COSI's not a complete disaster as it was some years ago. It's vastly improved. They make a lot of money on that Titanic event, which is why round 2 is here this Spring. They're even thinking about reopening the planetarium.
IIRC, at one point long before the stage was built, the plan was to eventually add a third tier onto the sides and a second tier onto the north side. Improve the parking (which is being done this summer), put something there a little more sturdy than the circus tent (the Huntington Club should help a little bit) and close it in a little bit so it doesn't look like the Wexner Center with the exposed beams and we're good.
And I was at a game that was wall to wall people. One can safely assume that there are many variables going into the equation. Their FO had a major win when they started selling standing room and outfield tickets for $6. On a Saturday night, it's essentially a bar with a $6 cover fee and a live baseball game going on. I wonder what percentage of people just show up, pay the $6 "cover fee", have a few drinks, then leave in the 7th or 8th inning.
Awesome photo! Where is that? Also, one correction re: Cleveland Municipal. It was built for a failed Olympic bid (1932). Both the baseball and football/soccer layouts were shoehorned in there (Heck, baseball was the far worse layout at Municipal, the right and left field corners were chopped off by the GA sections.).
Boy, that just about proves my point about COSI. It's a decent special events venue--but it's still not much of a science museum. It's like saying last year's Detroit Lions were a vast improvement over the 0-16 team the year before. Sure--but they still s*ck terribly.
They have been doing this bit-by-bit at Beaver Stadium and it has worked well--and Beaver Stadium is the original "Erector Set on Steroids".
The Float at Marina Bay, Singapore. Primarily a concert stage and events center, not a sports field. Grandstand seats 30K. Also, the road just behind and right in front of the grandstand is turns 17 and 18 of the F1 Singapore Grand Prix course. wiki
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2010/03/24/0324-new-to-crew-stadium.html At least this time, there seems to be something solid.
As a big proponent of keeping the casino in the Arena District I think I might finally have a reason to vote for it to be moved to the west side.
Wow. That 1932 Olympics thing is so ingrained in Cleveland that I always took it to be true. Never mind ground being broken, the 1932 Olympics were awarded to Los Angeles in 1923, a full six years before Cleveland residents voted on Municipal Stadium. I am absolutely gobsmacked right now. A story I've known since I was kid and have heard retold a bazillion times by many credible sources is a complete fabrication. And I literally just found out now. I saw your post and thought, "Yeah, maybe ground hadn't been broken when the bid was awarded, but the bid was surely in play when the stadium process began." And the answer is....nope. Next up: The river fire was a hoax!
for some more stadium porn pics these links of the Stadium:mk show what could be a perfect stadium, just slap some brick on the outside instead of what appears to be ugly concrete, it even has the option to expand (with a roof on top!!!) http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadiu...m/england/south_east/milton_keynes_dons.shtml http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadium:mk
In 10 years if the league goes to a European schedule would it be better to get a retractable roof or normal?
I don't think retractible rooves will be necessary unless MLS wants to move to a Fall-to-Spring schedule. I'd be happy with standard roofing.
If there were a new stadium built downtown, I'd like to see something like a modern version of Craven Cottage or Villa Park. A stadium with grandstands and two or maybe three open corners where pedestrians could walk up and look directly into the stadium at pitch level. Then have one closed corner in the northeast with seats to continue the Nordecke tradition. The open corners with sidewalk-level views would go well with the open feel that Huntington Park has achieved. A Crew Stadium II such as this would go against the current trend of the new and the proposed stadiums in MLS; but an old-meets-new stadium with a "grounds"-feel (for lack of a better word) rather than another shiny smaller version of Allianz Arena would be a unique atmosphere for soccer in the US.
Instead of worrying about the stadium being moved I would worry about the name of the stadium gets changed. When the Cleveland Indians changed the name of their ballpark from Jacobs field to Progressive field It felt like they took part of the identity of the Indians away from us Tribe fans. I would rather have it move than see the name of the stadium change to a corporate logo on the stadium. That is my .02 on this matter.