Chicago moves to allow the Cubs to sell beer outside of Wrigley Field

The Cubs have made no secret of their desire to have the streets surrounding Wrigley Field turn into pedestrian plazas on game days, much the way the Red Sox have done with the streets outside of Fenway Park. Concessions and such, which will serve to not only make the ballpark more fun and comfortable for fans coming to the game, but which will also capture pre-game revenue that would otherwise go elsewhere.

All of that is a step closer now, thanks to a bill introduced before City Council. The Sun-Times:

The Cubs would be allowed to sell beer and wine from kiosks at an open-air plaza adjacent to a renovated Wrigley Field — and fans would be allowed to bring drinks in plastic cups to the plaza — in the latest in a string of concessions to the team.

There are obviously neighborhood politics to all of this. What taking up the space for the plaza does for traffic, access by residents, parking, etc. But from the fan’s and the team’s perspective alone this kind of setup is a win. Fans will have more stuff to do down by the park and the team will benefit from people willing to get their and spend their money earlier. Having seen how it all works before a game at Fenway, it’s hard to argue that it’s anything but a plus for the game-going experience.