Houston not "if," but "when"

[wcharriscpa]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/rssstory.mpl/sports/3185000

[anderson]

The article linked above is very interesting. It discusses the Astrodome as a possibility in the event that negotiations for the hotel conversion fall through.

It also mentions that proposals for redevelopment of Delmar should be ready in the next couple of months.

[Goldenstick]

Anyone have any pics of Delmar? Do you think it would be suitable for a professional sports franchise? I'm all about an MLS team in Houston but I would want the team to play in a professional sports facility not a Southlake type situation that occured in Dallas

[VioletCrown]

Anyone have any pics of Delmar? Do you think it would be suitable for a professional sports franchise? I'm all about an MLS team in Houston but I would want the team to play in a professional sports facility not a Southlake type situation that occured in Dallas

Using Google Maps, I found a stadium near the intersection of 290 and 610. Is that the one? If so I'd LOOOOOOVE that location, being as it'd be an insanely convenient drive from Austin.

[VioletCrown]

The article linked above is very interesting. It discusses the Astrodome as a possibility in the event that negotiations for the hotel conversion fall through.

It also mentions that proposals for redevelopment of Delmar should be ready in the next couple of months.

Actually, a little sooner than that: " proposals should be ready late this month or next." ...but you're probably right to tack on another month, because of how these things go.

It'd really suck if SA succeeds, and because of that, they *don't* build an SSS in Houston. But the way things are bouncing around in SA, and with soccer as a fallback in the Astrodome, there's more than a little hope for Houston.

*sigh*

[sitting here in Austin, waiting for something real to happen]

[anderson]

Using Google Maps, I found a stadium near the intersection of 290 and 610. Is that the one? If so I'd LOOOOOOVE that location, being as it'd be an insanely convenient drive from Austin.I believe that's it. There should be an old mall (maybe Northwest Mall?) just to the southeast of the stadium. It's about as good a location in the Houston area as you can get. It's not convenient for people in the Clear Lake, Friendswood, or Webster areas, but anyplace will inconvenience someone. It would work for the West, Southwest, and Northwest areas, which are huge youth markets. And it's probably convenient enough for anyone in the Inner Loop. IIRC, that intersection (290 and 610) is also on Metro's long-term plan for light rail.

[mjtate]

Delmar stadium is in a very good location for accessibility, at 290 and the 610 loop. This puts it very much inside the city, not in the burbs. Since it's right off the freeway, it wouldn't be that bad for people living either way north (Woodlands), south (Clear Lake, Pearland), or southwest (Sugarland), and very close for those living downtown or galleria.

[VioletCrown]

Drool.

[anderson]

I think this part is also particularly interesting (emphasis added):The Sports Authority is working with the Houston Independent School District and three potential investment groups on the possibility of converting Delmar Stadium into a soccer-specific facility capable of hosting a pro team.So, two would likely include Club America and AEG (both have been mentioned recently). But what about the third potential group?

[Goldenstick]

This would be unbelievable!!! Next time I'm in Houston I'll definitely pass through and get some pics to post here

[Nodak]

I'll play this game. My guess is Murstein (NY $) is studying this one. Club America otherwise. No way AEG has a part of this.

[Eastern Bear]

Yup Delmar is at the intersection of 290 and 610. There's also a very cool late 50s early 60s basketball gym there. I played HS footbal and basketball in both... Ah the memories. That is a killer location in my opinion. I don't know if all of that construction along 610 is done yet. My memory is that Delmar is a pretty narrow field even for grid football so some significant changes would be necessary to modify for soccer. It's pretty big though. I would guess it could hold about 10K today. It's a very bare bones place though, but there's plenty of parking! :-)

The Astrodome is interesting too. They could remove the paint from the ceiling panels and plant grass in the dome. But even during those pre-astroturf days the grass had trouble growing in the left and right field corners. The same issue could still exist today. It sure would be nice to play soccer on real grass, but in an air conditioned envirnoment...

[VioletCrown]

I'll play this game. My guess is Murstein (NY $) is studying this one. Club America otherwise. No way AEG has a part of this.

Well, gee. Now why didn't any of the rest of us think of that one? Too easy, I guess:) Good job. That has to be one of them.

[VioletCrown]

Yup Delmar is at the intersection of 290 and 610. There's also a very cool late 50s early 60s basketball gym there. I played HS footbal and basketball in both... Ah the memories. That is a killer location in my opinion. I don't know if all of that construction along 610 is done yet. My memory is that Delmar is a pretty narrow field even for grid football so some significant changes would be necessary to modify for soccer. It's pretty big though. I would guess it could hold about 10K today. It's a very bare bones place though, but there's plenty of parking! :-)

There's also two baseball fields there, a second football/soccer/track stadium and yet a third football/soccer field. At least, according to the satellite view. Wish I could figure out how to grab that view and link it in.

I guess with all the parking at the mall, there wouldn't be any concern about losing some of the parking to a larger stadium. 'Course, that would mean that some of the parking revenue would be lost to people parking in the mall.

Anyway, looks really cool. Now that SA's cooled, I got something else to be jazzed about. Should keep me going for a week or two.;)

[CeltTexan]

The Houston Hurricanes FC spent one year playing at Robertson (pre remodeling) and the rest of the 5 seasons playing at HISD facilities Butler Stadium off of Hwy 90 (where Glenn Davis and the old Houston Dynamos played in the mid 80's for those natives like me that remember that club) and the last season at HISD Delmar....we played at the side stadium Dyer as Delmar's concrete stands were under repair all summer.

What I remember most about the two places is that they are dumps! Yet they were the only grass fields available for rent. Everyone else in our neck of the woods plays on turf. The fields were 65 yrds wide and 120 long. Seating was limited to one side only. The PA system is on 8 track and concessions are cash only.
Delmar has since gone under more reconstruction and can hold 8-10K comfortably. There is still no seating behind the endzones/goal posts. HISD now has broken ground on a new administration building just south of the main Delmar Stadium. They have listed that this new venture will take up some fields and parking lot space. (go to their website and take a look...its in the shape of a large H)
On a cool note Delmar once held our National Team back in 1988. Today Delmar looks ok from a distance but would require a major facelift to become anything deserving of 'Major League' status.

Yet sports fans the worst of all is the man that operates Delmar Sports Complex. I had to work with him to schedule HHFC matches and on game day operations. During the summer months when nothing is going on at Delmar since school is out, it was like pulling teeth to get a Sat. date. He always had some crafty excuse. By the time the season started in April I was sickened at this man's hatred for the beautiful game. He that shall not be named would make Jim Rome sound like Rob Stone! I'm sure we have all met at some point in our soccer lives in Texas a middle adged redkneck that fears the world's game so much that he tries at every angle to make it go away. This is the type of mindset that a potential investor would be dealing with in HISD.
In other words an HISD inner city Varsity boys soccer team has made it to the regional championships for the past four straight seasons Lamar losing to Clear Lake, Lee to Stratford, Westside to Klein and Lee again to eventual State 5A champs Kingwood this season.
Yet the stadium directors at Butler and Delamr go out of their way to damage the integrity of the beautiful game. For example these soccer haters don't even mark the fields right, provide locker rooms at Butler or Delamr during the winter season that is Texas H.S. soccer, turn on the scoreboard and insist a match be played on rain flooded fields. The refs would complain about the field not being marked correctly and the PK spot was yards off but these operators would do nothing!
IMHO only, making a deal with HISD to host MLS Team Houston would only be equal in stupidity if the Metrostars stayed at Giants Stadium for life! :(

[Nodak]

My guess is if someone puts serious coin into the site, Mr. Funny guy would have marginalized self worth at that point. $ talks cake holes walk.

[anderson]

I'll play this game. My guess is Murstein (NY $) is studying this one. Club America otherwise. No way AEG has a part of this.It really is just a pub game at this point, but Glenn mentioned on his radio show recently that AEG came to town to discuss Delmar.

My guess is if someone puts serious coin into the site, Mr. Funny guy would have marginalized self worth at that point. $ talks cake holes walk.Exactly. If new investors plow cash into remodeling Delmar, they'll be calling the shots about where the pk spot goes. New investors and new cash mean a whole new ball game.

[CeltTexan]

Exactly. If new investors plow cash into remodeling Delmar, they'll be calling the shots about where the pk spot goes. New investors and new cash mean a whole new ball game.


Remember vielo, HISD can't even get their buses to show up on time. Oliver Luck even joked about this lack of relability within HISD. Getting an investor to shell out more money aside from the $10 million expansion fee to a school district that places no value on the beautiful game is a tough sell. HISD manages money like Enron and could care less when its OWN schools succeed at the world's game. HISD is the last business institution to shake hands with. HISD has Willie Nelson do their taxes!
Major League Soccer will always be second place to HISD officials when valued next to the religion that is Texas H.S. football. I hope and pray that any new investor that plows cash into remodeling Delmar will be notified ahead of time that come September is the start of High School football season. You're right...those pk spots will be marked correctly right next to all the gridiron hash marks, PAT spots and 40 yard lines.

[Blu N Houston]

This article gives me hope... and that's a starting point. Now we just need a major investor to pony up the cash. It sounds like the MLS is behind us a 100% IMO.
Delmar will make a fine location for a SSS. Just don't use the Dome. Turn that into a Casino once it becames legal.
Delmar is a great location. Yes, it's a dump, but we have about two years from getting a team anyways. I got my $$$ ready to buy season tickets if they want 5k folks like in San Antonio.

[VioletCrown]

Remember vielo, HISD can't even get their buses to show up on time. Oliver Luck even joked about this lack of relability within HISD. Getting an investor to shell out more money aside from the $10 million expansion fee to a school district that places no value on the beautiful game is a tough sell.
Major League Soccer will always be second place to HISD officials when valued next to the religion that is Texas H.S. football. I hope and pray that any new investor that plows cash into remodeling Delmar will be notified ahead of time that come September and the High School football season, those pk spots will be marked correctly right next to all the hash marks and 20 yard lines.

I completely understand your cynicism regarding HS football and your experience with the folks running Delmar. I was with the Lone Stars (kinda) when they got kicked out of House Park here in Austin. Just as they were averaging over 1,000 a game. The year after a Lone Stars fan had donated and installed new sod to replace the stuff that had gotten worn out by a long rainy winter and too many football (not soccer) games.

That decision to not let the Lone Stars continue to play at House Park killed the team. It was impossible to find any other stadium that the Lone Stars could afford and was within any reasonable distance of the fans.

Thank you, AISD.

On the other hand, regarding remodeling Delmar, we're talking an entirely different ballgame here. Petty low-level dictators will, most of the time, salute when big money people are involved. They'll gripe and moan behind the scenes, but they'll do as they're told.

Look what happened in DC. Granted, there was one game played on a trapezoidal field, but despite it being BASEBALL, AMERICA'S PAST-TIME, the grounds crew has gotten it right ever since. Even mowing the field in a less disorienting way (at least, as far as I have been able to tell from the few games I've watched online). It's certainly arguable if HS football in Texas is more holy than baseball. It think it'd be neck and neck. So if they can get it right in DC, they'll get it right in Houston. It might take a little bit. But I'm hopeful.

Besides, with the size of the immigrant community in Houston, voters will elect more of 'their own,' and we should see more soccer friendly people holding positions that matter.