At some point the argument will be raised that it is a facility worth preserving for historic purposes. It was really the first multi-purposes stadium in America and, in my opinion, the only one that wasn't ghastly and devoid of character. It's not monstrous so it sucks your soul. I know I sound like an out-of-town asshole when I speak up and talk about how important RFK is in the history of American sports architecture but it's worthy of preservation. So maybe there is a chance that it gets renovated and updated. People were able to fix up Soldier Field, why can't they do that to RFK? The USSF and MLS should be able to work something out for the place.
The money would have to come from the federal government or DC to renovate the stadium. I don't see USSF, MLS or DC United putting money into a stadium that they don't own. RFK is economically obsolete, regardless of what architectural importance it might have. Preserving historic buildings is cool and all, but sinking a bunch of taxpayer money into a stadium which nobody really wants to play in if they have other alternatives strikes me as a pretty massive waste of government money.
I don't see anyone coming up with the money, it's just a matter of how long it takes before TPTB see that option won't work.
Yeah. There are a number of different long-term proposals for the RFK site, none of which actually involve the survival of the existing stadium.
I know. I've seen/read about a few of them. It's disappointing as the stadium is an important milestone in the history of American architecture.
They were able to fix-up Soldier Field by tearing the entire thing down except for the exterior facade and rebuilding a completely different stadium within the old footprint. They preserved it so well that the stadium was de-listed as a National Historic Landmark.
For those of us living in and around the District, there is an ongoing process of trying to head off the grandiose and generally useless plans that people outside of the area want to foist onto us when it comes to areas like the RFK reservation. The National Mall is a pretty good example of grandiose government planning that has pretty much failed to deliver useful and usable public space. Taking RFK and turning it into some sort of national monument to old-school stadiums would be a similarly foolish plan.
It's all relative. I consider Tiger Stadium to have been far more significant as a cultural/architectural landmark than RFK, but not many cried when they tore it down. RFK was a carbon copy of Atlanta-Fulton County stadium (or rather, the other way around), but people didn't cry for it either (except that the Georgia Dome is a mausoleum).
As someone who used to live in Corktown next to Tiger Stadium (I could be in a seat if I left my stoop at the start of the national anthem) I shed a tear for Tiger Stadium. If they'd converted it to a soccer stadium it would have had a great atmosphere. RFK has more charm than the J. Edgar Hoover building, but that isn't saying much. Regardless, RFK isn't part of DC United's future (and is that's what the DC government thinks, then DC will probably start packing).
And you thought Baltimore was the only alternative from Kyle Sheldon's twitter stream: "RT @PatKessler: Little known #Vikings stadium factoid: Bill gives Wilf family 5-year exclusive right to bring MLS team to new facility."
I wouldn't put it past 'em. Those frigid, low-life bastiges stole the Senators from DC a little over fifty years ago!
well, optimistically , if they moved to Minnysoda at least DC might get a new franchise one day; if they just move up the street to Bahlmer, no way that ever happens (well, not until MLS gets as big as the NFL anyway, and I'll be too old to enjoy it, or anything, by then)
a real estate auction you say? Quick, someone grab Will Chang's checkbook while I distract him ....... if he owned 10 acres there, would DC let him use another 10 of that land (that'll likely never have anything on it) to make the site big enough?
Not terribly surprising for those of us who have (a) seen the photos, (b) attended an event at Soldier Field meets Alien Spaceship, and/or (c) had beers thrown at us on the field by fans in the balcony during an international "friendly." That balcony on the east side is REALLY close to the touch line... but I digress. Never, in a million years, would the Fed allow RFK to become Soldier Field Debacle East... and that is probably a very good thing.
FROM MLS WEBSITE: "New England Revolution Announces Plans for Soccer-Specific Stadium near Hartford" Admit it, for just that one second, you all started to think, "oh, s***!" No worries, it won't happen in our lifetime, either...
No idea if this is relevant anymore but it's all just zzzzzzzzz here anyway: Poplar Point debt holders seek May 1 sale Lenders are set to auction off a 10-acre D.C. site at Poplar Point that just last year was in the running for a potential 1.2 million-square-foot lease to the Department of Homeland Security. http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/2012/04/poplar-point-debt-holders-seek-may-1.html