I really have no other info to add that what's in the link below. Never known nextstl.com to break any news and this may be absolutely nothing, but I figured rumors and speculation are pretty fun. Also, not really sure where this location is. But this is supposedly indicating a site study of a location in downtown St. Louis by ICON Venue Group, who also supposedly helped Stan Kroenke complete the stadium for the Rapids. Kroenke also of course owns the St. Louis Rams, who play downtown. Link: nextSTL.com Twitter
doesn't seem too likely, Icon Group seems to specialize in Sports Venues PPL Park, Rio Tinto Stadium, Toyota Park, Jeld-Wen, and DSG Park all featured on their sites home page http://iconvenue.com/
Chivas St Louis. Also the MLS hashtag seems to be associated with Major League Soccer. I'm not sure they would be so ambiguous if it was related to Listing Services. Its a bit out of left field isn't it? Can anyone see how this could possibly be tied into whats happening at the Rams? Some kind of card being played? Difficult to believe this is related to some legitimate plans for an SSS in St Louis.
This area is right next to Union Station (as well as Scottrade Center where the Blues play). THF Realty just bought Union Station and is in the beginning of a large renovation. Of course, who owns THF Realty? Stan Kroenke. This seems like a very big stretch to me, but there are at least some dots that connect.
If we get a team, I can't see it being anything other than Kroenke building a new football stadium with soccer as another tenant. Neither a football not soccer would fit in this area.
It won't happen, but there's a one-liner bouncing around in my head... What if Stan bought Chivas and moved them to St Louis? Rams and Chiva-Goats?
This gets more interesting: http://nextstl.com/downtown/major-league-soccer-stadium-may-be-part-of-new-union-station-vision
Am I missing something here? There was nothing in the link that said anything about a proposed 20,000 seat SSS. It would be awesome if this becomes reality. But who would own the proposed team? Kroenke? Isn't MLS trying to distance itself from having an owner own more than one team?
It was about the development, not the stadium per se. Who knows. It's the only sniff we've gotten in a year, why dump on it already? The negativity of some people just kills me.
I'm not trying to dump on this. I want to see an MLS team in St. Louis, and hopefully this idea bears fruit. But after the attempts in Collinsville and the collapse of AC St. Louis, I have to temper my enthusiasm so I don't get let down, just in case.
I apologize for jumping your shit. But can't we wait to see if this is anything at all before we start trying to tear it apart? Either this has some substance behind it or it doesn't. If it doesn't, it goes away. If it does, we'll hear more about it and who is involved. I will say this, one benefit of Cooper's mistakes is that I don't think anyone will make a half-hearted attempt at MLS in St. Louis again. They'll either have their ducks or they won't come forward. Also, and I know these are big "if's", but IF the Rams stay in St. Louis, and IF Kroenke wants to stay active in MLS, selling Colorado to his son and having a team here would be somewhat logical.
I wish they didn't come out swinging, already trumpeting "MLS!!!1!" when chances are much higher that it'd be NASL for several years before bumping up to MLS. Preaching Div1 and then getting Div2 will NOT help initial attendance figures. I'm also highly skeptical that this has any traction, (if only because of past failures,) though I'll definitely keep it on my radar.
If there is a stadium AND substantial money (like Kroenke), it won't be any thing other than MLS. MLS would take St. Louis in a heartbeat if all of the elements were present.
I'm skeptical if this is something with real money and possibility behind it. But it would pretty much be the perfect location if it would happen. I have spent enough time in Illinois that Collinsville was no big deal to me, but I agreed with those saying it would have been a big roadblock for attendance. Unlike many others, I also think the stadium ideas in the far suburbs would be highly problematic as well. If something is going to work, I really think a centrally located stadium like this would be key. And I tend to think for St. Louis, it would need to be MLS or nothing. Hell, you can throw a rock and hit a former pro or college player still in decent shape all over this town. It's a pretty tough sell to get people to come pay to watch guys not much better than the ones they played against over the weekend.
Actually, no, here's the area: Your image is to the north ("in front") of Union Station. The stadium would be to the south ("behind") Union Station, between the current parking lot and 64/40.
If they do it right I can see St. Louis in the future for Chivas USA, with Jorge Vergara needing cash to keep his real Chivas team afloat. Vergara could easily get 40-50M for the club, which he originally paid 10M. Then enter Stan Kroenke the current owner for several teams including, the St. Louis Rams, Arsenal FC, Colorado Rapids (I'm sure he would sell them to his son if the St. Louis opportunity arises) and the Denver Nuggets. I can only imagine if Kroenke were to purchase Chivas USA, he would naturally rebrand the club "St. Louis Arsenal".
Considering there actually IS a real historically significant and currently operational St. Louis Arsenal, if this were to become a reality under Kroenke's ownership, that name's not half bad.
http://aol.sportingnews.com/soccer/story/2012-10-11/st-louis-joins-race-for-an-mls-expansion-club http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2012/10/union_station_soccer_stadium.php?page=2
I remember Miklasz reporting that the big money person in Cooper's group was also looking to buy an NFL team. This makes me wonder if it was Kroenke but he backed out for some reason.