Google Earth sometimes doesn't update pictures very often. It could just be an old satellite photo from 1846
Imagine the laughter emanating from Pats Central as some chase the Renewal Rabbit* down the Wonderland hole. *Renewal Rabbit 1. to give false or misleading information about an SSS to obtain season ticket renewals, season after season after season. 2. to lead or guide in the wrong direction. Meanwhile, Time-For-Another-Promotion Billello announces the timetable for an SSS has changed to 2016. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Since they will be playing in Revere, the team should rebrand to a War for Independence motif, colors and all.
Regardless of where a Revs SSS is located the only time/place I will be renewing my FSE will be as the video below shows...start at 2:00.
There's actually a chocolate farm next door to the candy factory. There are two different owners who have a vicious vendetta so there is no economic synergy between them.
This. If we could wait a few more years and get something downtown and accessible by rail, T, bus, car, and with ample parking I'd prefer it, but how likely is that? The Wonderland proposal seems to tick the important boxes and could really revitalize an area that needs it. Plus, the seaside stadium reminds me of the awesome idea for the South Boston sports megaplex on the water that never happened. I'll miss having a 15 minute ride home from games but it's for the best.
This site comes up as a possibility every so often and I tend to post the same thing. As someone who lives in the Hartford area, but who spends a fair amount of weekends with my in-laws in Marblehead, I am accustomed to passing by in both directions on the weekends. The whole key is the traffic issue. 1A, the Lynnway, the Wonderland traffic circle, etc... are all a mess. Whatever changes come along with the casino at Suffolk Downs would have to be unbelievably significant to make a dent in the massive traffic problem that already exists in that area. Coming from the North Shore, the 2 lane road heading back towards Revere is backed up on weekends in the Summer as a rule. The site has tons going for it as compared to Gillette, but the traffic issue would need a fairly creative solution
When I starting reading your post and you said you are from Hartford I thought you were going to say the Krafts are using Revere like they did Hartford for Gillette.
I agree with you on the traffic. I guess one traffic positive if the stadium is built at Wonderland is most of the beach traffic will be heading away from that area by game time on a Saturday night. But the point stands, traffic is a nightmare for the drivers and a lot of people won't want to deal with that headache and are faced with a long and inconvenient trek via the T. It's not convenient for a lot of current revs fans, if not the majority. Unfortunately it doesn't really matter what you in Hartford and me in Worcester think.
I think the idea of locating the team in the city involves creating a new urban fan base to supplement the current fan base. Yeah, you might loose a few, but the hope is that you gain more by beings T accessible.
Heading away using the same roads and rotaries the traffic going to the game will be using. The traffic is an absolute no-win. I'm really at a loss to understand even conceptually how a casino at Suffolk Downs could help things here. Here's a creative idea, something that would really set the Revs apart from other MLS franchises: ferries. Get people to park near the World Trade Center, say, and send them to the game on those boats they use for the Boston Harbor cruises. Forget tailgating -- it's all about fantailgating.
Where would the ferries go? Broad Sound is too shallow. The Chelsea River is too far away. Wonderland may be near "the water," but it's not near any navigable water. I'd imagine they'd completely rethink the roads (6 lane highways, dedicated rights of way, full highway exits), while also relying on public transit to carry a significant chunk of patrons. Normally, a project like this would be tough to sell to community, but given how badly Revere needs a face lift, this is one highway/roads project that would increase land value over the long term.
The stadium project would also likely coincide with improved public transit access and I would imagine an addition commuter rail station and track would be on the cards. And to supplement the really fun boat idea, let's just build a new pier that the boat can approach!
Just thinking of the land takings needed for this approach, and the cost of that, we're probably literally talking billions. I just don't see it. The problem is, I'm not sure there's really much of a middle way, between what we have now and the superhighways you allude to.
We're not talking super highways here. We're talking about an overpass for route 16 at Seger Street, an interchange at 60/1A/16, and a smaller interchange at 1A/North Shore Road. $200 million would probably be the right range, and that would be absurd if it was just a soccer stadium. I'd imagine the state will kick in a few dollars, the revs would throw in a few million or so, and the casino would pay for the rest. The Revs would probably have to cover the cost of that smaller interchange at Wonderland.
I would think a Revs' stadium would be an attractive outdoor concert venue close to the casino that could compete with the BofA Pavillion for events. Maybe even a good spot for the MIAA state tournament or area high school rivalry games.