Chicago White Sox minority owner Justin Ishbia unveiled preliminary plans Saturday for a potential new South Loop stadium home when the team's lease at Rate Field expires.
Canal Edge LLC, a company owned by Ishbia, unveiled renderings for a mixed-use development called The Railyards on the site of Amtrak's 47-acre rail yard across the river from The 78 megadevelopment. The massive project would include residential and commercial properties, as well as a Northwestern Medicine healthcare facility, Crain's Chicago Business first reported.
Canal Edge has the land under contract, and the stadium would border the Chicago River, with the parcel stretching from Roosevelt Road to 18th Street.
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“The Railyards is about turning idle land into opportunity — for patients who need better access to care, for a team and its fans who deserve a dynamic Riverfront home, and for a city that needs jobs, housing, and economic investment,” Ishbia told the Chicago Sun-Times in a statement. “This is a Chicago project, built by and for Chicagoans, and we are excited about its potential.”
The plan for the stadium is still in its "early stages," with the company starting a lengthy study on transportation viability and environmental evaluations, according to the Sun-Times. The proposal is the beginning of a multiyear planning and approval process, according to the outlet.
The White Sox told the outlet the team will review the study results as it considers whether the site is a viable option for a future stadium.
“If the site proves interesting and viable after his due diligence, it would be added to the locations up for consideration for a new ballpark, along with The 78 and other options,” the team told the Sun-Times.
Ishbia entered an agreement last year that gives nonagenarian owner Jerry Reinsdorf the option to sell the controlling interest in the team to Ishbia from 2029 to 2033. After the 2034 season, Ishbia has the option to acquire the controlling stake in the team from Reinsdorf.
The deal for the Amtrak 14th Street Coach Yard has been heavily rumored since March, but Saturday was the first official announcement that Chicago's next stadium district could be on its way.
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The team has been after a new stadium for years.
In early 2024, the White Sox released a different plan to get a stadium at The 78, where the Chicago Fire later decided to build its new home. The team's plan included a request for nearly $1B in public money. That did not get the backing of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has been cautious about using taxpayer money to finance stadium projects.
The White Sox lease at Rate Field is up after the 2029 season.
“I’m 48, right? And so whether a new stadium occurs in four years or 34 years, I don’t know, but I’m going to be involved in a stadium at some point with the White Sox,” Ishbia told the Sun-Times last year.
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