White Sox eyeing South Loop

By Shia Kapos

Presented by The Regional Transportation Authority Of Northeastern Illinois

Happy Thursday, Illinois. When Buddy Guy made a surprise appearance Wednesday night at a Democratic National Convention media event, the room fell silent — for once. Watch here

White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, who's been looking to find a new Sox stadium location, has been in talks with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. | Scott Eisen/AP

MAKING A PITCH: White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is talking to Mayor Brandon Johnson about building a new stadium in the undeveloped area south of Roosevelt Road and west of Clark Street. The Sun-Times had the scoop last night.

They mean business: The negotiations for a baseball-only stadium were described as “serious.” Mayor Brandon Johnson and White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf sent out a joint statement, an indication that the talks are significant.

“We met to discuss the historic partnership between the team and Chicago and the team’s ideas for remaining competitive in Chicago in perpetuity,” their statement said. “The partnership between the city and the team goes back more than a century and the Johnson administration is committed to continuing this dialogue moving forward.”

Ripe for development: The area Reinsdorf is eyeing is known as “The 78” because it could become the 78th official community area. It was a contender for Chicago’s new casino, which is set to be built in the River West neighborhood. Before that, Amazon had looked to build at The 78. A baseball stadium would allow the city to build out a sports entertainment district, which is what Reinsdorf has wanted for years.

Big questions: How would such a project be funded given publicly funded stadiums aren’t popular these days (Just ask the Bears.). Would taxpayers be on the hook, or would Reinsdorf and the city rely on the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority? That’s the city-stage organization that uses hotel taxes to manage Guaranteed Rate Field and helped build United Center and rebuild Soldier Field.

Bilingual language coordinator Gabriel Piaz, left, two migrant parents, AFT's Randi Weingarten, CTU's Stacy Davis Gates and state Rep. Lilian Jiménez talk about how schools are helping migrant students. | Shia Kapos/POLITICO

MIGRANT MOVES: American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten visited Chicago on Wednesday to call for more federal funding to help the city manage the migrant crisis that affects education as much as housing.

Beefing up bilingual teaching: Weingarten and the teachers’ union say schools need a dedicated advocate for children from asylum seeking families as well as improved bilingual education — that means paying for teachers to get bilingual training.

“This is where more funding can come in,” Weingarten said at a roundtable discussion at Cameron Elementary School on Chicago’s West Side. The school has taken in more than 100 children from asylum seeking families since Texas Gov. Greg Abbott started sending asylum seekers to Chicago by bus and plane over the past nearly 18 months.

Weingarten promised to send 50,000 bilingual books from the AFT’s Reading Opens the World initiative. Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates, Illinois state Rep. Lilian Jiménez, who has a child at the school, and Cameron’s principal, support staff and migrant parents joined Weingarten during her visit.

Familiar tune: Her request for federal help echoes what Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has called for as well as Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, whose administration is running out of resources to care for migrants at an especially critical time.

If additional resources don’t come soon, they could become part of negotiations when the union's contract is up in June.

— ABC 7’s Sarah Schulte has more.

— Working group: Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch has convened a “New Arrivals Working Group” to be led by state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, a Glenview Democrat. Others in the group: House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel (Evanston), Speaker Pro Tempore Jehan Gordon-Booth (Peoria), Assistant Majority Leader Kam Buckner (Chicago), and state Reps. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar (Bolingbrook), Eva-Dina Delgado (Chicago), Terra Costa Howard (Glen Ellyn), Hoan Huynh (Chicago) and Dave Vella (Rockford).

— Mayor Brandon Johnson pushes the deadline back again to move migrants out of shelters, by WBEZ’s Mariah Woelfel and Tessa Weinberg

— Texas transportation company sues Chicago for migrant bus restrictions, by the Tribune’s Jake Sheridan

— Highland Park and Deerfield regulate bus drop-offs after migrants repeatedly ‘abandoned’ on side of the road, by the Lake County News-Sun’s Chloe Hilles

— Naperville councilman proposes exploring system for local residents who want to host migrant families, by the Naperville Sun’s Tess Kenny

If you are Jerry Reinsdorf, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com

A message from The Regional Transportation Authority Of Northeastern Illinois:

Transit is one of the Chicago region’s strongest tools in the fight against climate change — but the system is facing a $730 million operating shortfall starting in 2026. The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) has developed a 2024 legislative agenda to increase support for sustainable transit funding that can foster regional collaboration, improve access to jobs, lower emissions, and grow ridership.

At the Rochester Elementary School at 10 a.m. to celebrate Smart Start investments in early childhood education — At the Peoria Heights Grade School at 12:45 to make a similar announcement.

In Washington, D.C., for the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

No official public events.

Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (gasp!) a complaint? Email  skapos@politico.com

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— NEW THIS MORNING: The Democratic National Convention Committee unveiled the logo and initial branding it will use for the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The “DNC” in the logo stands for “Democratic National Convention.” Pic!

— Car insurance rates spiked again for Illinois drivers last year, analysis shows, by the Sun-Times’ Stephanie Zimmermann

— Lawmakers introduce bill to create state prescription drug price oversight board, by the Capitol News’ Alex Abbeduto

— Pot Pourri: As recreational cannabis sales again hit record, Illinois AG calls for federal rescheduling, via Capitol News

— 'Dramatic' increase in pretrial release appeals causes high court to create task force, by the State Journal Register’s Zach Roth

— Democratic candidates for Cook County state’s attorney ramping up fundraising: “Eileen O’Neill Burke has nearly $250,000 ready to spend and almost $100,000 more than opponent Clayton Harris III as the Democrats vie to succeed Kim Foxx as Cook County state’s attorney,” by the Tribune’s A.D. Quig.

— State Rep. Adam Niemerg pursuing write-in campaign after being kicked off the ballot, by Lee Enterprises Brenden Moore

— The Illinois AFL-CIO is out with its endorsements. Here’s the list

— Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign returns contributions improperly accepted from city contractors: “Johnson’s campaign fund held on to other questionable contributions. Sitting mayors are barred from accepting contributions from city contractors and city lobbyists,” by the Sun-Times’ Robert Herguth and Tim Novak.

A message from The Regional Transportation Authority Of Northeastern Illinois:

— Bally’s Chicago to relocate planned hotel tower at Freedom Center casino site: The casino is looking for a new spot for its planned hotel tower at the Freedom Center casino site “to avoid damaging city water pipes near the Chicago River,” reports the Tribune’s Robert Channick.

— Johnson's real estate transfer tax plan is dealt a major blow: It failed to garner “the coveted endorsement” of the Chicago Federation of Labor, reports Crain’s Justin Laurence.

— Chicago Public Schools explores ride-sharing network to get students to school, by Illinois Answers Project’s Jewél Jackson

— Watchdog: Treasurer Conyears-Ervin fired employees after they called her out for using city resources to host prayer service, by WTTW’s Heather Cherone

— TRANSPORTATION: Metra announces passenger code of conduct, expands bikes access on trains: via ABC 7

— Rolling Meadows could owe Arlington Heights $1M over taxes received in error, by the Daily Herald’s Christopher Placek

— Wilmette Village Board allows Loyola Academy to install lights on football field, by the Pioneer Press’ Brian L. Cox

— Heather Mack apologizes to family before being sentenced to 26 years in federal prison for mother’s gruesome Bali ‘suitcase’ murder, by the Tribune's Jason Meisner

— Duckworth, Durbin vote to table Bernie Sanders’ bid to scrutinize Israel’s Palestinian human rights record: “Democrats in Congress are divided on tactics to rein in Israeli’s bombings in Gaza as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hunts Hamas fighters who attacked on Oct. 7,” by the Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet.

YOUR GUIDE TO EMPIRE STATE POLITICS: From the newsroom that doesn’t sleep, POLITICO's New York Playbook is the ultimate guide for power players navigating the intricate landscape of Empire State politics. Stay ahead of the curve with the latest and most important stories from Albany, New York City and around the state, with in-depth, original reporting to stay ahead of policy trends and political developments. Subscribe now to keep up with the daily hustle and bustle of NY politics. 

We asked about your go-to lunch:

Lucas Hawley: “Boar's Head Cafe, they always have solid artisan sandwiches worth the price.”

Mark Heffington: “Leftovers.”

Ed Mazur: “The backroom of Mr. Beef with plenty of napkins.”

Marilynn Miller: “I'm retired, but when I was working (as a computer programmer), I always carried fresh fruit for lunches, often for breaks too. Maybe one reason I'm so healthy today at 90?”

Chris White: “A half pound of ribs, no potatoes, sauce on the side from the taqueria inside Macias Market across the street.”

Next question: If you could go back in time, what political campaign would you want to work on?

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— Phillips battles DEI controversy at the worst possible time, by POLITICO’s Olivia Alafriz and Kelly Garrity

— Why the Davos smart set sounds dumb, POLITICO’s by John F. Harris

— David Reifman, a former Chicago planning commissioner, has joined Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres as partner and chair of the firm’s real estate practice group. He'll advise clients on commercial real estate transactions such as development project financing, land use planning and public-private partnerships. Reifman was president of Clayco’s Chicago business unit and worked for the city from 2015-2019.

A message from The Regional Transportation Authority Of Northeastern Illinois:

From 2010 to 2019, transportation emissions in the Chicago region increased while emissions from all other sectors decreased — a direct result of an increase in driving individual automobiles. Passenger cars account for more than 70 percent of these harmful on-road emissions, while public transit vehicles contribute only 2 percent. Reducing transportation emissions and meeting regional climate goals requires getting more people out of their cars and onto public transit – but the system is facing significant challenges brought on by decades of underfunding and made worse by the pandemic. The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) has a plan and clear legislative priorities that, if enacted, will improve service and grow ridership, strengthening our region’s position in the fight against climate change. Pledge your support for transit today.

WEDNESDAY’s ANSWER: In 1849, Abraham Lincoln attended a Chicago cricket match between Milwaukee and Chicago clubs. Cricket was the most popular team sport at that time in America.

TODAY's QUESTION: Who is the Springfield native who collaborated with Prince? Email skapos@politico.com

Wheeling trustee Joe Vito, attorney Frank Avila Jr., government affairs exec Joe Fawell, former state rep candidate Eddie Corrigan, AIPAC Midwest’s Talia Alter, comms consultant Carolyn Grisko and TV producer Andrea Dres.

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