Earlier this year, Chance the Rapper's Magnificent Coloring Day proved that the home of the White Sox is a pretty good place to host a music festival. The sold-out event marked the first time that the newly-rechristened Guaranteed Rate Field had hosted a concert since Bruce Springsteen headlined the stadium in 2003.
According to a report from Crain's, the South Side ballpark is currently in negotiations with a concert promoter "on a multi-year agreement to stage a new Latin music festival." The report goes on to reveal that the new festival would be held in June, a month that traditionally kicks off Chicago's summer music festival season with events like Spring Awakening, Chicago Blues Fest and LakeShake Festival.
After the success of Magnificent Coloring Day, hosting more concerts at Guaranteed Rate Field seems like an easy way for the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority—the government agency that owns Guaranteed Rate Field—to increase its revenue. According to a report released by the ISFA, Chance's one-day festival generated $189,000 for the agency, easily making it the top grossing event to be hosted at the stadium in 2016.
While Chicago doesn't necessarily need yet another music festival in the city's already-crowded summer calendar, it would potentially bring more high-profile acts to Chicago's South Side. The event would join several other festivals that have taken up residence in South Side venues over the past few years, including Riot Fest, Mamby on the Beach and Spring Awakening. The only comparable event in Chicago is Ruido Fest, a Latin music festival that takes place in Addams/Medill Park each July.
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