Cubs respond to federal lawsuit filed over Wrigley Field renovation

The Chicago Cubs are having a rough time on the field as they go through a rebuilding phase. The Cubs are also dealing with some legal troubles after the U.S. Attorney's office in Chicago filed a lawsuit against them alleging a failure to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act during the renovation of Wrigley Field.

Here are some details of the lawsuit:

From the feds' lawsuit against the Cubs: pic.twitter.com/OfjdUZHyfu

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) July 14, 2022

Here are some of the violations alleged in the federal suit against the Cubs, including the “Batters Eye” area that has been the subject of numerous complaints by wheelchair users: pic.twitter.com/5akJgZ7UGA

— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) July 14, 2022

The Cubs responded to the lawsuit with disappointment:

JUST IN: Chicago Cubs' statement on the lawsuit from the U.S. Attorney's Office: pic.twitter.com/UODNdIdZ4H

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) July 14, 2022

In 2019, a fan filed a lawsuit on this matter, leading to a federal investigation. Now, three years later, the Cubs just got hit with the federal lawsuit.

The Cubs first introduced plans to renovate the historic Wrigley Field back in 2013 and began work on the project after the conclusion of the 2014 season. Since then, Wrigley and the surrounding neighborhood have undergone a drastic transformation. Not only was the stadium renovated inside, but there have been major changes outside the stadium in the form of Gallagher Way, shops, restaurants, office space, a hotel, apartments and more. There's also a sportsbook coming in the future.

The beginning of the renovation coincided with the Cubs' rise to prominence in the mid-2010s, including their first World Series victory in 108 years in 2016. However, the franchise struggled to keep that momentum up and ultimately went into rebuild mode in the 2021 season, with the 2022 season now featuring Chicago as one of the worst teams in MLB.

While the Wrigley renovations were much-needed given just how old the ballpark is, it seems as if there could have been more care taken when considering the ADA. The Cubs say Wrigley is “more accessible than ever in its 108-year history,” but we'll just have to see how this federal lawsuit plays out to see if there was legitimate wrongdoing.