2009 Chicago Cubs Neighborhood Protection Report

Transcription

1 2009 Chicago Cubs Neighborhood Protection Report Copyright Chicago Cubs Baseball Club, LLC. All rights reserved.

2 December 2009 Dear Neighbors: Thank you for your tremendous support of the Chicago Cubs in As the team embarks on a new era under the ownership of the Ricketts family, we are proud to present the 2009 annual report on Cubs activities in the community. The past year was a remarkable one for the Cubs and our community efforts. In addition to the baseball season, we hosted the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings in a spectacular NHL Winter Classic on New Year s Day and welcomed internationally-renowned performing artists Elton John, Billy Joel, Rascal Flatts, Vince Gill and Darius Rucker to the Friendly Confines over the summer. Throughout the year, we continued our diligent neighborhood protection activities aimed at helping make Wrigley Field and our community the best place in America to watch baseball. The Cubs remote parking lot at DeVry University continued to attract fans in tremendous numbers. More than 50,000 fans used the lot and rode the free shuttle to Wrigley Field. Every car using the remote parking lot helps to avoid traffic on streets around Wrigley Field. Our free bicycle valet service helped more than 10,000 bike riders. We also continued our active participation in community organization, events and activities, working to further the success of our neighborhood. In all, we devoted countless hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars to neighborhood activities during the year. In addition to these contributions, the Cubs generated millions of dollars in amusement taxes, employed thousands of Chicagoans and supported community and charitable activities, including the construction of Little Cubs Field at Humboldt Park, a $2 million state-of-the-art little league facility in a great community. An economic impact study of the Cubs and Wrigley Field is underway and is expected to demonstrate the Cubs and Wrigley Field help generate more than $300 million annually to the local economy. This stimulus is especially important in challenging economic times. On October 27, 2009, the Ricketts family became the eighth owners in the 133-year history of the Chicago Cubs. Led by Tom Ricketts and his family, our new owners grew up as Cubs fans and know what it means to be dedicated to the team and our beloved ballpark. Already, the benefits of new ownership can be seen in the form of capital commitments to Wrigley Field, hiring top management talent such as Rudy Jaramillo and new programs to improve the fan experience in and around the Friendly Confines. They are the first family owners in 30 years and have taken control of the organization with a clear mission: win a World Championship for the most deserving fans in sports. The Ricketts family is investing this off-season to improve Wrigley Field s concession operations and we are moving forward with much-needed expansion plans for our men s and women s restrooms. As important as these immediate projects, we are also moving forward with a number of long-range projects, including planning for the construction of a multi-purpose facility west of the ballpark. While planning for these improvements is underway, the Ricketts family has committed all profits from the team will be reinvested in the ballclub and Wrigley Field for the foreseeable future. We hope you find this annual report includes useful information. On behalf of the Chicago Cubs organization, thank you for helping us keep our community a friendly, exciting and safe place to visit. We look forward to 2010 and to continuing to be involved, active and vigilant as we participate in our community and work to better our neighborhood. Sincerely, Michael R. Lufrano Senior Vice President, Community Affairs

3 Remote Parking Operation The Chicago Cubs remote parking lot at DeVry University continued to attract tremendous numbers of fans during the 2009 baseball season as well as for the NHL Winter Classic and the summer musical performances. In the six years since the Cubs took over operation of the DeVry lot, we have seen tremendous success. During the 2009 season, 20,761 cars parked at DeVry University and 54,952 fans took the free shuttle to Wrigley Field. Every car using the remote parking facility helps to avoid traffic on streets around Wrigley Field. The Cubs continue to pay the entire cost of operation of the lot and despite the increasing use of the lot are required to pay to the City a 75% penalty on the revenue, resulting in an additional $57, in 2009 to the City of Chicago. The remote parking lot was operational for every Cubs night and weekend game during the 2009 season 51 dates in all. Highlights of the year include: Total cars parked: 20,761. Total fans using the lot: 54,952. Average number of cars per night game (regular season): Average number of cars for all games (regular season): Average number of cars for Sunday games (regular season): Largest single game usage: 524 cars.. Cubs provided television and radio advertising for the remote parking facility to help promote its use. The convenience and low cost to park was highlighted. Season ticket holders as well as online purchasers were sent information with their ticket orders before the 2009 season began. Fans could also download information about the remote facility from Cubs Web site, Brochures explaining the shuttle bus and other transportation options were distributed by hotels in and around the Chicago area. Transportation alternatives were also suggested on the back of season parking and daily sale coupons for all Cubs parking lots. Cubs continued to use electronic message boards to promote the remote parking facility. Three signs were in place for each night and weekend game at various locations adjacent to City streets. Static signage on the Edens / Kennedy expressway further helped make the lot easier to locate. Growth of the remote parking lot may have been slowed in 2009 by the lane restrictions leaving Wrigley Field. The length of time it takes for a bus to go from Wrigley Field to the Remote Lot following games is hampered by the availability of only one lane of traffic going northbound on Clark street following games. Cubs have asked the City for help to remedy this issue by restricting curbside parking following games. 1

4 Bike Check Service The Chicago Cubs bicycle check service began on April 13 and operated throughout the regular season and on the dates of Wrigley Field musical performances as well as the minor league game. Service began three hours before the scheduled event time and concluded one hour after the conclusion of the game or event. A total of 10,416 bikes used the free service during the regular season. This free bike service continues to have a regular clientele of riders and be a major contributor to reductions in traffic. In addition to Cubs bicycle check service area, hundreds of fans locked their bikes to one of the many bicycle racks around the park and in the area around Wrigley Field. Additional public racks are used regularly in the area around Clark Street and Addison. Cubs have again asked for more racks to be installed for next season as many bikes are attached to fences and street signs because the racks are full. Mayor Daley s Bike Ambassadors visited the park on at least four separate game days to promote their program, explain the benefits of cycling and pass out literature. The Ambassador s program helps spread the word to bike to the park. 2

5 Traffic Management Authority The Office of Emergency Management and Communication s Traffic Management Authority ( TMA ) was instrumental in working with the Cubs throughout the season. Through a series of off-season meetings, a review of procedures and policies helped work toward best practices at all locations. Movement of personnel and other changes have become routine procedure to address traffic variability. The Cubs again welcome the opportunity to meet with TMA officials this off-season. Typically as many as 47 traffic aides are posted in the area of Wrigley Field to control traffic for each Cubs game. Cubs reimburse the City of Chicago for TMA traffic aides used during games. In 2008, this resulted in a total contribution of $557,674 from the Cubs to the City of Chicago. In 2009, the total thru August 31st was $ 406, The following traffic pattern ideas have been raised by neighbors and businesses during the course of the season. Each should be evaluated as a way to determine best practices to address Cubs-related traffic around Wrigley Field: Stop traffic on Sheffield for all games beginning when Wrigley Field gates open two hours prior to game time. Stop NB traffic on Racine (from Addison to Grace) in the 30 minutes after each game. Objective: Help keep NB Clark Street clear for bus traffic. Ensure two lanes WB traffic on Irving Park following all games. Second lane can be achieved by parking restrictions for the two hours following games (consistent with the restrictions on Clark Street) or through Chester Kropidlowski s proposal to off-set the centerline on Irving Park. Traffic exits the community far more smoothly after night games, when this restriction is in place, than during weekend games, when it is not. For Night Games Coordinate traffic signals on Irving Park WB to Western Avenue after games. Objective: Keep WB Irving Park available for cars headed to expressway. Note: Must fix the stoplight at Southport and Irving Park so it coordinates. For Night Games and weekend games Facilitate a bus lane on NB Clark Street from Waveland to Irving Park. Objective: Smooth post-game traffic flow. Stop lights at the intersection of Clark Street with both School and Roscoe streets to replace the stop signs. Note: Many of these issues have been raised with CDOT and at the annual meeting prior to the 2009 season. They are repeated here for clarity. 3

6 Promotion of Alternate Transportation An in-park survey conducted for the Cubs at various points during the season concluded 52% of our fans come to the game using some form of public transportation. Many others live in the neighborhood or within biking or walking distance. These numbers reflect the strong support the Cubs have in the Wrigleyville community and also underscore the importance of public transportation options in serving the ballpark and our fans. Cubs continue to use valuable television and radio broadcast time and print advertising to promote public transportation, including CTA, the remote parking lot and the bike valet operation. Brochures mentioning the service have been printed and distributed for the past six years. Cubs purchased advertising in Chicago Athlete the Bank of America Bike the Drive edition. The following in 2009 assisted with traffic issues by promoting alternate means of transportation and other ways to reach the Friendly Confines: In-game announcement during Cubs television and radio broadcasts. Promotion of CTA service on Wrigley Field scoreboard. In-park announcements during games. Detailed information available at all times on Detailed information published in Cubs monthly magazine and yearbook. Information provided to season ticket holders and other ticket purchasers. Printed brochures distributed to hotels and other visitor venues. Advertisement in the Chicago Athlete Magazine. 4

7 Permits As of July 1, 2008, the Residential Permit Parking Zone 383 replaced the LV2 Night Game Parking Program on most streets bound by Broadway on the East, Ashland on the West, Belmont on the South and Irving on the North in both the 44th and 46th wards. In addition, areas designated Residential Permit Parking Zone 383 do not qualify to obtain LV2 Parking Passes, nor are LV2 Parking Passes valid in these areas. This change has significantly reduced the printing costs. Printing costs for the neighborhood night game (LV2) Parking Permit stickers, guest vehicle placards and Access Pass in LV-2 zones have been the responsibility of the Chicago Cubs for the past six years. Cubs paid $10,210 for the City s program in Chicago Transit Authority During the baseball season, Cubs fans enjoy convenient services of the Chicago Transit Authority. Additional rail service is provided for weeknight Cubs games via southbound Purple Line Express trains which stop at Sheridan and Yellow Line trains which operate two hours later than the regular schedule from Howard. Cubs fans can also access Wrigley Field from several CTA bus routes, including #8 Halsted, #22 Clark and #152 Addison. Riders traveling on the Purple line often use the Sheridan station located one block north of Wrigley Field. Season ticket holders as well as online purchasers were sent information with their ticket orders before the 2009 season began. Brochures explaining transportation options were sent to hotels in and around the Chicago area. Transportation alternatives were suggested on the back of season and daily parking coupons for all Cubs parking lots. Information in all literature included CTA services, DeVry remote parking and Pace (Wrigley Field Express) bus options. Pace Use of the Pace bus program was very strong during the 2009 season. In part, this was due to the promotion on television and radio broadcasts and in Wrigley Field. Pace operated its Schaumburg shuttle from the Northwest Transportation Center and a non-stop shuttle service from the Yorktown Shopping Center in Lombard, Illinois. Up to six buses are staged on Clark Street upon arrival and ready for the return trip one half our after the last out of the game. The service is well received by Pace users and offers a convenient way to get to Wrigley Field from the western suburbs on most game days and all night and weekend games. Total ridership on the Wrigley Field Express from Schaumburg (25,741) and Lombard (13,052) was 38,793. 5

8 Litter, Trash Removal Among the efforts undertaken by Cubs in 2009: Trash pick-up after games and following morning. Trash bins around the park emptied during the game. Power washed sidewalks immediately adjacent to Wrigley Field (north side of Addison Street, west side of Sheffield Avenue, south side of Waveland Avenue, east side of Clark Street) at least once per homestand. These sidewalks and sidewalks immediately adjacent to all Wrigley Field parking lots owned by Cubs were power washed several times during the season. In-park announcements during each game (e.g. throw-away trash in bins before leaving the park and throw trash only in bins outside of the park). Trash bins and personnel stationed at exits to ask people to deposit trash, non-souvenir cups, wrappers, etc. in bins before exiting the park. Signs posted to remind fans to throw away trash in bins before exiting the park and throw away trash in bins outside the park. Detail cleaning of the area bounded by Clark Street, Sheffield Avenue and Waveland Avenue. This included emptying garbage bins on opposite sides of the street. Emptying of public trash bins on holiday weekends and other times when City service is lessened and garbage is increased, even when unrelated to Cubs games. Emptied public or Cubs-owned or placed trash bins at corners or locations in the area bounded by Halsted Street, Montrose Avenue, Damen Avenue and Belmont Avenue, and in the area bounded by Kenmore Avenue adjacent to Challenger Park and Kelly Park and Seminary Avenue adjacent to Kelly Park after Night Games, and in all Cubs (or affiliate)-owned-or-operated Wrigley Field parking lots on all game days (typically three hours after a game). Hand cleaning and sweeping on streets near the park, including Sheffield, Wilton, Fremont, Grace, Waveland, Racine, Seminary, Kenmore, Clifton, Alta Vista, Byron, Patterson, Eddy and Cornelia. Neighborhood hand cleaning by Cleanstreet on Saturdays when the team is away. Neighborhood clean up and trash removal was performed by Cubs staff and by the Cleanstreet crew. After each game, Cubs crews began their work approximately three to four hours after the game ended. Our crews worked three zones dressed in bright shirts identifying them as Cubs Night Crew. Each group had a blue dumpster with Cubs logo to help further identify them. The Cubs hired Allied Waste, Inc., to empty public trash bins and additional cans in an area of approximately a two square mile boundary. Halsted, Belmont, Ashland and Montrose is the boundary area. This area contained approximately 215 trash containers, all were emptied after each game as well as selected non game days, including Saturdays in April through October. Cleaning also took place after the special events in January and July. 6

9 Game times Cubs played 28 regular season night games in 2009, two less than permitted by City ordinance. One minor league game was scheduled for the afternoon of Sunday July 19. No baseball games were scheduled during the Pride Parade. The 2010 Cubs schedule is currently available at and was made available as early as reasonable to help facilitate neighborhood planning. Communications More than 17 alerts sent to municipal entities and neighborhood leaders during the course of the season. Neighborhood with more than 5,000 signed up for regular updates. To sign up, visit Approximately one per month was sent to this list to provide news and timely information about activities at Wrigley Field, schedule changes, etc. Promote notice of game time changes. Continued participation in community meetings and neighborhood association meetings to keep in touch with our community, stay informed and share information. Attended more than 75 meetings in Wrigley Field Traffic Operations Committee met before and during the season to review performance and share notes and ideas. Neighborhood watch by Cubs crowd management personnel continues to be a vigilant way to observe fans post game and deter inappropriate behavior. After the music performances this summer, additional teams of off-duty police officers were placed at key intersections until the early morning hours to further help in this effort. Hotline and Command Center The Cubs fund a command center and hotline operated by the Chicago Police Department to receive calls from neighborhood residents during Cubs home games. This command center is staffed by Chicago Police and used for role call for both the CPD detail and the TMA units. The hotline is operated by Chicago Police Department personnel. Game day hotline: CPD-TOW on game days before, during and after games. To contact Cubs about community concerns at other times: For emergencies: Always dial 911. Additional Game Day Protections In addition, Cubs provided and funded the following in 2009: Portable restrooms placed in each Cubs-owned or affiliated parking lot. Bleacher restrooms available for one hour after games. 7

10 Elton John, Billy Joel, Rascal Flatts Wrigley Field hosted Elton John and Billy Joel in two memorable performances in July and also welcomed Rascal Flatts, Vince Gill and Darius Rucker in a first-ever country music show at the Friendly Confines. Neighbors purchased thousands of tickets to these shows in a special pre-sale. The shows were a great success and continued the tradition of bringing world-class musical entertainment to Lakeview. In three nights of music under the stars, Elton John and Billy Joel regaled fans with hits such as "Candle in the Wind" and "Piano Man." Rascal Flatts, Vince Gill and Darius Rucker continued the tradition of great music at Wrigley Field in a lively show on Saturday, July 18. Many neighbors enjoyed the music from Waveland and Sheffield avenues outside the ballpark and others purchased one of the thousands of tickets reserved for Lakeview residents. In addition to great entertainment, the shows provided a boon to the local economy and charitable institutions. More than $816,000 in amusement taxes went directly to the City of Chicago and Cook County. Businesses reported an increase on the nights of the shows, a big help in a challenging economy. And following the shows, $150,000 is bring donated to charities serving Chicago and the Lakeview community. During each show, additional neighborhood protections helped in the community. Our neighborhood hospitality team remained on the streets around the park to provide a visible deterrent to loud noise and inappropriate behavior. The shows ended on time and neighborhood reports indicated few issues. Pre-event concerns about an event on a Saturday evening a non-holiday weekend did not materialize. Community Affairs In 2009, the Cubs attended more than 75 community meetings and supported donations of more than $1.5 million to deserving institutions and organizations throughout Chicago. The highlight of the year was the grand opening of Little Cubs Field at Humboldt Park, a $2 million state-of-the-art facility built in and for a community whose passion for baseball is second to none. Cubs All Stars Carlos Zambrano and Geovany Soto attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the park and pitchers Carlos Marmol and Angel Guzman attended the opening celebration. Little Cubs Field at Humboldt Park was built by the Chicago Cubs, with contributions from Chicago Cubs Charities, the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago and the City of Chicago through then-alderman Billy Ocasio. It is now owned and operated by the Chicago Park District and promises to be a major asset to Chicago for years to come. The McCormick Foundation, through its fund Cubs Care, granted more than $1 million to Chicago non-profit organizations in Nearly half of those dollars were granted to organizations located in or serving the 8

11 Lakeview community. The funds donated with the support of the Cubs, were raised at various charitable events throughout the year. Wrigley Field Tours welcomed more than 35,000 visitors to the Friendly Confines. The $25 guided tour includes stops in the locker rooms, dugouts, press box and other behind the scenes areas of Wrigley Field. A portion of the proceeds from each tour is donated to Chicago Cubs Charities. The 2009 Cubs Caravan took place January 14 and 15. The Caravan consisted of two tours of Chicago Cubs players, coaches and front office staff combining to visit five cities, six elementary schools, a Boys and Girls Club, Chicago s Northwestern Memorial Hospital and a charity lunch. Many of the stops were in Lake View, including a visit to Nettlehorst elementary school. At the fourth annual Race to Wrigley on April 13, more than 5,000 participants signed up to raise money for a great run and raised more than $75,000 for Chicago Cubs Charities. Wrigleyville Neighbors Day in October welcomed many area residents to the Friendly Confines for free food and a chance to play on the field. Cubs broadcasters Len Kasper and Bob Brenly teamed up for the third annual Len & Bob Bash on January 15. Music and baseball merged at the House of Blues and helped raise more than $40,000 for Chicago Cubs Charities. On September 2, Geovany Soto hosted the West Side Rooters Ball at Harry Caray s restaurant. Proceeds from the event were enhanced by Chicago Cubs Charities and more than $40,000 was donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Major League Baseball s Dominican Development Alliance to build schools and shelters in the Dominican Republic. At Cubs Neighbor Ticket Day on May 17, local community organizations purchased discounted Cubs tickets to attend the game and/or use as a fundraiser for their organizations. In September, more than 18,000 Lakeview area students, youth groups, community organizations and public servants attended a Cubs game as a guest of the Cubs and Major League Baseball. Included in the donation were tickets for all students from the five elementary schools closest to Wrigley Field - Agassiz Elementary, Blaine Elementary, Hawthorne Elementary, Inter-American Magnet School and Nettlehorst Elementary. Meet the Team, Have a Ball took place on May 13, and raised more than $75,000 for Chicago Cubs Charities. Hey Dad, Wanna Have a Catch offered fans the chance to play catch in the Wrigley Field outfield on June 27, and raised more than $90,000 for Chicago Cubs Charities. An Abraham Lincoln look-alike tossed a ceremonial first pitch at the ballpark on June 13 to generate support for the Chicago Public Library s 2009 Summer Reading Program, Land of Lincoln Readers. McCormick Foundation s Cubs Care made a $50,000 contribution to the program. Following the musical performances at Wrigley Field, more than $150,000 is being donated to organizations serving our community. As part of its ongoing mission to serve the local community, Chicago Cubs Charities granted $50,000 to the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Founded by community activists and physicians in 1985, AIDS Foundation of Chicago is a catalyst for local, national and international action on HIV/AIDS. 9

12 The Cubs wives seventh annual food drive to benefit the Lakeview Pantry took place August 29, and raised 15,000 pounds of food and $2,500. This event is typically the largest annual fundraiser for the Lakeview Pantry. Our annual Wrigleyville Neighbor Day took place on October 10 and brought hundreds of neighbors to the Friendly Confines for a free chance to play catch in the outfield, see the famed ivy up close and enjoy a hot dog on the outfield grass. On November 24, Cubs front office staff joined the National Runaway Switchboard to host the ninth annual Thanksgiving Dinner for homeless youth. The event grew this year to a new location at St. Luke Church on Belmont. Throughout the year other Cubs players and staff helped bring the 2009 Cubs in touch with our community. For example, Mike Fontenot visited patients at Saint Joseph Hospital and Sean Marshall visited the Chicago Shriners Hospital. Jeff Baker, Micah Hoffpauir and Sam Fuld visited patients at Children s Memorial Hospital. Ryan Dempster and Ted Lilly participated in the Taylor Hooton Foundation s Hoot s Chalk Talk program and the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers PLAY program, meeting with kids at Wrigley Field to discuss the dangers of drug use. The Chicago Cubs wives group served a dinner at Lincoln Park Community Shelter and volunteered their time to assemble mailings for siblings of children with cancer through SuperSibs. CubFund Recommendations The City has asked Cubs to provide input on potential uses of CubFund. CubFund is a $1 million commitment made by Cubs to fund unanticipated needs in the community during the life of the Agreement. The Cubs contributed more than $150,000 to CubFund for 2009 and the fund maintains an available, unspent balance in excess of $500,000. CubFund is available to be used in furtherance of neighborhood protection and improvement for matters related to Cubs baseball games and other events at Wrigley Field. It is intended to fund unanticipated expenses related to the impact of Cubs baseball games on the area surrounding Wrigley Field. CubFund may be used within the area bounded by the North Branch of the Chicago River, Diversey Parkway, Lake Michigan, Buena Avenue, Clark Street from Buena Avenue to Montrose Avenue and adjacent blocks, and at or around any remote parking lots. Uses are determined by the aldermen of wards neighboring Wrigley Field after input from Cubs, the City of Chicago and the community. There were no expenditures from CubFund in In 2008, the CubFund was used to reimburse the Chicago Department of Transportation for $50,000 it used in part to pay consultants to provide reports, much like this one, related to Cubs baseball. 10

13 During the year, a number of suggestions have been made by Cubs and area residents for potential uses of CubFund. Among them are: Additional buses for the remote parking lot to help reduce the time it takes to return to the lot after games and thereby promote additional use of the lot. A traffic study designed to identify the most efficient ways to direct traffic west of the ballpark following games. Creation of No Parking zone on NB Clark street following games to facilitate traffic flow from the neighborhood. This would take out of commission two pay boxes, roughly 15 cars for three hours. The City may need to reimburse its private parking meter pay-and-display vendor for the loss of revenue during such hours. Such reimbursement is a legitimate use of CubFund dollars. Increased lighting in the blocks immediately west of Wrigley Field. A private hospitality team to be a visible deterrent on neighboring streets after night games, much like the teams used for musical performances. Re-naming the Red line Addison el stop as Cubs-Addison (similar to Sox-35th ) to encourage greater use by fans visiting from out of town. Crosswalk at Irving Park and Seminary (plus stop light). CTA fare card machine for Wrigley Field. Enhanced or additional variable message boards. Lighting at Kelly Park and Challenger Park. We hope you enjoyed reading about our community efforts and our role in the 2009 Neighborhood Protection and Improvement program. These efforts remain an important part of the on-going partnership between Cubs and our neighbors and will continue into Thank you for your help making these efforts possible. We look forward to seeing you in and around the neighborhood in the year ahead! 11