Stadium Location

[westendlips]

I really think that the Macedonia location for the new stadium would be a big mistake. Cleveland does not need another lifestyle center,particularly in Macedonia, and this stadium very easily could be included in a few development projects going on at this time. Wolstein could easily push to have this stadium included in his east bank of the flats project. There is plenty of area in the flats and a stadium would attract people to the new fake neighborhood that Wolstein is building. Also, a new "lifestyle center" is being proposed for the warehouse district. This would be a great area for a stadium. Plenty of open space available that are currently parking lots. Also,plenty of pubs,restaurants around for people to enjoy. This location attracts people from all parts of Cleveland,including Akron. There is no need to cater to the Summit County crowd. They cannot support an MLS team without Cleveland. The whole West Side including strong soccer communities like Bay,North Olmsted,and Strongsville will not want to drive to Macedonia on a regular basis to catch MLS Cleveland. These communities are filled with people who have money and love the game or who have children that play. It would be a big mistake to exclude this part of Cleveland. I know the schools are horrible in Cleveland and they cannot justify a soccer stadium. Wrong. This has nothing to do with the schools. Politicians here have not cared about the schools for decades and that is why they are in horrible shape. The money the schools do have is not managed appropriately. This would be an economic boost to the city in a variety of ways and the schools would benefit eventually. This stadium could host high school football and soccer,concerts,and numerous other events. The Ed's/Ignatius game would be sold out every year. If Macedonia is the only choice for MLS Cleveland I guess I will not complain but to me it simply does not make sense. Richfield Coliseum is abandoned for a reason.

[SYoshonis]

Do they not have paragraphs in Ohio?

[Puskas1954]

I really don't care where they build the stadium. The city of Cleveland had an
opportunity to work something out and they did what, nothing. I don't blame
PG & SW for looking elsewhere. Macedonia/Northfield is not a bad second choice in my opinion.

"The whole West Side including strong soccer communities like Bay,North Olmsted,and Strongsville will not want to drive to Macedonia on a regular basis to catch MLS Cleveland."

With all do respect, I think you're wrong on this one. TRUE soccer fans from the Greater Cleveland and Akron area would drive to Macedonia on a regular basis to support Cleveland MLS. The question is, will there be enough of us to keep it there.

[westendlips]

Do they not have paragraphs in Ohio?
Do they not have MLS in Michigan?

[westendlips]

With all do respect, I think you're wrong on this one. TRUE soccer fans from the Greater Cleveland and Akron area would drive to Macedonia on a regular basis to support Cleveland MLS. The question is, will there be enough of us to keep it there.[/QUOTE]
You are correct Puskas. True soccer fans will drive to Macedonia from the west side,including me.However,I think a soccer mom from Bay would be more likely to cruise downtown than to Macedonia. Just one opinion.

When did the city of Cleveland have a chance to do something about a stadium? Am I missing something?

[Puskas1954]

Wherever the location of the stadium might end up, there's a few things I would like to see happen with regards to parking.

Since parking will not be free.

Please,

- Don't, make us park in ankle deep mud on rainy days.
- Do, provide enough (preferably level) grassy area for,
a. tailgating
b. soccer activities such as juggling, etc....
c. displaying our team colors
- Do, provide enough security to keep the intoxicated boneheads in check.
- Do, design an efficient traffic flow, so our "fans" don't start leaving when
we're down 2-1 with 15 min. left in the game, just to beat the traffic.
- Do, be reasonable with the parking fee.

Is that asking too much ?

[Puskas1954]

"When did the city of Cleveland have a chance to do something about a stadium? Am I missing something?"

When Mr. Wolfstein and his group wanted to build downtown. The same time the mayor of Cleveland was laying off police and firemen. Bad timing for everyone involved.

[Puskas1954]

Do they not have paragraphs in Ohio?


Yes we do, and we also have the Ohio State Buckeyes Football Team :D

[DaniCrew]

I don't know guys... if a person in Bay is not willing to drive 30 miles to watch a game, then they're likely not much of a fan... there are a lot of us that have been driving two hours to Columbus for 10 years...

I think the suburban location is actually perfect... a great many people who will be attending these games will be soccer families... they are more apt to hit an Applebee's on the way to/from a game than hitting Blue Point or Lola's followed by SpyBar... of course, for those of us who would love a cocktail or three before/after the game, there's always the tailgating option and then the DD can get us to the Flats or the Warehouse District or (god forbid) downtown Akron within a 20 minutes...

Furthermore, i think you may be understating the impact of the Summit County crowd... you got a lot of people (and money) in Hudson, Stow, the Falls, Revere, Fairlawn, Copley, Bath, Sagamore Hills, etc.... beyond that, the Macedonia location also makes it more attractive to Green, Jackson, and other relatively affluent Stark County townships...

[ClevelandMark]

ON A DOWNTOWN FACILITY

Of course, there are good arguments for a downtown stadium and a suburban stadium. Most of my thoughts always centered on financing and affordability to make the deal viable.

When the discussion of an outdoor stadium first started, I was a huge supporter of a downtown facility being built on Cleveland State's campus. That facility would be used by CSU men's, women's and MLS soccer. Plus, it could hold a number of outside events like HS football games.

Funding could be split by the University, city and private monies. CSU has parking facilities that would give extra income to ownership groups and CSU. The framework for the deal is already in place because the Indoor MISL Force already plays at CSU Wolstein (FKA Convocation) Center.

However, it is sinful to ask the city of Cleveland to finance another professional team. Soccer player incomes which translate to taxable revenues to the city are no where near the level of the Browns (revenue split with Berea), Cavs (currently looking to build traning facility which will result in revenue split with suburban town) or Indians.

The city of Cleveland and Cleveland schools were laying off Police, Fire, EMS, teachers while cutting city services, art programs and athletic programs. Currently, the Cleveland Browns are financing public HS football. CSU would have to raise tuition to pay for additional improvements to its field.

[ClevelandMark]

On a NORTHFIELD/MACEDONIA Facility

A location outside of Cuyahoga County means that Cleveland City and Cuyahoga County will not have to ask its voters to finance another professional stadium.

The Richfield Coliseum which is also in Northern Summit County did not succeed for a number of reasons that will not occur in the Nordonia area.

1. West Siders had no direct access to the Coliseum because the state did not build entrance/exit ramps at I-77 and Route 303. Anyone coming from the Western suburbs had to navigate unimproved, dark, roads in Brecksville, Hinckley and Richfield.

The Nordonia location will have a nearby turnpike exit and direct access from Route 8. Route 8 will become a fully operational freeway completed by 2011.

2. Richfield did not develop as anticipated. When the Coliseum closed and was demolished in 1990's, the land was absorbed by the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) mostly because there was not a damn thing around it. Remember the Cavs-Bulls playoff game when National TV showed the Sheep?

The Nordonia location is better developed. Macedonia Commons is nearby and the new lifestyle center will add additional stores. There are no big malls (Randall Park and Chapel Hill are the closest) in the area so this market (Nordonia, Twinsburg, Hudson, Stow, Cuyahoga Falls, Aurora, Streetsboro, Solon, Brecksville, Broadview Heights, etc.) will shop there and watch a soccer game.

[Puskas1954]

[/QUOTE]
You are correct Puskas. True soccer fans will drive to Macedonia from the west side,including me.However,I think a soccer mom from Bay would be more likely to cruise downtown than to Macedonia.[/QUOTE]

Soccer Mom, just wanted say. You guys in Bay, do an excellent job with the annual Bay Cup. My son played in the Bay Cup a few times and always had a great time. Very well organized. Keep up the good work.

[Sirk]

Another problem with the Coliseum that would not apply to the soccer stadium is that winter treks to Richfield are a bit...umm...hazardous at times. The snowbelt is a mutha. Imagine the Cavs and Barons trying to draw crowds during the 1978 season. Yikes. As a kid, I remember several slow, slippery, low-visibility adventures to see the Force in the 80s.

But April thru October/November? Piece of cake!

Sirk

[Joe Stoker]

Another problem with the Coliseum that would not apply to the soccer stadium is that winter treks to Richfield are a bit...umm...hazardous at times. The snowbelt is a mutha. Imagine the Cavs and Barons trying to draw crowds during the 1978 season. Yikes. As a kid, I remember several slow, slippery, low-visibility adventures to see the Force in the 80s.

But April thru October/November? Piece of cake!

Sirk

Yea, the fog was awful! Wound up driving the wrong way onto 271 one evening. Unintoxicated. And that was April. Best left to the sheep & Cuyahoga Valley Natl Park October thru May. The planned revamping of route 8 makes the Macedonia site a better choice than the hinterlands of Richfield.

[Bill Archer]

"When did the city of Cleveland have a chance to do something about a stadium? Am I missing something?"

When Mr. Wolfstein and his group wanted to build downtown. The same time the mayor of Cleveland was laying off police and firemen. Bad timing for everyone involved.

You are absolutely correct, but we're laying off the "Wolfstein" stuff these days. Buried hatchet, forgive and forget, all that.

ANyway, the guy is dead for Pete's sake.