Last Updated on October 27, 2009 9:29 am by admin
CHICAGO (AP) -The sale of the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field and other assets from the Tribune Co. to the Ricketts family is complete.
The Ricketts family said Tuesday that it has taken a 95 percent controlling interest in the baseball franchise, its storied ballpark and 25 percent of Comcast Sportsnet.
The deal is valued at $845 million. Billionaire Joe Ricketts is the founder of Omaha, Neb.-based TD Ameritrade.
After taxes and fees, Chicago-based Tribune, which owns newspapers and TV stations, expects to reap about $740 million from unloading most of its stake in the baseball team. Tribune will maintain a 5 percent stake.
Tom Ricketts, 44, who will serve as board chairman, said the board “will go to work building the championship tradition that all Cubs fans so richly deserve.”
A news conference was scheduled for Friday at Wrigley Field.