The company behind The 78 project proposed in the South Loop said Friday that the University of Illinois' Discovery Partners Institute's exit from the project opens up new possibilities for the site, including the possible co-location of two stadiums for the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Fire.

Crain's Chicago Business reported Friday that the University of Illinois is scrapping plans to build a $285 million research and teaching facility called Discovery Partners Institute, a new research and innovation center, in the South Loop on the planned site of The 78 .

Related Midwest, the site's developer, planned to donate about an acre of land on the site to the University of Illinois to build the institute. In a statement Friday, Associated Midwest said it was “disappointed” by DPI's decision to exit, but that the departure opens up “opportunities for new partnerships and site configurations.”

“Given its proximity to downtown, proximity to the river, and flexibility to accommodate a wide range of uses, The 78 is unique in its ability to accommodate large institutions seeking to plant their flag in the heart of Chicago,” they said Explanation part. “We are actively exploring the co-location of two stadiums for the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Fire, two organizations whose presence at The 78 would align with our vision of creating Chicago’s next great neighborhood.”

The company's proposal comes days after a shocking report revealed that White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf was “open to selling” the team as his push for a new stadium in the city faces opposition.

According to The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli's report, Reinsdorf is in “active discussions” with a group led by former MLB player Dave Stewart about a possible sale.

Reinsdorf, 88, is pushing for state funding to help build a new baseball stadium as part of the development. The White Sox even went so far as to build a full diamond on the site, with scenic views of the Chicago skyline in the background.

The proposed ballpark could involve up to $1.1 billion in public funding. The site would also require tax increases to allow for infrastructure projects around the stadium, including a new CTA station and rerouting existing Metra tracks.

The property on which the project was proposed, which has been vacant for more than 90 years, was a finalist for the Chicago casino. The developer's project covers 62 hectares of former railway land.

The team proposed funding the park by extending a hotel services tax that was used to pay deposits at Guaranteed Rate Field, the team's current home.

The proposal faced significant opposition in Springfield, with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker describing himself as “really reluctant” to approve the spending. It is estimated that more than $50 million in bonds still need to be repaid to build the Guaranteed Rate Field, which opened in 1991.