Orlando City targets fall for stadium deal

Discussion in 'Orlando City SC' started by Macsen, Aug 20, 2012.

  1. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    http://www.scoringthird.com/2012/08/orlando-city-stadium-deal.html#more

    The team was getting stadium study in Houston this past weekend, and Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer will join team officials in Kansas City this coming weekend in a presentation to include high MLS officials

    Apparently there are two sites being offered. The city is prepared to donate land next to the Citrus Bowl (currently Lot U and Thunder Field). It would be part of a plan to revitalize a part of the city, bridging Amway Center and the Citrus Bowl. The county is offering a parcel at the SE corner of the SR 528-International Drive interchange, next to Aquatica. The county would want shared use with concerts and Convention Center events. It would be accessible from an extension of Sea Harbor Drive.

    The team is working to get a stadium deal in place by October, which would likely be privately-financed. This could allow opening as soon as early 2014.
     
  2. Prime Time

    Prime Time Member

    May 1, 2004
    South Florida
    Huge news if true. I'm familiar with both areas but seeing how I live in South Florida, what would be the more ideal/preferred spot for OCSC supporters? I don't think either is terrible (I've been to both), but what the pros and cons for fans/community of each? To me the one near Aquatica would seem easier to access for more while the one by the Citrus Bowl is already part of the fans' routine, but like I said, I do not live in Orlando.

    Thoughts anyone?
     
  3. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I feel like it's MLS expansion wars all over again, but i do know what one certain guy said on AP news:

    “Our focus right now is the 20th team in New York and we have not yet set a timeline for expansion beyond that, or even (determined) if we’re going to expand beyond that,” Abbott said. “There’s no place we need to be. Even at the size we are, we have a tremendous national footprint and are at the size that soccer leagues typically are. We feel good about the size we’re at. Other markets could be very successful as MLS markets, but (expanding beyond 20) wouldn’t be out of need. We don’t need to grow beyond where we are.”

    -MLS president Mark Abbott
     
  4. Kickballer

    Kickballer Member

    Nov 2, 2010
    Orlando,Fl
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Dude get the hell out of here. Once again you are trying to downplay any progress Orlando is trying to obtain. You posting a qoute that has been out there for a long time accomplishes nothing. Everybody knows what MLS brass want. That doesn't mean Orlando won't stop moving forward with their goals.
     
    Whitecaps10 repped this.
  5. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm not downplaying anything, you do know that MLS officials visited: Orlando,Minnesota,Carolina and know they are talking about San Antonio.
     
  6. Prime Time

    Prime Time Member

    May 1, 2004
    South Florida
    I'm all for MLS in Florida regardless of where it is, but your agenda has grown tiresome. MLS changes what they say they 'want' all the damn time. They 'want' a team in NYC. They 'want' to expand in the southeast. They 'want' a team in Miami at some point. Blah, blah, blah. Stop taking everything they say at face value. There's stuff behind closed doors that they won't say until the timing is right. Doesn't mean stuff isn't happening.
     
  7. Kickballer

    Kickballer Member

    Nov 2, 2010
    Orlando,Fl
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    This is good news. Even if nothing becomes of it, at least Mayor Dyer is still in the process. It's encouraging that the city and county both have options. It seems who ever can help out the most will get stadium.
    City site: Pros close to downtown, easy access. Cons: still would be a long while until the entire area is redeveloped.
    County: Pros- Close to Idrive and Convention Center, next to proposed mass transit, easy access. Cons- tourist area, backs up to neighborhood, plot is on the south side of SR 528

    Biggest Pro if true is the private financing.

    Im still leaning toward the City owned site.
     
  8. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I know that's why everything is speculation: Abbott said what he said and Garber said he would "like" to see a team in Southeast,Midwest and Southern California.

    So it's Expansion wars all over again...

    Plot thickens: Is Rawlins the out-of-state buyer he did it with Austin?

    http://www.thedrugisfootball.com/2012/08/mls-kraft-planning-to-sellrelocate.html?spref=tw&m=1
     
  9. Kickballer

    Kickballer Member

    Nov 2, 2010
    Orlando,Fl
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Yes I do. But what does anything you have posted now and later in this thread related to the topic.
    So far you're, 0 for 2 3.
     
  10. Prime Time

    Prime Time Member

    May 1, 2004
    South Florida
    Stop trying to stir the pot. No one cares about how miserable you are with Tampa's standing in terms of the world of American soccer.

    Orlando City's chances of getting into MLS = 60%.

    Tampa's = 1%.
     
  11. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Miami = 0.1% what's your point?

    NY = 90%
    SA = 80%

    I heard that the Barca Miami bid was a lock...how did that turn out. be careful what you wish for.
     
  12. Kickballer

    Kickballer Member

    Nov 2, 2010
    Orlando,Fl
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Umm... those percentages don't add up to 100%.
    Now, I'm beginning to think you're just making things up.:rolleyes:
     
  13. Kickballer

    Kickballer Member

    Nov 2, 2010
    Orlando,Fl
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    After looking at the map of the County land, Im going to have to add easy access to the Con column. Granted it's right off of 528 but looking at the road its just one way in and one way out via I-drive.
    To bad the land own by Hyatt Hotel (45acres) bound by I-drive(south), Pointe Plaza Ave(west), Universal Blvd(north), Convention Way(east), all four lane roads isn't owned by the County.
     
  14. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I thought that OCSC was focusing on west Orange now. No?

    Still both sites in this article has been discussed before. I'm very pro downtown. I think its a much better location. Sea Harbor dr/ I-drive area is already too busy with tourists.
     
  15. Prime Time

    Prime Time Member

    May 1, 2004
    South Florida

    My point is Orlando is light years ahead of getting a team before Tampa. And Miami, believe it or not, is a market MLS wants to be in. Garber has said so himself. Garber has also said Tampa is NOT on the radar for MLS expansion. I know it burns, but just let it sink in and soon enough it will pass.
     
  16. Kickballer

    Kickballer Member

    Nov 2, 2010
    Orlando,Fl
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
     
  17. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I said that was a rumor someone heard. Technically, the Citrus Bowl is the west side of the city, and the I-Drive area is considered "West Orange", so it wasn't too terribly far off.

    The Citrus Bowl site has familiarity, but with a more acute lack of nearby bar and overall aesthetics, at least until the revitalization project kicks off. And the ILF would have to find a new tailgate site.

    The I-Drive site is at a site that is not difficult to get to, and right down the road from a Buffalo Wild Wings they just broke ground on. I can say from experience that traffic is much less a concern in that section of I-Drive. The most interesting issue there would be parking, unless the CC stipulation enabled bussing from the Convention Center lots, which aren't far away.

    Personally, if the county wanted shared use, there is tons more available and more accessible land along Universal Blvd. adjacent to the North Annex of the Convention Center. Lockheed Martin made the unused land on the south side of their plant available long ago. And there is a new access road from John Young Parkway (Destination Parkway) about to open.

    That was called out as a hoax long before you posted it here. I told you to quit the late-night drunk posting, douche canoe.
     
  18. Whitecaps10

    Whitecaps10 Member

    Jul 11, 2010
    Long Island,NY
    Club:
    Vancouver Whitecaps
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ignore the trolling, this is great news for Orlando City supporters. The best part about the plans is that the new stadium has the potential to be in a good area to make a fanbase that will be the envy of lower league soccer.
     
  19. Prime Time

    Prime Time Member

    May 1, 2004
    South Florida
    Can you imagine a brand-spanking new SSS in downtown Orlando by Aquatica (isn't Sea World across the street?)? It would be amazing.
     
  20. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Physically across the street. Its exit is on the other side of the property on Sea Harbor Drive, and its main entrance is on Central Florida Parkway. SeaWorld traffic largely avoids I-Drive; only Aquatica typically utilizes it.
     
  21. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This is excellent news. This would show progress and progress is good, even if some think there's no chance because they read it in a blog somewhere.

    When were the first "wars," exactly?

    You fight wars all the time. They're with windmills. But there haven't been "expansion wars" yet. MLS had capacity. There were bidders for the last round of teams. Some dropped out. No wars. There hasn't been a war fought yet, except for the voices in your own head.
     
  22. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I guess you are forgetting year in year out..bids by cities fighting for a MLS spot.

    So you don't think Garber is offering NY2 to the highest bidder?

    Don't you think for spots 21 and 22 he's going to offer the spots to the highest bidder? or he's going to low-ball it for the love of OC to $50 million.?
     
  23. eclipse02

    eclipse02 Member

    Sep 20, 2009
    Congrads OCSC fans. San Antonio and Orlando are the Poster boys of D2 and D3 Soccer. The More SSS built in the NASL and USL-Pro the stronger those leagues become. Personally I would love to see Orlando make the jump to NASL and Help make D2 soccer stronger, but it looks like you guys might be in MLS in 5 years.
     
  24. WorldGame

    WorldGame Member

    Aug 28, 2002
    Orlando
    Fwiw: Aquatica and Sea World are next to one another, but neither of them are anywhere near downtown Orlando (re: "... in downtown Orlando by Aquatica..."). That Sea World area would be more of the I-Drive/Convention Center area, basically.
     
  25. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, he mixed that up a bit. But it could be worse: it could be Disney.

    Local news station WESH will have an interview with Phil Rawlins regarding future plans at 6pm tonight.
     

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