{"id":635265,"date":"2026-03-21T11:00:36","date_gmt":"2026-03-21T11:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/635265\/"},"modified":"2026-03-21T11:00:36","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T11:00:36","slug":"2bn-mlb-franchise-secures-waterfront-plot-for-new-stadium-amid-inter-state-relocation-fears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/635265\/","title":{"rendered":"$2bn MLB franchise secures waterfront plot for new stadium amid inter-state relocation fears"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Chicago White Sox owner-in-waiting Justin Ishbia says the team is &#8220;definitely&#8221; going to build a new ballpark.<\/p>\n<p>The private equity mogul &#8212; <a aria-label=\"worth $5.8 billion per Forbes  (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/profile\/justin-ishbia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\">worth $5.8 billion,per Forbes <\/a>&#8212; is poised to<a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/us\/3426308\/chicago-whitesox-relocation-southloop-southside-cubs-yankees-reinsdorf\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> take over the franchise<\/a> from Jerry Reinsdorf\u00a0by 2034, but the deeds could be exchanged as early as 2029.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Rate Field opened in 1991 and has fallen behind its rivals\" height=\"640\" width=\"960\" data-credit=\"Getty\" data-img=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/general-stadium-view-game-4-1068179386.jpg\" data-caption=\"Rate Field opened in 1991 and has fallen behind its rivals\"   loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/general-stadium-view-game-4-1068179386.jpg\" role=\"img\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>3<\/p>\n<p>Rate Field opened in 1991 and has fallen behind its rivalsCredit: Getty<\/p>\n<p>Ishbia may not have control of the<a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/topic\/chicago-white-sox\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> White Sox<\/a> yet, but is making moves that appear to suggest he is laying the groundwork.<\/p>\n<p>His firm Shore Capital Partners is buying a 47-acre Amtrak rail yard in the South Loop, which lies across the Chicago River from the \u201cThe 78\u201d development where the new <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/sport\/football\/team\/113429\/chicago-fire\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Chicago Fire<\/a> stadium is<a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/football\/3979306\/chicago-fire-stadium-relocation-update-mls-soccer\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> being built.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cShore Capital Partners is under contract to acquire the Amtrak rail yard and has begun early planning for a mixed-use development on the site,\u201d a spokesperson told The Athletic. \u201cAs part of the vision for the district, Shore is exploring with Northwestern Medicine a potential healthcare facility and medical innovation hub.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Fire have broken ground on their own project and were believed to have forced the Sox to look elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>MORE ON MLB<\/p>\n<p>Owner Joe Mansueto agreed to fund the 22,000-seat stadium out of his own pockets.<\/p>\n<p>Jerry Reinsdorf, meanwhile, was asking for public funds again having also had help building Rate Field on the South Side.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/topic\/mlb\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">MLB<\/a> outfit think the 62-acre site has enough room for both franchises.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur White Sox focus has been and continues to be solely on the potential of a new ballpark at The 78,\u201d a White Sox spokesperson said.<\/p>\n<p>In a 2024 season that saw the Sox drop a record 121 losses, the team created a makeshift diamond on The 78 to help attract investors.<\/p>\n<p>A move to Nashville was also touted, but Ishbia has ruled that out.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Sox want to build a brand new facility\" height=\"640\" width=\"960\" data-credit=\"Getty\" data-img=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/general-view-stadium-game-chicago-1068179353.jpg\" data-caption=\"The Sox want to build a brand new facility\"   loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/general-view-stadium-game-chicago-1068179353.jpg\" role=\"img\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>3<\/p>\n<p>The Sox want to build a brand new facilityCredit: Getty<a href=\"#\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Justin Ishbia (left) and his brother Mat own the Phoenix Suns\" height=\"640\" width=\"960\" data-credit=\"Getty\" data-img=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/user-expressly-acknowledges-agrees-downloading-1068179253.jpg\" data-caption=\"Justin Ishbia (left) and his brother Mat own the Phoenix Suns\"   loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/user-expressly-acknowledges-agrees-downloading-1068179253.jpg\" role=\"img\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>3<\/p>\n<p>Justin Ishbia (left) and his brother Mat own the Phoenix SunsCredit: Getty<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI love Chicago,\u201d Ishbia said. \u201cPut it this way: If I wanted to have a team that was not in my hometown, I probably , right? If I wanted to commute, I could\u2019ve just commuted to Minnesota.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Sox have four more years left on their stadium lease and while Ishbia is helping to pay off debts and cover costs, he has no say at the moment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJerry\u2019s the chairman, Jerry has 100 percent control of what happens with the White Sox,\u201d he told The Athletic in June. \u201cAnd so, anything about the stadium, you should ask Jerry. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;But I\u2019ll say this: I\u2019m 48, right? And the White Sox lease is up in four years. I can\u2019t tell you exactly when, but in my lifetime, we\u2019re definitely building a new stadium. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Whether it\u2019s four years from now or 34 years from now, I can\u2019t tell you when exactly this moment, but we will build a new stadium while I am the steward of the franchise.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If The 78 is a no-go, another state could be in play.<\/p>\n<p>NFL Stadium Status<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774090836_942_jacksonville-jaguars-unveil-plans-stadium-1059943989.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Hammond in Northwest Indiana is <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/nfl\/4083454\/chicago-bears-new-stadium-deadline-illinois-indiana-cost-completion\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">trying to lure <\/a>the <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/topic\/chicago-bears\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Chicago Bears<\/a> out of Illinois.<\/p>\n<p>If that move fails, the welcome mat could be rolled out for the Sox.<\/p>\n<p>A plot has already been picked out along Wolf Lake &#8212; a short drive from downtown Chicago.<\/p>\n<p>Read More on talkSPORT<\/p>\n<p>Indiana house speaker Todd Huston is a White Sox fan and may be secretly wishing the Bears stay in Illinois.<\/p>\n<p>Stay up to date with the latest from the <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/topic\/nfl\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NFL<\/a> across all platforms &#8211; follow our dedicated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61571480857518\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">talkSPORT USA Facebook page<\/a> and subscribe to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@talkSPORTEndZone\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">talkSPORT USA YouTube channel <\/a>for news, exclusive interviews and more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Chicago White Sox owner-in-waiting Justin Ishbia says the team is &#8220;definitely&#8221; going to build a new ballpark. The&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":635266,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2379],"tags":[81398,5,71018,138,8124,78174,49,2561,81395,7057,6251,81397,4,36965,66681,3537,46970,8567,396,46968,81396,46972,26804,2562],"class_list":["post-635265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-chicago-white-sox","tag-basbeball-news","tag-baseball","tag-baseball-stadiums","tag-chicago","tag-chicago-bears","tag-chicago-bears-indiana","tag-chicago-white-sox","tag-chicagowhitesox","tag-hammobd","tag-indiana","tag-jerry-reinsdorf","tag-justin-ishbia-net-worth","tag-mlb","tag-mlb-ballparks","tag-mlb-owners","tag-mlb-news","tag-new-white-sox-stadium","tag-rate-field","tag-white-sox","tag-white-sox-news","tag-white-sox-owner","tag-white-sox-relocation","tag-white-sox-stadium","tag-whitesox"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116266823125660434","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/635265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=635265"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/635265\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/635266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=635265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=635265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=635265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}