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CHICAGO TRIBUNE | EXTRA | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2008
BLAGOJEVICH ARRESTED
By Ameet Sachdev
and Julie Johnsson
TRIBUNE REPORTERS
Tribune Co. was negotiating a
new deal to sell Wrigley Field to the
state as late as the end of November,
a shock to Cubs bidders who be-
lieved a state purchase of the sta-
dium had long been dead. The reve-
lation is contained in corruption
charges brought Tuesday against
Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of
staff.
The head of the Illinois Finance
Authority confirmed Tuesday that
Tribune Co. approached the agency
in September about assistance with
financing for the stadium. Tribune
and state officials first talked earlier
this year about Wrigley Field but
could not reach an agreement.
IFA Chairman William Brandt
added that the latest talks were “pre-
liminary,’’ saying that the form and
amount of financing provided by the
state couldn’t be determined until
the Chicago-based media conglom-
erate had settled on a team buyer.
Thirteen pages of the 76-page
criminal complaint lay out detailed
allegations of the governor using
his power to seek the firing of Chi-
cago Tribune editorial board mem-
bers as a condition of state financial
assistance in connection with the
home of the Cubs. Tribune Co. also
owns the Chicago Tribune.
The historic stadium, the Cubs
franchise and related assets have
been for sale as Tribune Co. seeks to
pay down debt associated with its
$8.2 billion going-private transac-
tion last December led by Chicago
real estate billionaire Sam Zell.
The latest disclosures add a new
wrinkle to the sales process, which
has already been set back by in-
stability in the credit markets and
Tribune’s filing for bankruptcy pro-
tection on Monday.
A financial adviser for one of the
Cubs bidders said he was stunned to
learn that Tribune Co. was negotiat-
ing a separate deal with the state
even as it asked for new bids for the
package of sports assets which in-
cluded Wrigley Field.
“I thought things had hit rock bot-
tom yesterday,” the adviser said.
“Now they [Tribune Co.] are