Wrigley Rooftops

Wrigley Rooftops is a name for the sixteen rooftops of residential buildings which have bleachers or seating on them to view baseball games or other major events at Wrigley Field. Since 1914 Wrigley roofs have dotted the neighborhood of Wrigleyville around Wrigley Field, where the Chicago Cubs play Major League Baseball. Venues on Waveland Avenue overlook left field, while those along Sheffield Avenue have a view over right field.

Wrigley Rooftops
TypePrivate LLC
Websitewww.wrigleyrooftopsllc.com

The rooftops had always been a gathering place for free views of the game, but until the 1980s, the observers were usually just a few dozen people watching from the flat rooftops, windows and porches of the buildings, with "seating" consisting of a few folding chairs, and with little commercial impact on the team. When the popularity of the Cubs began to rise in the 1980s, formal seating structures began to appear, and building owners began charging admission, much to the displeasure of Cubs management, who saw it as an unreasonable encroachment.

Various methods of combating this phenomenon were discussed. The idea of a "spite fence", as with Shibe Park in Philadelphia, or the Cubs' previous home, West Side Park, was discussed. The idea was not implemented, nor was it fully abandoned. Before Opening Day in 2002, a "wind screen" was temporarily erected on the ballpark's back screen behind the outfield wall, obscuring some of the view from Wrigley roofs.[1]

When the majority were independent of Cub affiliate ownership prior to 2016, the Wrigleyville Rooftops Association's members were the 16 rooftop venues.[2] Wrigley Rooftops is the Ricketts family's marketing arm and brand for their rooftop holdings through Greystone Sheffield Holdings[3] and Hickory Street Capital.[4]

History
West Side Park with "wildcat" bleachers before a tall fence was built

Soon after Wrigley opened in 1914, the rooftops sprung up around the ball field. In the 1938 World Series, when the Cubs played the Yankees, The Sheffield Baseball Club was the first to charge for admission.[5]

Real estate investor Donal Barry, through an entity, purchased in 2000 1010 W. Waveland (Beyond the Ivy I) then 1048 W. Waveland (originally Beyond The Ivy III, then Sky Lounge Wrigley Rooftop now 1048 Sky Lounge) also in 2000. Barry's entity in 2004 purchased 1038 W. Waveland (Beyond The Ivy II).[3]

In 2002, the Cubs organization filed a lawsuit against the different facilities for copyright infringement. Since operators charge admission to use their amenities and sell licenses to view Major League Baseball, the Cubs asserted that the facilities were illegally using a copyrighted game and sued for royalties.[6] In 2004, 11 of the 13 roofs settled with the club out of court, agreeing to pay 17% of gross revenue in exchange for official endorsement.[7] The city also began investigating the structural integrity of the roofs, issuing citations to those in danger of collapse. With the Cubs and the neighbors reaching agreement, many of the facilities began to feature seating structures: some with bleachers, some with chair seats, and even one with a steel-girdered double deck of seats (see photo). The agreement was to last until 2023.[8]

Left field rooftops in 2008
View from a left field roof
Wrigley double-deck
rooftop seating

In 2013 principal owner Thomas S. Ricketts sought Commission on Chicago Landmarks permission to build "additional seating, new lighting, four additional LED signs of up to 650 square feet (60 m2) and a 2,400-square-foot (220 m2) video board in right field." Ricketts said Wrigley has "the worst player facilities in Major League Baseball".[8] When the roof owners threatened to sue he tempered the design to just "a sign in right field and a video board in left field." After the roof owners did not rescind their threat to sue, Ricketts said in May 2014 that he would attempt to proceed with the original plan even if the matter was fought in court.[8] The Wrigleyville Rooftop Association claim in 2014 that its members spend $50 million to renovate their venues to code after agreeing to revenue-sharing.[3] On January 20, 2015, the roof owners filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Cubs and Ricketts, citing breach of contract.[9]

The Ricketts family, owners of the Cubs, began purchasing the rooftop properties in order to control the marketable sight lines into the stadium and by the end of the 2016 season, owned (or controlled via agreement) 11 of the rooftop locations. In 2015, a family venture bought 3643 N. Sheffield Ave. building, 3639 N. Sheffield and 1032 W. Waveland. A Jerry Lasky-managed entity sold 3617, 3619 and 3637 N. Sheffield to the Ricketts in May 2015.[3] Hickory Street Capital, a venture of the Ricketts family, took a stake in the Down the Line Rooftop (3621-3625 Sheffield Ave.) along with right of first refusal in 2010. James and Camelia Petrozzini moved their share of Down the Line to a living trust then the Petrozzini died in 2014. Hickory Street sued that the trust transfer violated the right of first refusal. Ricketts family ventures outright purchased seven rooftop buildings while purchase the mortgages on three Sheffield rooftop properties in receivership. The Petrozzini Trust agreed to sell Down the Line Rooftop to Hickory Street in December 2016.[4][10] Ricketts family's Greystone Sheffield Holdings bought the three W. Waveland rooftops from Donal Barry on January 13, 2016. Also in January, the Ricketts launched its Wrigley Rooftops marketing brand and arm.[3] The Ricketts family add the Brixen Ivy located at 1044 W Waveland to its rooftop portfolio.[11]

In May 2017, the Cubs and the Rickets family formed Marquee Sports & Entertainment as a central sales and marketing company for the various Rickets family sports and entertainment assets, the Cubs, Wrigley Rooftops and Hickory Street Capital.[12]

Rooftop venues
Rooftopaddress[13]Wrigley Rooftops[14]InfoSource
Wrigley View Rooftop1050 W. Waveland Avenue
Brixen Ivy1044 WavelandRicketts (May 2016)[11]
Beyond the Ivy I1010 W. Waveland Greystone Sheffield Holdings (1/2016) held by Real estate investor Donal Barry's venture in 2000 to January 13, 2016 [3]
1048 Sky Lounge1048 Waveland
Beyond the Ivy II1038 W. WavelandBarry's entity purchased in 2004
Wrigleyville Rooftops 11032 WavelandRicketts
Murphy's Rooftop3653 N. Sheffield Avebeyond the center-field scoreboard[3]
Wrigleyville Rooftops 33643 Sheffield Ricketts
3639 Wrigley Rooftop3639 North Sheffield
Sheffield Baseball Club3619 Sheffield Avenueright-field fence; was the first to charge in 1938; owned in 2005 by Tom Gramatis; on top of The Inn at Wrigleyville [5][15]
Wrigley Field Rooftop Club3617 Sheffield Avenue owned in 2005 by Tom Gramatis
Ivy League Baseball Club3637 Sheffield Avenue
Lakeview Baseball Club3633 Sheffield Right Field Properties [3]
Skybox on Sheffield3627 Sheffield
Down the Line Rooftop3621-3625 Sheffield Ave.Hickory Street (12/2016)sued that the trust transfer violated the right of first refusal. Ricketts family ventures outright purchased seven rooftop buildings while purchase the mortgages on three Sheffield rooftop properties in receivership. The Petrozzini Trust agreed to sell Down the Line Rooftop to Hickory Street in December 2016.[4]
Wrigleyville Rooftops 23609 N. Sheffieldindependentformerly Sports Corner[3]

Hickory Street Capital

Hickory Street Capital is a Wrigleyville development company owned by the Joe Ricketts family.

Hickory Street Capital, a venture of the Ricketts family, took a stake in the Down the Line Rooftop (3621-3625 Sheffield Ave.) along with right of first refusal in 2010. James and Camelia Petrozzini moved their share of Down the Line to a living trust then the Petrozzini died in 2014. Hickory Street sued that the trust transfer violated the right of first refusal. Ricketts family ventures outright purchased seven rooftop buildings while purchase the mortgages on three Sheffield rooftop properties in receivership. The Petrozzini Trust agreed to sell Down the Line Rooftop to Hickory Street in December 2016[4]

In May 2017, the Cubs and the Rickets family formed Marquee Sports & Entertainment as a central sales and marketing company for the various Rickets family sports and entertainment assets, the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Rooftops and Hickory Street Capital.[12]

The Hotel Wrigley project was announced by Hickory Street Capital in 2013 for the northwest corner of Clark and Addison across from Wrigley Field with a faux-historic baseball theme. In September 2016, the project was rechristened Hotel Zachary after the 1914 ballpark’s architect Zachary Taylor Davis with a new design by architect VOA Associates. Starwood Hotels & Resorts was brought on board to manage the hotel expect to open in 2018.[16] On April 10, 2017, the Park at Wrigley outdoor plaza was opened to the public on the same day as the Chicago Cubs' home opener.[17]

Portfolio
  • Down the Line Rooftop[4]
Gallagher Way Plaza (April 10, 2017) and development
  • North Building, 1101 W Waveland
    • American Airlines Conference Center
    • Chicago Cubs Front Office
    • Marquee Sports & Entertainment
    • Motorola World Series Trophy Room
  • West Building, 3630 N Clark Street
    • Hotel Zachary (opened March 28, 2018)[18] managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts[16]

Marquee Sports & Entertainment

Marquee Sports & Entertainment LLC (MSE) is a sales and marketing company for the various Rickets family sports and entertainment assets, the Cubs, Wrigley Rooftops and Hickory Street Capital. Marquee is headquartered in the Gallagher Way's North Building. Hickory Street properties included are the new Park at Wrigley, the American Airlines Conference Center in the new Cubs headquarters adjacent to the ballpark, and Hotel Zachary. The company was draws on the famous Wrigley Field marquee.[12]

Marquee Sports & Entertainment was formed in May 2017. The Cubs’ existing corporate partnerships and sales teams of 30 were transferred to Marquee.[12]

Day-to-day operating heads are the two co-managing directors, Allen Hermeling, Cubs senior director of corporate partnerships, and Andy Blackburn, Cubs senior director of ticket sales. Also involved is Crane Kenney, Cubs president of business operations, as MSE officer and Colin Faulkner, Cubs senior vice president of sales and marketing as senior vice president of MSE directly over the co-managing directors.[12]

Notes
  1. "Charlton's Baseball Chronology". www.baseballlibrary.com. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  2. Suddath, Claire (September 6, 2013). "Wrigley Field's Planned Renovation Threatens a Chicago Rooftop Tradition". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  3. Ecker, Danny (January 25, 2016). "Here's how much the Cubs owners paid for their rooftops". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  4. Ecker, Danny. "Ricketts family buys 10th Wrigley Field rooftop". chicagobusiness. Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  5. "Best Seats in House Are Outside Wrigley". New York Times. 2005-06-12. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  6. "The roof as a copyright infringement tool". 2002-12-22.
  7. "Team to receive portion of rooftop revenue". ESPN.com. 2004-01-12.
  8. "Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts opts to return to original Wrigley Field renovation plan - ESPN Chicago". Espn.go.com. 2008-01-01. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  9. Hopkins, Jared (2015-01-21). "Wrigley rooftops sue Cubs, accusing team of price-fixing scheme". Chicago Tribune.
  10. Ecker, Danny. "Cubs owners getting their 11th Wrigley rooftop". chicagobusiness. Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  11. Koziarz, Jay (April 11, 2016). "The Ricketts Family Pick Up One More Rooftop, Push for Street Closures". Curbed Chicago. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  12. Fisher, Eric (May 29, 2017). "Ricketts to open new sales and marketing firm". Sports Business Daily. American City Business Journals. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  13. "Wrigleyville Rooftops". RooftopsofWrigley.com. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  14. "Our Rooftops". Wrigley Rooftops LLC.com. Wrigley Rooftops LLC. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  15. "The Inn at Wrigleyville - Prices & Hotel Reviews (Chicago, IL)". Tripadvisor. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  16. Koziarz, Jay (September 14, 2016). "Hotel planned for Wrigley Field gets new look, name". Curbed Chicago. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  17. Koziarz, Jay (April 10, 2017). "New Wrigley Field plaza makes debut ahead of Chicago Cubs home opener". Curbed Chicago. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  18. Freund, Sara (February 22, 2018). "Wrigley's Hotel Zachary now taking reservations". Curbed Chicago. Retrieved March 18, 2020.

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