Revolution Stadium groundbreaking "12-24 months" Part II

r-e-v-e-r-e......

 

Good to see the posts comparing New England metro area populations, check out my post on the topic at:

http://theimageofworcester.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-england-revolution-in-worcester.html.

In my analysis, the Worcester MLS market is really not that much smaller than the Boston MLS market.

FYI, did you know that the Worcester location offers a great opportunity for an urban pregame "Parade to the Pitch?"

 

no.

 

The only way Bob Kraft moves the Revs from a stadium he already owns outside of Boston, to another stadium outside of Boston, is if someone pays for that new stadium in its entirety. No matter what you think of Worcester, the Revs aren't playing there unless Worcester invests 100 million to build a stadium and gives it to the Krafts.

Its Boston or Foxboro. Thats it.

 

It's great that you put all that information together. Unfortunately, the most important thing when considering stadium location is public transport. And when I say public transport, I don't mean buses or trains, I mean SUBWAY.

This stadium is going to enjoy the most success if and only if it it located within 5 minutes of a subway/"T" station.

If you look at the cities serviced by the "T" rapid transit lines, namely Boston, Camrbidge, Somerville, Newton, Brookline, Medford, Malden, Winthrop, Revere, Quincy, Braintree, and arguably Needham, Wellesley, Arlington, Belmont, and Melrose, you see why. If you live in one of those communities, going to a revs game gets a lot simpler and a lot easier.

 

Roxbury Crossing.

- great transportation options
- parking available
- welcoming a stadium?
- dire need for Boston high schools/colleges for practice and game facilities
- partnership opportunities with Boston Public Schools, Roxbury CC, Reggie Lewis Center, possibly the area hospitals, ...

Space looks a little tight, but maybe they could suck up the Madison Park playing fields, Reggie Lewis parking, ... in exchange for access to similar joint use playing fields, parking, etc.

 

is that even a redevelopment site?

 

One very big and very strange obstacle .... Mumbles Menino. He is so consumed by grudges that he actually operates and moves on things based on who has slighted him. This is a deeply seated mentality born of neighborhood rivalries and then ward politics. Outwardly he's a likable buffoon, but inside there is a dark place that he is not fully sentient of. And, he has a burr in his ass crack when it comes to Kraft. This stemmed from the time Krafty tried to build a Pat's palace in Southie. Mumbles never forgets either. If fact I think any grudge he harbors becomes even more implacable with time. Imagine that? Such a good thing could happen for Boston with a sss for the Revs, but no..... the reason it doesn't is because of some petty, reptilian grudge that Tommy Boy has.

One could look all over the city and find evidence of what did get built and what did not get built over the years of his administration, based on either childish grudges or proper stroking of Mumbles Bumbles .

 

And that's where your argument falls flat on it's face. Only 12,000 or so are willing to drive that distance now, a number that has been declining for years. People aren't driving down from Boston now, your solution is moving them 20 minutes further from Boston?

 

It's easier to get to Worcester from Boston than it is to Foxboro. Just take the Pike.

 

The Hub...One known nickname for Boston....as in The Hub of the Universe.

"In a novel he wrote in 1858, Cambridge-born author and philosopher Oliver Wendell Holmes described the Massachusetts State House as the “Hub of the Solar System.” As society in Boston developed, the nickname developed into an even greater brand – “The Hub of the Universe.” The term of reference, shortened to “The Hub,” is seldom used today in daily conversation. "

This is pretty much how the Revs should be concentrating on a location for venues for a SSS in this area or very close to it. MBTA subway access via walking is also key.

Very difficult to find and at the right price I don't see anything happening for a very long time. I personally think it's worth the wait if it's done right.

 

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ed...les/2007/03/24/the_soccer_stadium_that_wasnt/

This story is so old its now in the Boston.com archives, but the Krafts already looked to build a stadium there with Northeastern. The Mayor seemed to squash the idea.

When Jon said 2 sites were close but fell through this could have been the first one he was referring to.

 

Hell, Hartford would be a step up from Worcester.

 

Groundbreaking has already begun

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...n=0.003783,0.008529&t=k&z=17&lci=transit_comp

Subway access?
Check. Red line.
Highway access?
Check. 93.

Heres another one.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou....208169,-71.149811&spn=0.003783,0.008529&z=17

Orange line (future)
Commuter Rail.
Amtrak.
93. 95.

 

Uh orange line in westwood? I don't think so.

 

Yeah, doubtful.

Besides, that area is being turned into a commercial development as we speak. They started before 2008 (and the recession), so progress has since slowed. I'm pretty sure they're still going ahead with it, though.

 

The orange line was originally supposed to go through west roxbury and end in Dedham, but well dedham didn't want people to be able to come from the city for 25 cents... read that as you may...

 

Actually, the orange line extensions to 128 (on both ends) has been in the books since the 70s.

The south would see one branch on the needham line, and one branch south to the 128 amtrak station.

This isn't some rail fantasy, it's in official MBTA planning documents, along with the blue line to lynn, the red line to arlington heights, and the green line d-2 branch also to needham.

Like the red line extension to arlington heights, the orange line south was ready to begin construction, but was NIMBYed away.

40 years later, one would hope the racist reasons it was blocked would not longer be an issue. (Except they still are sadly).

 

I really don't get why they'd extend the orange line to Needham. Needham is already well served by a commuter rail line.

I can understand extending it south to Dedham, but I doubt they'd extend it to 128. Again, that area already has a commuter rail station, so why build an orange line station?

 

I know what the plans are... just saying that it's never gonna happen...

 

Because it would replace commuter rail. It would be like the red line braintree branch. The commuter rail runs next to the red line, but express into south station, with just one transfer point. Local rail has a very different ridership, because you dont need to look at a schedule, and it allows for local travel.

The MBTA plan was to have every line (except green b and c) reach 128 and have commuter rail cover the area outside 128.

Will it ever happen? Sure, it's on the same timetable as the revs stadium, which is why I brought it up.

 

Not really. Other than the peak commuting hours, that line doesn't serve that area well at all.

 

Sorry. Ain't in the realm of possibility.

Kraft doesn't own the land and no one is going to give it to him or build him the stadium.

If the only issue at play here was trains to the stadium, the cheapest solution would be for Kraft to pay for trains to Foxoboro before and after every game. Obviously that isn't going to happen because that is not the primary problem with the Revs playing in Foxboro.

While Revere has some many advantages, there is little in the surrounding area that would attract people before and after the game. The whole atmosphere and experience thing that people enjoy needs to be there for the Boston-based stadium to work. While tailgaiting is great, there are plenty of fans who would prefer a pub/restaurant for before and after.

 

The last card in the Kraft's hands could be build a sss in Foxboro, increase train service on game day and leverage the parking lot for tailgating and the man mall for pub atmosphere. It actually could work. Not to the degree of the city but it could work.