Hundreds of Bridgeport, Chinatown, and Armour Square residents gathered at Rate Field on Tuesday to protest plans by Amtrak and billionaire Justin Ishbia. The proposal involves establishing a large railroad maintenance facility nearby and possibly relocating the White Sox from their longtime home on the South Side.
Alderman Nicole Lee expressed that residents were blindsided by the proposal announced in August. “We don’t want to lose the White Sox or see the railroad move into Bridgeport,” Lee addressed the crowd at 35th Street and Shields Avenue. “It would drive a knife through the heart of our community if approved.” Amtrak plans to spend $900 million, which could facilitate Ishbia, a White Sox minority owner, to build a new riverfront stadium at 14th Street. This could expose South Side residents to pollution from Amtrak trains, according to Lee. “No 24-hour maintenance facility belongs in a residential area,” she emphasized. Amtrak did not comment on the matter.
At a press conference near Rate Field, Lee was joined by community activists and local politicians like Cook County Commissioner John Daley and mayoral candidates. They all opposed Amtrak’s plan. “We express our unequivocal opposition,” said state Rep. Theresa Mah. U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, also running for mayor, agreed Amtrak needed a new facility but criticized the decision to build in Bridgeport. “You need a facility, but not here,” Quigley stated. He and others, including Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, urged a complete environmental review.
Amtrak’s proposal involves constructing a four-story facility along a railroad viaduct just north of 35th Street — currently used by Union Pacific railroad. Mendoza insisted on transparency, “The community deserves full transparency now.” Reinsdorf’s previous 2024 proposal to move the White Sox to the South Loop fell through due to opposition over public subsidies. Ishbia has now unveiled his own plan, termed ‘The Railyards,’ which includes a new White Sox stadium and a mixed-use campus occupied by Northwestern Medicine.
Ishbia, who bought a minority stake in the White Sox five years ago, may buy the controlling stake after 2034 from Jerry Reinsdorf. The team’s Rate Field lease ends in 2029. Ishbia intends to purchase Amtrak’s 47-acre facility on 14th Street, ensuring the new stadium is privately financed. Canal Edge, his development firm, is set to develop the site. Ishbia will invest $125 million into the new facility.
The White Sox claim they were unaware of Amtrak’s plans before the public announcement. “Justin Ishbia approached us regarding his vision for Canal Edge as a potential site for the ballpark,” a team spokesperson clarified. Mayor Brandon Johnson commented on Ishbia’s plan, referencing it as “a concept.” Johnson stressed the need for community involvement in economic development discussions.
Amtrak announced receiving nearly $700 million in federal funds for developing the new facility, with interim President Byl Herrmann highlighting the importance of modern facilities for timely service. An Amtrak spokesperson stated they received an exemption from federal environmental review under the Trump administration. Lee sees this as a “red flag” but acknowledges limited city power to stop Amtrak’s federally exempt plan.
Alderman Pat Dowell, present at the protest, criticized the lack of city engagement. “No formal plan has been submitted,” Dowell said. “This doesn’t seem like a Chicago process; it looks like a Washington effort.”