CHICAGO — Justin Ishbia’s vision of a new White Sox ballpark on the banks of the Chicago River in the South Loop was unveiled Saturday morning in a development plan called the Railyards.

It’s still a long way from coming to fruition, but renderings of the stadium at the Amtrak site across from the new Fire stadium show a packed, open-air venue with water taxi service on the river, a nearby Metra Station and a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline. The renderings don’t show any parking, but a spokesman for Ishbia noted it’s too early in the process and “all those issues and details will be ironed out if (the Sox) decide this is where we want to go.”

Ishbia typically defers to White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf for questions regarding a future home for the team and won’t reveal his own plans for running the club.

“My goal is to win,” he said in a Chicago Tribune interview last year.

Reinsdorf has the option to sell his controlling stake in the team to Ishbia in 2029, while Ishbia has the option to purchase the Sox after the 2034 season if Reinsdorf opts to keep it until then. Some close to Reinsdorf have indicated he wants to be the Sox’s owner in 2033, when MLB is expected to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the All-Star Game at Sox stadium, wherever that may be. The Sox hosted the first All-Star Game in 1933 at old Comiskey Park.

The lease for Rate Field ends in 2029, so Ishbia seemingly wants to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. Sources confirmed he would privately finance the new White Sox ballpark.

Ishbia met with Mayor Brandon Johnson on Friday, in what was described by a spokesperson as a heads-up to Johnson so he wouldn’t learn the news through the media. Crain’s Chicago Business reported on the development Saturday morning before a press release from Ishbia’s developers, Canal Edge, was sent out.

Ishbia said in a statement the Railyards development, which would include a Northwestern Medicine health care facility, “is about turning idle land into opportunity — for patients who need better access to care, for a team and its fans who deserve a dynamic Riverfront home, and for a city that needs jobs, housing, and economic investment.

“This is a Chicago project, built by and for Chicagoans, and we are excited about its potential.”

Reinsdorf previously released a plan for a potential new Sox ballpark at The 78, a site across from the 14th Street yard that Ishbia hopes to build in. That idea didn’t gain any traction, but Ishbia’s purchase of the property on the other side of the river spurred speculation that he intended to build there, and Saturday’s news confirmed that.

A Sox spokesman said in a statement Saturday that Ishbia “recently approached us about his vision for the Canal Edge development which explores it being a possible future site for the next White Sox ballpark once our lease at the state-owned Rate Field ends.

“He agreed to conduct a multi-month study and evaluation of the site and to present those findings to the White Sox for consideration. If the site proves interesting and viable after his due diligence, it would be added to the locations up for consideration for a new ballpark, along with the 78 and other options.”

A plan to move the Amtrak maintenance facility to Bridgeport has been met with community opposition, which could be an obstacle for Ishbia’s Railyards plan. Ald. Nicole Lee of the 11th Ward is hoping to block the move, along with many residents who believe it would create noise pollution and lower property values.

Ishbia’s spokesperson deferred to Amtrak on that issue, but obviously the Railyards development project assumes the decision will be resolved in their favor.

Along with the Amtrak issue, some residents simply don’t want the Sox to leave Bridgeport. The baseball team has resided on the corner of 35th Street and Shields Avenue since the original Comiskey Park opened across the street from the current ballpark in 1910. The Sox opened their publicly funded stadium, then called New Comiskey Park, in 1991.

The ballpark wasn’t a critical success due to its high upper deck and lack of retro features, but renovations over the years have made it more palatable. The lack of bars and restaurants within walking distance has been a constant complaint, and most Sox fans come to games and leave Bridgeport after it’s over.

Staying in Bridgeport seems like a pipe dream at this point, and the question is where the Sox will go and how it will be funded.

Ishbia’s involvement solves one of the biggest problems facing the Sox, as taxpayers are adamant about opposing subsidies for billionaires building new stadiums. The Bears’ never-ending search for a new stadium is a perfect example of how Illinois taxpayers feel.

The Sox stadium is referred to as “The Railyard” in the renderings, though it likely would have corporate sponsorship. It faces toward the city skyline, unlike Rate Field, and a bird’s-eye view rendering makes it look like Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets.

Ishbia’s spokesperson said the actual architect has not been chosen and the renderings are a representation of a modern-day ballpark. It could look completely different if it gets built.

A few bridges over train tracks are shown that don’t currently exist and a Metra station would also be built within walking distance, near the Northwestern facility.

The Sox are playing the Detroit Tigers in the rendering, a playful nod to Ishbia’s favorite team growing up in Michigan. Ishbia has always said he’s a fan of baseball, not just one team, and was seen last week in box seats at a Cubs-Brewers game at Wrigley Field.

These are heady days for the Sox, who are in position for a No. 2 seed in the American League postseason only two years after finishing with a major league record 121 losses. Reinsdorf’s decision to promote Chris Getz to general manager was widely criticized in 2023, but Getz has built a young, blue-collar team that surprisingly leads the American League Central and is easy to root for. Manager Will Venable is on track for AL Manager of the Year, and rookies Munetaka Murakami, Sam Antonacci and Tristan Peters all have bright futures.

Reinsdorf has mostly remained out of the public eye, remaining in his suite at Rate Field and not made available to the media. But he’s watched his Sox go from laughingstocks in 2024 to one of baseball’s best stories in 2026. Unfortunately, the threat of an owners’ lockout after the season could halt momentum if the 2027 season is not played, and he’s long been a leader in the owners’ quest to impose a salary cap.

The timing of the new ballpark release is curious, coming on a holiday weekend when people are enjoying their final summer vacations. But Ishbia wanted Sox fans to get excited about the possibilities — and certainly interest in the Sox is peaking as the postseason nears.

The Sox play a nationally televised game against the Minnesota Twins Sunday night on the South Side, and if the team gets into the postseason, the attention on their Cinderella season will increase exponentially.

For Ishbia, the time to dream is now.

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