Cubs apologize, try to fix bathroom dilemma

CHICAGO -- Cubs owner Tom Ricketts has directed his business and construction teams to "develop a strong operational response plan" after long lines at Wrigley Field bathrooms created havoc for fans at Sunday night's opening game against the St. Louis Cardinals, according to Ricketts' spokesman Dennis Culloton.

The Cubs failed to have enough working restrooms; the stadium is under a massive five-year construction project. People waited in line for up to and beyond 30 minutes, and some left the park to use the facilities at local establishments.

"Adding to the problem was the fact two bathrooms on the upper level went down for reasons apparently unrelated to the construction, so fans from the upper deck were forced to go to the lower deck which was already under pressure," Culloton said.

Culloton was quick to point out this wasn't an excuse, but it simply made a bad situation even worse.

Team spokesman Julian Green said the Cubs were addressing the problem for their next home game.

"We want to apologize to our fans for the huge inconvenience," Green said late Sunday. "Moving forward we plan to supplement the existing restrooms with additional portable units and will continue to monitor wait times to ensure we can service our guests appropriately."

Culloton said that Ricketts has been working on the issue since "first thing" Monday morning and the team would have a more detailed plan to announce shortly. The Cubs host the Cardinals on Tuesday night.

"We had a lot of friends going to the game" on Sunday night, Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said during an interview on ESPN 1000 on Monday. "People paying good money, we want to make sure it's enjoyable for them."