Seattle MLS Stadium thread

[sounderfan]

http://www.qwestfield.com/

soccer-related:
http://www.qwestfield.com/schedule.aspx?content=630&SecID=67

Galleries of stadium from Andy Mead, USA v. Venezuela, 2003:

http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2003/0329_usa_ven_ajm.php
http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2003/0328_usmnt_ajm.php

http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2003/0329_usa_ven_ajm/web_ajm_0022.jpg

http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2003/0329_usa_ven_ajm/web_ajm_1444.jpg

[sounderfan]

At one time the Sounders proposed a 8-11,000 seat expandable stadium in an outlying area.

This 2002 article mentions it, along with reservations on the part of Sounders woners that MLS would come to Seattle:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/76256_stadium27.shtml

[sounderfan]

This 2000 article indicates some of the history of on-off talks with Seattle soccer and MLS, as well as a bit about "sharing" the "future" big stadium:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/sports/sbiz30.shtml

Farnsworth said the MLS team would take the name of the A-League team, which would then become Sounders Premier. The organization would create a top-level amateur team called Sounders Select, and youth teams called Sounders United.

"If MLS comes here without this club system, I think the chances of success long-term are limited," Farnsworth said. "If they come here with this club system in place in Seattle, I think the chances of success are very high."

His goal is to have the headquarters and practice fields of an MLS franchise located at the team's training and development facility, and play matches at the new stadium. The object is to build a soccer community that touches all levels of the game.

"This program will be touching thousands and thousands of young people," Farnsworth said. "Those young people and their parents will become fans for both the Sounders Premier A-League team and the Sounders MLS team, and that will drive profits."

Ultimately, the profits will be plowed back into the club program, operating on a non-profit basis to spread soccer to the masses. That's the plan originally drafted by Sounders owner/chairman Scott Oki. It will be interesting to see if the investors are willing to sign on to such an altruistic business model.

"We're very fortunate in Seattle to have a group of people with a lot of money who are interested in giving back to the community, and that's what I'm trying to capitalize on right now, quite frankly," Farnsworth said.

To say the least, things have changed a bit since then!

[sounderfan]

Meanwhile, the Sounders re-upped for 2004 in "Seahawks Stadium" as this article points out:

http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/63780.html

"After pouring over several options and looking at what was best for soccer in Seattle and the Sounders organization, the Sounders decided that Seahawks Stadium made the most sense," said Sounders general manager Adrian Hanauer.

"Seahawks Stadium is the best venue in the region for professional soccer," said Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer. "The pitch, locker rooms, sight lines, location, it has it all."

Sounders management and ownership stays committed to bringing the highest level of soccer to the Pacific Northwest. Tod Lieweke, the new CEO of the Seattle Seahawks and Seahawks Stadium, brings the same passion for soccer to Seattle. Lieweke began his professional sports career working managing the Kansas City Comets of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) from 1982 to 1987.

"We are pleased to have the Sounders returning to Seahawks Stadium," said Lieweke. "We pride ourselves on having not only the greatest NFL stadium but also an extraordinary soccer facility. We applaud Sounders ownership for their grass roots commitment to the soccer community."

[sounderfan]

And, in 2001 there was competitive talk about a SSS in Seattle in preparation for MLS...

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2001/01/22/story6.html

While a local Major League Soccer franchise may be years away, several Puget Sound cities already are vying to be the home of a new soccer complex for the proposed team.


At least six cities, from Marysville to Tacoma, have expressed interest in the Seattle Sounders' plan for a $20 million soccer complex. City officials in Kent and Seattle even proposed redeveloping a closed 60-acre landfill in Midway.

"It's very competitive," said Jim Haugh, president of the Seattle Sports & Events Council.

Flash-forward to 2004...the new Seattle MLS "movement" seems content with the idea of Qwest Field as a permanent venue.

[sounderfan]

Even as recently as 2003...Adrian Hanauer stated that MLS did not want "Seahawks Stadium" as a main MLS venue...

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/133713_sbar05.html

The past two years have witnessed high-profile soccer events in the area, including the World Cup, last month's Manchester United-Celtic bout and the upcoming Women's World Cup in Portland. The buzz over these events keeps the question, "When will Seattle get an MLS team?" on everyone's mind.

"It's pretty much a thumbs-down at this point. MLS's preference is not to play in Seahawks Stadium," Sounders general manager Adrian Hanauer said, citing the venue's size and artificial turf as reasons.

Hanauer said the Sounders and the City of Kent are in initial discussions to build an eight- to 10-field complex with the centerpiece being an 18,000-20,000-seat stadium.

"We would like to get the county, or the state or the school district involved," he said. "We would build it only if were fairly certain an MLS ownership group was on board."

Again, this talk has subsided, likely because MLS have changed their minds and have Ok'd "Qwest Field" as a permanent home for Seattle MLS.

"Our goal is to try to get something done by next spring so that we could have (either the Sounders or an MLS team playing) by 2005-2006," Hanauer said. "But I could be standing here later telling you that we hope to have something by 2006-2007."

[metros11]

Even as recently as 2003...Adrian Hanauer stated that MLS did not want "Seahawks Stadium" as a main MLS venue...

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/133713_sbar05.html



Again, this talk has subsided, likely because MLS have changed their minds and have Ok'd "Qwest Field" as a permanent home for Seattle MLS.

That or it could be that Hanauer knows that he'll have more pull if he has an actual MLS team, instead of a "soon to be MLS" a-league team.

[GMan Eric]

Dunno... look how long its taken Metro to get a SSS, not to mention places like DC, Chicago, Dallas, etc. Only Columbus got one built fairly soon after their team's first season.

Have a feeling that it's Qwest Field for a while until the business plan convinces some municipality and/or Paul Allen/moneyman TBD to pony up.

[210597]

Just a question: What's wrong with Memorial Stadium as a start? Is there room to improve the ends a little? To me, a bit of sprucing up on the ends, maybe put stands in there like the Sounders had in 1975, and you've got a decent start.

[BLG]

Just a question: What's wrong with Memorial Stadium as a start?

That has been discussed alot on these boards, but you really have to dig to find it. From what I've gotten out of it (I've never been there but have driven by many times) is Memorial Stadium is in pretty bad shape right now. Bathroom availability is poor. The astroturf and helmetball lines are staying as long as the Seattle School District owns and uses it. All the seats are bleachers I believe.

If I were Paul Allen I'd buy the stadium from SSD, tear it down and build a new SSS with a grass field, luxury boxes and roofs over the stands. The stadium would also be used for music concerts to supplement the Experience Music Project Museum across the street. Then I'd buy the Sounders and sign Kasey Keller, Brian Ching and a few Japan MNT players. (The Ichiro effect.)

Man but I'm good at spending other people's money. :)

[BlueLightning]

All indicators are that F&G won't be part-owners, but if they're business partners with Hanauer's group, then that'll be almost as good. A bad deal for your business partner is a bad deal for you. Qwest Field will do just fine, for the time being. (If there is an SSS in the future, it should be as close to the city center as possible. I don't know if there's any other place in SoDo to put a stadium, but Qwest Field's at a primo location.)

[GMan Eric]

All the seats are bleachers I believe.



Except for a few rows where the bleachers have splintered/broken apart completely! Guess it's standing room only in those rows...

[Geoduck]

Memorial Stadium is too narrow, and there won't be room to widen it if the proposed monorail plan goes through - the trains would run underneath the stadium's south bleachers.

It is such a travesty that, after over $1 billion in public investment in two other downtown stadiums, the Seattle schools have to use such a rundown facility. When you throw in Husky Stadium (not downtown, but centrally located within the city), there are 3 nicer government-owned stadiums where Seattle's prep football and soccer teams could be playing.

I can see how a new stadium at Seattle Center can occur, though. In 1994, Seattle Center and the school district came close to demolishing Memorial Stadium and building a track stadium across the street (http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=1919184&date=19940707 ), until Paul Allen's people decided not to use the stadium site for the EMP. The schools' track situation was dire back then (http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=1901311&date=19940321 ), and there's been little improvement in the past decade. The proposed stadium site still appears to be available (the 5th Ave. parking area on the map), and if the powers that be decide to build a track stadium for the planned pre-Olympic festival there, maybe the Sounders and the school district can joinly run the facility afterward (hopefully hosting track only).

http://www.seattlecenter.com/images/locations/map.gif

Would you want a team to play in a low-frills, 20,000-seat grass stadium with a track, or would you prefer to stay in QWest Field (permanently or to wait until something better came along)?

[GMan Eric]

What's really silly is that Seattle high school football rarely draws more than a few hundred fans -- which probably has a lot to do with why you're seeing on-campus facilities popping up now.

Boggles my mind why SSD even bothers keeping Memorial Stadium around -- why not sell it and get some money for other district projects -- even if it's just for the land, as the stadium itself in its current condition is only worthy of a wrecking ball.

[sounderfan]

Here's a link to my "Better years" page of Seattle Memorial Stadium. 1974-75 the stadium was alive with the Sound-ers of soccer!

http://soundercentral.com/museum/Updates11-12-03/seattle_war_memorial_stadium.htm

http://soundercentral.com/museum/Updates11-12-03/MemorialPanorama1974.jpg

Here's a fairly recent overhead of the area, circa 2004-ish:

http://wwwjhs.lkwash.wednet.edu/boosterclub/images/Aerial_Photos/Memorial_Stadium_Aerial.jpg

Not sure enough land exists here to make a new stadium.

[sounderfan]

And this is the most recent pic I could find. Notice the new million-dollar field turf! The school district paid big bucks for that, which is also ridiculous! The multi-lines are vibrant and quite visable from 500+ feet up!

http://soundercentral.com/Documents/Stadiums/MemorialStadium2004.jpg

[soupcan]

I have always felt that Memorial Stadium was the answer for Seattles SSS needs. Seeing what Starfire was able to do with the concrete monster at Fort Dent shows that it would be possible to keep the existing shell and give it an adequate face lift.

Bleachers dont bother me a bit. The Seattle School District seems to have options now that werent there a few years ago. Sealth Stadium is fine for track, and Ranier Beach also has a workable stadium for both track and football. They could use Seahawk stadium for their big games and playoffs, since that was the intent from the start.

Heck, lets start the movement now. Adrian Hanauer, go buy Memorial Stadium. Sell beer. Improve the rest rooms. Plunk down grass. Buy me a team.

[Geoduck]

The School District selling to Mr. Hanauer - or anyone else - would require creativity and/or political wrangling.

From the City of Seattle 2004-2009 Adopted Capital Improvement Program (http://www.cityofseattle.net/budget/0409adoptedcip/Center.pdf ):

The project funds the future redevelopment of the Memorial Stadium site. The Stadium is owned, operated, and maintained by the Seattle School District. In 1946, the City deeded the site to the District for one dollar for use as an athletic stadium. Should the District no longer use the site for a stadium, the property reverts to City ownership. The Long Range Land Use Plan for Seattle Center (an appendix to the Seattle Center Master Plan) envisions a large, open space plaza at the current site of the stadium, with parking underneath. Several years ago, the City engaged in negotiations with the School District regarding a land swap for a new stadium site on the former Bus Barn property across Fifth Ave. No agreement was reached. Seattle Center continues to explore options which meet both the objectives of the Seattle Center Long Range Land Use Plan and the School District’s athletic facility uses. For purposes of the Capital Facilities Element of the Comprehensive Plan, this is not a proposed new/expanded capital facility.

[AmoebaCulture]

Well..the Seahawks stadium..IS really big..any other options?

[GMan Eric]

At present for MLS, no. If there were, we wouldn't be embroiled in all this "Soccer Specific Stadium" mumbo-jumbo with respect to MLS' preference for smaller stadia as opposed to ground-shares with gridiron football or baseball.