 11th-hour deal, and the White Sox moved into their new stadium, then called U.S. Cellular Field, in 1991.
But Reinsdorf certainly hasn’t closed the door on a future interstate move, with Hinz listing Nashville as a particular area of interest.
Bye-bye @GuaranteedRate Field? @whitesox owner #JerryReinsdorf ponders a move to another city location, the burbs, or even Nashville, and could sell team. Take a look as a move that could be as interesting as the @ChicagoBears trek to AH or wherever.
On December 6, 2023, WSCR’s Bruce Levine reported that Reinsdorf had met with Nashville mayor Freddie O’Connell, though the subject of the meeting wasn’t disclosed. For years, Nashville has been named as a serious contender to launch an MLB expansion team, with a 2023 poll conducted by The Athletic finding that 69% of more than 100 active MLB players voted for Nashville as their top choice for a new club.
Still, it would be a major move for Reinsdorf to move the White Sox out of Chicago, and any discussion regarding the team’s future home will certainly be very lengthy, even if they’re staying in the city. 2029 is not very far off in terms of stadium development talks, but fans are likely still months, if not years, away from hearing any firm decision.