CITY HALL — The renovation of the Wrigley Field marquee hit a snag Thursday over whether the LED signboard would be able to show video rather than just rolling text, as in the past.
The Cubs' iconic sign was scheduled for a routine hearing before the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, and much of it went as expected, with Department of Planning and Development staffers giving details on the 24 coats of paint that had to be removed from the sign before it's repainted and reinstalled in time for Opening Day.
Yet Commissioners James Houlihan and Juan Gabriel Moreno raised issues over the LED signboard to be replaced at the bottom of the sign, saying it could significantly alter the experience for fans if it became a glaring video screen, even at the same dimensions.
Mike Lufrano, the Cubs' vice president of community and government affairs, acknowledged that it was being "upgraded," but when pressed by Houlihan, Lufrano he said he didn't know if it would include video and said that it had yet to be programmed.
The lack of detail prompted Houlihan to throw up his hands.
"We don't know what we're talking about because you don't know what you're talking about," he said.
"The commission is very concerned about these sorts of signs on historic buildings," said Deputy Commissioner Eleanor Gorski of the Department of Planning and Development.
"Neither is historic," Lufrano said about the distinction between whether the sign would have video or text. "The LED sign from the '80s is in no way historic." The marquee itself dates to the '30s, but the LED signboard at the bottom was added only in 1983.
Lufrano argued the upgrade "should not be an issue," adding, "I can't say I agree with control over what goes on the board."
"We're not trying to control content," Houlihan responded. "It's the experience." He and Moreno argued the visual experience of seeing bright video on the signboard would be significantly altered.
"If it's very different," Houlihan said, "that would affect the impact on the street."
Houlihan threatened to defer the measure, but Lufrano argued it would imperil having the sign ready and installed in time for the home opener April 11.
With Moreno pointing out that approval called for the sign to have the same "size and general appearance," Cynthia Roubik of the Department of Planning and Development added language stating that the "general appearance" clause would apply whether the sign was turned on or off. Any additional changes, she stated, would have to be brought back before the commission. Lufrano begrudgingly agreed, and the sign repairs were approved.
Given a chance after the meeting to say whether the Cubs would accept a ban on video on the board, Lufrano dodged the question.
"I think we need to look at the board in the context of the entire renovation and what we're doing to the marquee," Lufrano said. "The bottom line is, on Opening Day the marquee's gonna be brighter, it's gonna be newer, it's gonna be fresher, it's gonna be more stable, and it's gonna look for fans coming to the ballpark like it always has."
The Cubs and Wrigley Field are 95 percent owned by a trust established for the benefit of the family of Joe Ricketts, owner and CEO of DNAinfo.com. Joe Ricketts has no direct involvement in the management of the iconic team.
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