News: Expansion Bid News - catch all thread

Discussion in 'St. Louis City SC' started by KeeperDad30, Jan 16, 2009.

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  1. time4wine

    time4wine Member

    Mar 13, 2009
    St. Louis
    Club:
    St. Louis Lions
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    that would be nice, especially if my AC St.Louis sticks around. It'd make for a good rivalry.
     
  2. Andy Bulldog

    Andy Bulldog Member

    Dec 17, 2007
    Alabama
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah that would be a good rivalry. The Mississippi River Shoot Out lol.
     
  3. time4wine

    time4wine Member

    Mar 13, 2009
    St. Louis
    Club:
    St. Louis Lions
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    oh, yeah!!!! How far are you from St.Louis? You should come up sometime and watch one of our games. I see you are a Miami FC fan, how about when they are here?
     
  4. Haig

    Haig Member+

    May 14, 2000
    METROSTARS
    Club:
    --other--


    Try never.

    Even in its NASL days, Memphis was one of the worst-drawing teams in the NASL. They drew flies to the Liberty Bowl: 8000 +/- 1000 for their three years. This was at the absolute peak of the old NASL's popularity.

    Local boosterism and sentimentality may lead you to think that Memphis was in the same class as the top NASL teams, but they never were, not on the field and certainly not in the stands.

    Moreover, Memphis is heading in the wrong direction demographically. Already, Nashville has surpassed Memphis in metro area population, and the city of Nashville is expected to have more people than the city of Memphis in the next 15 years.

    While other southern cities are growing at a fast rate, Memphis is a bit of the rust belt brought to the southeast, with a stagnant total population.

    Immigration from Mexico and other Latin countries is much lower in Memphis than in other comparable cities, and immigration from non-Latin countries in negligible. While tens of thousands of Bosnians have moved to St. Louis, and tens of thousands of Kurds have moved to Nashville, nothing comparable exists for Memphis. This bodes poorly for pro soccer in Memphis.

    The only significant demographic change in Memphis, sadly, is continued migration of the middle-class (white and black, but mostly white) from the city to southern and eastern suburbs. Unlike other cities, where infill development and urban amenities have reversed the tide, Memphis has no effective plan to bring professionals into the city. One apples-to-apples illustration: both cities built new central library buildings about a decade ago. But while Nashville built its new central library building in the city center, right next to the central bus terminal, Memphis constructed its central library on the site of a strip mall on the way to the suburbs, surrounded by parking lots.

    Memphis had an NASL team only because the NASL was giving anyone who could pay them a seven figure expansion fee was given a franchise. But as bad as the demographic fit was 30+ years ago, when the Rogues were a unmitigated failure, the situation is worse now. I like Memphis, but Nashville has passed it as a big league town.

    Nashville is a far more appropriate match to MLS, and is less than five hours from St. Louis. I was really pulling for you guys to get in MLS-- you're closer than Columbus! And long-term, a Nashville-St Louis soccer rivalry would have been fun.

    But good luck to St. Louis. A great city with a history in the sport. You guys are going to get through this just fine.
     
  5. time4wine

    time4wine Member

    Mar 13, 2009
    St. Louis
    Club:
    St. Louis Lions
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    thanks, just hoping we stick around. I don't care if it's Memphis, Nashville, Indianapolis, etc., I'd just like a team that exists that's within a days drive (back and forth) that I can go watch.
     
  6. Haig

    Haig Member+

    May 14, 2000
    METROSTARS
    Club:
    --other--
    I've met a bunch of US supporters from St. Louis. More than any other potential expansion city, you guys deserve an ownership group who can do what it takes to get a team. I wish you the best, and I hope things work out with ACSL.
     
  7. REALfootballRulez

    May 25, 2007
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Are you guys going to be able to hold onto the Predators? Nashville put up a pretty good fight to save them and I think attendance was better this year.
     
  8. Andy Bulldog

    Andy Bulldog Member

    Dec 17, 2007
    Alabama
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Actually, Im about 8hrs from Memphis and probably more from Miami lol. I live in the south central part of Alabama about 80 miles south of Montgomery. We are about 5 hrs from Atlanta. So getting to attend any soccer match would be almost impossible for me at the time. I have to enjoy it via the tube unfortunately.
     
  9. Andy Bulldog

    Andy Bulldog Member

    Dec 17, 2007
    Alabama
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree with everything you have said, I'm only dreaming since I am from Memphis.

     
  10. Angus Podgorney

    Feb 25, 2006
    St. Louis
    http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_ec551966-d335-5d45-bd7a-c22e3f08ee75.html

    There was an article on the front page of the Post-Dispatch this mornings (1/13/2013) about the possibility of building the Rams a new stadium vice improving the Edward Jones Dome. They mentioned three locations- the Bottleworks north of the existing stadium, the site of the former Chrysler plant in Fenton, and along hiway 141 in Maryland Heights. Toward the end of the article there is this:

    "Doug Rasmussen, senior vice president at the St. Louis County Economic Council, says the county has a pact with the city not to steal projects. Still, sometimes vague requests come in.
    In November, he said, a bank called looking for land for a “large entertainment and sports complex,” Rasmussen said. “Could be a soccer field. Could be anything,” Rasmussen said. “They were pretty cagey.”
    Rasmussen identified two sites with immediate potential: The old Chrysler plant in Fenton. And the hundreds of acres of farmland stretching south from Interstate 270 down the new Highway 141 extension in Maryland Heights.
    Hancock, the Fenton mayor, said that, without a specific plan, he couldn’t say much about a stadium on the Chrysler lot. He noted, however, that the land is prepped to go. “You don’t have to bring in bulldozers and level hillsides,” he said.
    Maryland Heights city planner Michael Zeek said the city’s comprehensive plan could allow a stadium in several spots near 141. “It’s always kinda been kicked around for this area,” he said.
    Jeffrey Hawley, president of Block Hawley Commercial Real Estate, represents 110 acres for sale there. “We’d sell it in a heartbeat,” he said. “Everybody would.”"
     
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  11. carnifex2005

    carnifex2005 Member+

    Jul 1, 2008
    Club:
    Vancouver Whitecaps
    LHM SEEKS MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER STADIUM AS PART OF NEW VISION FOR UNION STATION IN ST. LOUIS


    Lodging Hospitality Management is scheduled to close on their $20M purchase of the historic 1894 St. Louis Union Station today and they're not wasting any time thinking big. According to nextSTL sources, LHM is proceeding with extensive efforts to shoehorn a Major League Soccer stadium into the station site. The Post-Dispatch first reported that LHM, based at Westport Plaza, is thinking beyond reducing retail, expanding meeting space and rebranding the Marriott hotel to a Hilton Double Tree. LHM is hoping to return private train service to the station and add a transportation museum. The PD called it "the centerpiece of LHM's plan." But it's clear that LHM is thinking much bigger. The new owners seem to understand that the revitalization of Union Station will require more than a rebranded hotel and a museum.

    Early planning images show an ~20,000 seat soccer-specific stadium located between the train shed and I-64, though this is far from the only option. MLS stadiums of that size have cost between $60-100M to build over the past half dozen years. The stadium plan would also include office, some retail and possibly a residential component. If completed, the MLS stadium would provide the third major league sports venue on just 3/4 of a mile of Clark Street in downtown St. Louis. Although planning remains in the early stages, the vision has received interest from local tenants and some from outside the region.
     
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  12. Sport Billy

    Sport Billy Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 25, 2006
    Not happening.

    Randy Karraker, a local sports reporter, stated, "A more likely scenario would be a new Kroenke team playing in a stadium that would be built for the Rams. That would be one way to fill dates in a stadium. I asked about the Union Station idea, and was told it's a no go."
     
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  13. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So is the new stadium 20,000 for soccer or 65,000+ for NFL? Seems clear the article is saying 20,000. Is it wrong?
     
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  14. eclipse02

    eclipse02 Member

    Sep 20, 2009
    Well with how bad the rams have been lately ..........
     
  15. Sport Billy

    Sport Billy Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 25, 2006
    It was simply a suggestion of what COULD be done with the space when they made their bid for the land.
    Salesman puffing and nothing more.
     
  16. SilentAssassin

    Apr 16, 2007
    St. Louis
    I just read that Dave Checketts sold his portion of Real Salt Lake to his partner earlier this year. Any chance he could now be involved with bringing a team to St. Louis? It sounds like he doesn't have the deep pockets that MLS is looking for in their owners, but if he gets some other investors together like he did to bid for the Rams and the Blues. . .
     
  17. Sport Billy

    Sport Billy Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 25, 2006
    I don't know if he has any connection to St. Louis anymore.
     
  18. stltim

    stltim Member

    Jul 10, 2012
    Club:
    Rangers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I heard it was more of an artist's dream, but either way same end result - not happening.

    Doubt Checketts has the $$$$$ MLS is looking for either.

    But I'm still optimistic.
     
  19. eclipse02

    eclipse02 Member

    Sep 20, 2009
    I know NASL always brings up expanding to St. Louis but I'll believe it when i see it.
     
  20. stltim

    stltim Member

    Jul 10, 2012
    Club:
    Rangers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I honestly don't think it'll ever be NASL here. More likely MLS or USL-Pro. Which is fine, especially with the new MLS/USL relationship. Who knows how long NASL will even hold on to that #2 slot
     
  21. eclipse02

    eclipse02 Member

    Sep 20, 2009
    The way its looking NASL is going strong. Attendance is averaging around 4,734 in attendance. 3new teams coming in (New York Cosmos, Indy Eleven, and Virginia Calvary). Minnesota now has a strong ownership group. San Antonio has its brand new stadium and is selling it out. Indy has over 3,000 season tickets. You have a SA, ATL, and CAR who are on local tv. It's growing and next year the League will be at 11 or 12 teams. Don't under estimate NASL. Hell if you wanna compare NASL (4,734) vs USL-Pro (2,474). NASL has almost twice average of USL-Pro so far this year. USL-Pro heavy hitter (Orlando) had 3 games already vs NASL heavy hitter (San Antonio) had only 1 game. NASL is a growing league that is carefully expanding.
     
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  22. stltim

    stltim Member

    Jul 10, 2012
    Club:
    Rangers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    NASL is doing well but if MSL and USL really amp up their partnership it could sink the league. If top players look to USL as a stepping stone to MLS then as the talent level drops likely so will attendance. Of course a lot will depend on how much money MLS is willing to sink into the partnership. Ideally I'd love to see a merger and let the NASL teams become part of USL-Pro.
     
  23. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    fyp
     

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