I just saw this in the Oregonian and thought I would post it on here for discussion. The article discusses design features and has a few renderings as well. http://www.oregonlive.com/timbers/index.ssf/2009/12/portland_timbers_reveal_design.html
So am I retarded or did I miss the final expected seating capacity for PGE Park??...I'd like to see a panoramic render/model, but it looks very intimate and should allow the Timbers army and other supporters to generate a great atmosphere WD Portland
Here is another like to the most recent information. http://www.portlandmls2011.com/stadium/pge-park-renovation/
You guys aren't too bummed about the fieldturf are you? I was hoping for grass, but I guess it can't be helped.
The 20K capacity is not all seats. That number includes the open viewing decks and the picnic area on the stage. You can read about it here: http://www.portlandmls2011.com/2009/12/timbers-annouce-pge-park-renovation-plans/ The finalized design is based on a design that was shown to the PDC in September: http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/09/pge_park_would_have_similar_ca.html The 4K seats in the North end will be hidden behind a screen. While it will be possible to open up the screened-off seats and add bleachers to the viewing decks, this will over-burden the stadium amenities (bathrooms and concessions) and concourses, and lead to a poor experience for those in attendance. That is why it will only happen for special events.
Congrats, you could not ask for a better location for a stadium, and the renovations look like they will be great. It's looking like one of the jewels of the league. It will be honor beating you there constantly
If that is the case, does this mean that 24,000 is really stretching it and it's as far as the stadium will ever go? Say after five years in MLS the Timbers are selling out every match with a huge waiting list and are doing great. Does the stadium have the space and capabilities to expand to 30,000 or something like that with another renovation?
This is never going to happen. Not after all the public backlash they've experienced this year, and what with still paying off the 2001 renovations. There will also be a ton of public money going toward the Rose Quarter revitalization for the Blazers in the near future. And most, if not all, of the city council on board with the renovations will be gone in 1-3 years.
So if the place is packed for every match with thousands on the wait list for years, there's nothing they would be able to do then? There wouldn't be enough push from the massive support to push something through? Outside of that, if the club is a massive success, Paulsen could fun the bulk of another renovation to increase seats, suites, club seats, that over time will pay for themselves and turn a profit for him. If it ever got to that point, does PGE have the space and capabilities for 30,000 or more?
Back in the NASL days there were many 30,000 capacity crowds. Also there were over 30,000 in 2004 for the Womens world cup. I get my information from the lips of the owner Not a Seattle Flounders customer. The point is that it will be an intermate Soccer Specific Stadium and the atmosphere will be the best in the USA. There will be a second phase to the stadium down the road.
That was before the 2001 renovations that took out the northwest corner seats. And they trucked in temporary bleachers in the baseball outfield. Ticket prices were also a lot cheaper (adjusting for inflation even) and fans expected less amenities. Times are different, and now we are talking about high-ticket club seats with a restaurant on the east side, not temporary bleachers. If you try to stuff more than 24K people into the stadium, it will be a really uncomfortable experience. The Women's World Cup games are perfect examples. Many Portland Toothpick customers have told us time and time again this past year that "this or that" was certainly going to happen. The fact is that your owner doesn't own the stadium, so he can't just do whatever he likes. Everything will have to go through a political process.
So he can't ask the city that he wants to add 10k more seats and state he's willing to pay 100% of the cost for the additional seats?
The stadium looks like it will be awesome. I'm excited for the Timbers to come to MLS. I don't see any way that it's not a huge success. PGE Park looks like it will be sweet. I'll have to go to a game out there.
Do you think he is going to fund 100% of any future renovations after bypassing the opportunity to do so now, when construction costs are at an all-time low? Instead, he let the process continually bog down in his quest for public money. He also bypassed the opportunity to build his own stadium that he would have control over. I don't see his modus operandi changing in the future. And yes, there is a design approval process with the city that any changes would have to go through. The neighborhood association would need to be in on that process, as well. Money doesn't necessarily talk in this situation.
The Portland MLS stadium being publicly owns is a good thing and very "Portland". Public process is also very "Portland". It can be frustrating how long things take but in the end the public wins. The end result is that we get to enjoy the highest level of US soccer in a great soccer specific stadium that will be the Fenway Park of US Soccer with the loudest supporters on MLS. I want to see soccer in a full stadium. If that is 16,000 20,000 or 30,000 it doesn't matter.
I can see why he picked PGE Park, cheaper, MLS doesn't have a requirement of 35-45k+ seating capacity. Yes i know there's a process Merritt has to go through if he wants to make more changes and how those additional changes will be made and i think there is a way it can be done. Its not a matter of if there will be future expansion to PGE Park its when. How it will be paid for when it comes to that point is yet to remain seen. And the city may as well have provide fund to it unless Merritt is going to pay for those additional expansion to PGE Park himself. This potential future issue isn't just the timbers problem, its also rest if the MLS team's issue as well excluding Seattle and Vancouver.
Oh, right. Like you said about MLS selecting Portland. Oh, and also about your claims that there would never be any affirmative vote from the city council or something like that. Pardon us if we don't take your word for it anymore.
http://www.theartificialturfcompany.com/TSII/TSII_sr.php This link is a link to a product, called "TSII", that should make everyone happy. Both those with wearability concerns ("Dramatically increased wear tolerance compared to conventional grass"), and those with concerns about appearance and interaction of the ball with the playing surface ("Meets the aesthetic and athlectic demands of today's sport field market"). Their list of installations includes three in harsh weather areas of the country including one in a football stadium in Michigan, another in a Soccer/Lacrosse stadium at Ohio State and a baseball stadium in Ohio. I also noticed that in some stadiums in Australia where they have installed this surface they play soccer, rugby, cricket and Aussie rules on this surface. That's a lot of abuse and comparable to PGE's plans of using this stadium for soccer and high school football. Oops, meant to post this in a different thread.
Bright, nice try. Basically, the renovation does not touch the existing seating structure. That capacity is over 18,800 in fixed seats. Maybe the upper levels with bench seating ought to be renumbered to increase width and reduce capacity, but that's not likely. Add 4,000 seats in an east stand and you're almost at 23,000 before the other decks and south end (and maybe terracing) are addressed. The September plan included a south end stand that couldn't be reconciled with the access road, so that plan is basically out. You've taken too many liberties with your interjection.
