Related Midwest releases renderings of proposed White Sox ballpark

CHICAGO -- Related Midwest released artist renderings of The 78, a proposed development featuring the White Sox new ballpark in the South Loop area, on Wednesday.

The team's current lease at Guaranteed Rate Field -- located in the Bridgeport neighborhood and owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority -- expires after the 2029 season. This new baseball-only ballpark has been compared to the Braves' Truist Park at The Battery in Atlanta and would stand at the center of various entertainment options in the neighboring area.

The five renderings of the ballpark featured picturesque views of the Riverwalk and Chicago River, near where the ballpark would be situated, as well as a downtown view. Another ballpark rendering featured large glass windows with a massive video board as part of the structure.

“The development would be a catalyst for the creation of Chicago’s next great neighborhood, create tens of thousands of permanent and construction jobs and bring a state-of-the-art White Sox ballpark to the South Loop riverfront,” a spokesperson for Related Midwest said in a statement issued with the renderings.

Ideas for redevelopment of the 35th & Shields neighborhood, where the White Sox currently reside, were part of the renderings. It would be a reimagined campus with active streets and new housing opportunities, according to Related Midwest, with the current Guaranteed Rate potentially converted into a soccer stadium.

“While we do not own the land at 35th & Shields, Related Midwest has a long history of working in communities,” a spokesperson said in a second statement with the renderings. “We knew there would be questions about 35th St. use, so we put together conceptual ideas, understanding there would be a robust community process to determine the best use for this land. “