This is an amazingly misinformed statement. First, as everybody else has said, a cab is a waste of money. Thousands of people will be commuting to the game on the Red Line. You should join them.

Second, the reason to stay downtown has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the neighborhood near the Cell. It's primarily a residential area, so the closest full-service hotel is a few miles away at McCormick Place. Since there is no el stop near McCormick Place, it's actually easier to get to the Cell from downtown, as paytonc noted.

Third, the neighborhood near the Cell is one of the hottest real estate markets in the city, due to easy access to downtown, diverse dining options, an extremely low crime rate, and unusually good schools (for the city). A growing number of young professionals whose families have grown out of their condos see it as an alternative to life in the 'burbs. As a result, new 3BR/2BA houses in the area now start at $800K--an approx. 300% increase in the past 6 years. That's always a sure sign of a "disgusting neighborhood."