Last week in Professor Andy Clark’s Sports Tourism class, we traveled off-site to Wrigley Field, meeting with Marquee Development’s Managing Principal, Eric Nordness, and their Development Manager, Daniel Cogan.
Starting with a presentation in the corporate offices, Eric walked our class through the many developments that have been made at Wrigley, like Gallagher Way and Hotel Zachary, in order to make the field a year-round experience for fans and tourists, stating that “baseball is about the experience of Wrigley Field.” Wrigley has truly undergone quite the transformation, with not only expansions around the field, but within too; working across 7 seasons, it cost $1 billion to restore the historic field back to its former glory. Eric explained that it was essential to transform Wrigley Field and its surrounding property into an attractive destination. Marquee Development has projects with other teams and leagues under their belt as well, like the Tennessee Titans, FC Cincinnati, and Kansas City Current.
Class presentation with Eric
Following the presentation from Eric, Dan then led us on a tour around the field and through the Marquee Development office. The rich Cubs history was surprisingly present in many aspects of the new developments; the bar adjacent to the corporate offices, Lucky Dorr, got its name from Wrigley’s iconic groundskeeper, Bobby Dorr. The Hotel Zachary was named after Zachary Taylor Davis, the architect who designed Wrigley Field. Also, Mordecai, a restaurant and craft cocktail bar directly across the field, derived its name from Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown, a pitcher for the Cubs in the early twentieth century. Not only do these developments increase fan experiences when visiting the field, but they pay homage to the iconic history that Chicago has to offer.
Making our way over to the inside of the field, we passed over the Gallagher Way green space, where a multitude of events are held year-round. Between movies on the green, winter wonderland, and many other events, even the outside of the field gets quite the traction.
Now inside the field, we made our way down to the dugouts. How many students can say they get to stand in the Chicago Cubs dugout as a part of their class? We continue our tour by going underground and walking through a couple of the different clubs that Wrigley has to offer; these are a large part of tourism at Wrigley, as they transform the game of baseball to a luxury experience. These exclusive clubs and suites surely play into the “attractiveness” of the property.
Our visit to Wrigley Field provided a first-hand, in-depth look at how thoughtful development can transform a historic sports venue into a year-round tourist destination while simultaneously honoring its rich history. Through an engaging presentation from Eric, and a behind-the-scenes tour with Dan, our class truly gained valuable insights into the intersection of sports tourism, venue management, and real estate development. Wrigley Field is no longer just a place to watch a baseball game, as the surrounding property and recent expansions have elevated the experience into something far more comprehensive and dynamic.
Our afternoon with Marquee Development highlights the unique, hands-on learning opportunities available in the Sports Business Program here at DePaul, and we are only in our second week back! Here’s to an exciting quarter.
