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Back in August 2021, the Chicago Cubs received approval from Commission on Chicago Landmarks to build the DraftKings sportsbook at Wrigley Field. However, they ran into a city ordinance in December of the same year.
With construction now underway, the Cubs are targeting Opening Day in 2023 to begin operations. Although, the labor and worldwide supply chain issues could delay the opening.
The project itself is a three-story building that will be open year-round and features an open-air rooftop deck. Fans attending the game, however, won't be able to access Wrigley Field from the sportsbook. This is due to an MLB stipulation that prohibits direct ballpark entry via a sportsbook.
President of Business Operations, Crane Kenney told the Chicago Tribune, "No one’s more protective of Wrigley Field than we are,” Kenney noted. “You know how strongly we feel about it. It’s one of the jewel boxes of baseball, and so the sportsbook will be consistent with the things we’ve done so far."
Kenny also went on to state, "Change is not always welcome at Wrigley Field, but that corner has been really busy for my whole life with the team going back to ’94. This is taking one more step to a permanent structure where I think we should grade pretty well on being really protective of the character of Wrigley Field. It doesn’t mean we won’t change things."
The Cubs aren't the only team that will have a sportsbook attached to their stadium. In January, the Washington Nationals teamed up with BetMGM to build its own sportsbook outside of the center-field gate. DraftKings has already established a partnership with the Boston Red Sox in 2021 and has multiple locations near MLB stadiums already.
The space where the DraftKings sportsbook will be built at Wrigley Field was previously occupied by the Captain Morgan Club from 2009-18.
