LAKEVIEW — Baseball won't be back at Wrigley Field until next year, but when it does, it will be easier for peddlers hoping to turn a profit outside the Friendly Confines.
The City Council voted Tuesday to ease the ban on peddlers around the hallowed stadium at 1060 W. Addison St. and on a new plaza set to open in 2017.
However, peddlers won't be allowed to operate near the Chicago Cubs stadium on game days or when special events — such as concerts — are scheduled at Wrigley Field, according to the revised law that passed without discussion.
That means fans still won't have an opportunity to buy food, drinks or souvenirs right outside the park from anyone other than vendors endorsed by the Cubs.
In 2006, the City Council banned peddlers around the ballpark entirely after the sidewalks grew so congested pedestrians were forced into the street to get around Wrigleyville.
The revised ordinance also means those looking to sell published materials no longer have to shell out $100 for a peddler’s license.
The change — endorsed by both the Chicago Cubs and Mayor Rahm Emanuel — was prompted by a lawsuit from Left Field Media, whose employees were ticketed for selling the Chicago Baseball magazine outside Wrigley Field.
Once it opens, the plaza will play home to a full schedule of community-focused events, like an ice skating rink, farmers market and family movie nights.
Several new restaurants are also on tap for the plaza, including a second Big Star.
Before the Cubs earned a trip to the World Series, the team sued dozens of T-shirt and hat vendors who work the streets in Wrigleyville, accusing them of selling counterfeit goods and "deliberately free riding" on the team's success.
The Cubs and Wrigley Field are 95 percent owned by an entity controlled 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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