It appears future Chicago White Sox owner Justin Ishbia’s push for a new stadium has taken another step forward after Amtrak received nearly $700 million in federal funding to relocate its maintenance operations from the South Loop’s 14th Street rail yard.
The development comes months after reports surfaced that Ishbia was exploring the purchase of the 47-acre rail yard, further signaling a potential shift away from the White Sox longtime home in Bridgeport.
According to the Chicago Business Journal, Ishbia is investing $125 million to purchase Union Pacific’s Canal Yard through Canal Edge, an entity he controls. The project, which includes the development of a “purpose-built maintenance facility,” is expected to begin this fall and take roughly 18 months.
Ishbia’s investment, combined with $696 million in federal funding, will help pay for the project and improvements to Amtrak’s South Branch Bridge, effectively clearing the way for the railroad to relocate from its current 14th Street site and allow Ishbia to take control of it.
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So, how does that factor into the White Sox’s stadium plans?
The White Sox previously expressed interest in a 62-acre site in the South Loop known as The 78. However, the Chicago Fire announced plans last June to build a soccer stadium on the property. While the White Sox have publicly maintained that their focus remains on The 78, Ishbia now appears to be exploring whether Amtrak’s 14th Street rail yard could provide an alternative location for a new stadium.
The 47-acre site sits along the river just south of Roosevelt Road and directly across from The 78.
In April, reports surfaced that Ishbia was pursuing the purchase of the property, with Crain’s Chicago Business first reporting on the potential deal. At the time, Ishbia’s private equity firm, Shore Capital Partners, told the Chicago Sun-Times that it was exploring the development of a potential health care facility and medical innovation hub in partnership with Northwestern Medicine.
The site has also been part of discussions surrounding Amtrak’s plans to relocate its operations. In April, the Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois Chicago hosted an Amtrak presentation outlining the railroad’s plans for the 14th Street rail yard. According to the presentation, Amtrak has been seeking to leave the site because of limited space and challenges associated with modernization.
Under the plan, Amtrak would move its operations to Canal Street, with a target of beginning operations at the new facility as early as this fall. That relocation now appears to be moving forward, potentially opening up one of the largest remaining parcels in the South Loop for Ishbia to consider as he weighs the White Sox long-term home.
The Canal Rail Yard sits close to Rate Field, and while there is no guarantee the White Sox will build a stadium on the 14th Street site, Amtrak’s move onto Rate Field’s turf suggests that the team does not plan to stay there for the long haul.
