Gov. Pritzker wants to see more on potential White Sox stadium before making pitch in Springfield

CHICAGO — While the White Sox want to call the 78 in the South Loop their next home, public funding for that potential stadium is far from a sure thing.

Gov. JB Pritzker responded to the White Sox pitch for a new stadium in the South Loop on Monday that includes a billion dollars in public money.

“I start out really reluctant and unless the case is made that the long-term, that the investment yields a long-term return for the taxpayers that we can justify in some way, I haven’t seen that yet,” Gov. Pritzker said.

“The taxpayers dollars are precious and the idea of taking the taxpayer dollars and subsidizing a stadium as opposed to for example a birthing center for example does not seem like a stadium should have higher priority”

White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf met with legislators in Springfield last week.

The White Sox and developer Related Midwest are reportedly eyeing a tax increment financing district and an extension of the two percent hotel occupancy tax that is currently used to pay the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority’s debt.

They say a subsidized stadium will attract private investment, including bars and restaurants. The governor is complimentary of those, but believes “that’s not enough to make it a priority in his view for Springfield.”

Pritzker says the information his office has received so far is limited. While his staff has seen a presentation on the pitch, he has not.