Local Stadium News Stories

[ClevelandMark]

News Leader -- where ever that is from . . .

http://www.the-news-leader.com/article.php?pathToFile=/articles/news/&file=_news1.txt&article=1&tD=&PHPSESSID=86f8cb9f113c96dbaa4b6a7efab4aa14

[ClevelandMark]

Sun Newspapers - Nordonia Hills Edition

http://www.cleveland.com/sun/nordoniahillssun/index.ssf?/base/news-0/114071807162200.xml&coll=3

[ClevelandMark]

Looks like Nordonia Schools are on board because their football team will get to use the stadium in a deal similar to what Berea-Midpark have with Baldwin-Wallace University.

The schools do not have to build or upgrade facilities and the stadium does not sit vacant during football season.

Plans will include 2 medical facilities (probably University Hospitals and Cleveland Clinic) as well as upscale retail.

Garofolo says plans are to have construction of the stadium complex completed by the summer of 2008, which will coincide with the completion of Phase I of ODOT’s plan to turn Route 8 into a limited access highway from Route 303 to Interstate 271.

The stadium will exit of Hines Hill Road.

[Joe Stoker]

Garofolo says plans are to have construction of the stadium complex completed by the summer of 2008, which will coincide with the completion of Phase I of ODOT’s plan to turn Route 8 into a limited access highway from Route 303 to Interstate 271.

The stadium will exit of Hines Hill Road.

Leaves the reader to wonder if this precludes MLS in Cleveland until 2009 season. I'd be surprised if Paul & Scott would want to premier in a temporary site and move into the new facility in mid-season. It's been done elsewhere, but wonder if P&S want to go first-class from the start.

A soccer fan would say, "The sooner, the better." Would fans be patient, or would they (as well as ownership) tolerate a season-and-a-half at, say, Byers Field? Don't see it happening at Browns Stadium unless things between the Wolsteins and NFL have healed. Money heals most wounds, though. Thanks for sharing, CM.

[Crew14]

It's been rumored that MLS wants Cleveland for 2007. I think if MLS keeps pushing then the team may end up playing in CBS until the stadium is built. As for the whole Wolsteins v. NFL, who knows. I would think Garafolo would be able to put this behind him and figure out something as a temp solution. Good to finally hear some stuff about what's going on. The upcoming weeks could be interesting indeed. Isn't the 60 day period Garber put forth for a Midwest announcement ending soon? Or was that a Metro's 60 days?

[Coach Dad]

A little discouraged about the local high school football team playing at the stadium, if that's indeed what I'm reading. Is there a possibility that there might be a second, smaller stadium with bleacher seating for, say, 10K on-site? I know several fields are to be a part of this site, why not have one be upgraded for our "second stadium"?

It would make sense for the high school teams as well as the MLS team for exibitions and pre-season games to not have to open the full stadium. They could share parking facilities.

As far as waiting until the facilities are completed in 2008 to bring a franchise here, obviously it would be ideal, but by no means necessary. If (big if) a proper venue can be found, and CBS is one, then I think we can go in 2007. The stadium will be under construction, and the buzz around it will help the team find news minutes and inches, which will be critical during the first few years.

I drive right by the site on my way to work, getting more geeked by the day.

[FuzzyForeigner]

lol im italian and i see a ton of italian names come up with all these cleveland articles...does cleveland have a large italian population???

[Coach Dad]

Of the 3.9 million in the Cleveland market area, which include 17 surrounding counties, there are about 290,000 people of Italian heritage.

Here's the breakdown:
688,045 German
490,245 African American
399,845 Irish
289,935 Italian
286,935 English
211,507 Polish
106,420 Hungarian
102,250 American
94,598 Slovak
69,752 French
67,449 Hispanic
62,714 Scottish
49,915 Dutch
47,889 Slovene
47,641 Scoth-Irish
649,508 Other

Yeah, that's just off the top of my head...

(too bad Inter had to pull out of the Champions World friendly with Celtic. That could have been epic)

[FuzzyForeigner]

thanks! wow thats a lot...had nooo idea.

[FC Uptown]

It's been rumored that MLS wants Cleveland for 2007. I think if MLS keeps pushing then the team may end up playing in CBS until the stadium is built. As for the whole Wolsteins v. NFL, who knows. I would think Garafolo would be able to put this behind him and figure out something as a temp solution. Good to finally hear some stuff about what's going on. The upcoming weeks could be interesting indeed. Isn't the 60 day period Garber put forth for a Midwest announcement ending soon? Or was that a Metro's 60 days?
I am a big fan of Cleveland - all my family lives there and I go there a lot.
I am just wondering why the MLS (and are we talking AEG or Lamar Hunt or some third party?) would want a franchise in Cleveland so much?
There are bigger cities - Phoenix, Atlanta, San Diego, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, North Carolina area.
There are wealthier cities - see above.
There are faster growing cities - see above.
Were the Force a big draw in Cleveland?
Is there an owner ready to go over there?
Not sure I understand all the dynamics there.

[DaniCrew]

I am a big fan of Cleveland - all my family lives there and I go there a lot.
I am just wondering why the MLS (and are we talking AEG or Lamar Hunt or some third party?) would want a franchise in Cleveland so much?
There are bigger cities - Phoenix, Atlanta, San Diego, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, North Carolina area.
There are wealthier cities - see above.
There are faster growing cities - see above.
Were the Force a big draw in Cleveland?
Is there an owner ready to go over there?
Not sure I understand all the dynamics there.

Would MLS LOVE to have a team in each major market in America? YES
Would MLS LOVE to have a team in each of the bigger cities in America that you listed above? YES
Would MLS LOVE to have a team in other cities that are often bandied about (Philly, Seattle, St. Louis, Portland, etc.)? YES
Would MLS LOVE to have a team in each of the wealthier cities in America that you listed above? YES
Would MLS LOVE to have a team in each of the faster growing cities in America that you listed above? YES

Would MLS LOVE it if someone (anyone) in those cities was willing to be an owner of a team in one of cities that you listed above? YES (Has anyone stepped up yet? NOPE)
Would MLS LOVE it if there were plans for a soccer specific stadium in any of the cities that you listed above? YES (Have any plans been developed yet? NOPE)

The thing is, MLS has spent 10 years putting themselves into position to be an attractive proposition for investors (not necessarily immediately profitable... but attractive nevertheless because of the potential windfall if soccer catches fire in the U.S. and the potential for exporting the product)... MLS has developed certain criteria for entrance into MLS (have an owner, have a stadium, etc.)... so as much as all of us who are used to seeing "major league" teams in "major league" cities would love to see MLS in those cities, it makes no sense for MLS to put themselves in a "begging" position when there are entities out there that want a piece of the pie... and believe me, the ongoing labor issues that continue to plague the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL do nothing but strengthen the possibility that more of these deep pocketed owners in the big cities look our way... but we must make them dance to the same song we've all worked hard to get played on the radio for the past 10 years...

[ClevelandMark]

I am a big fan of Cleveland - all my family lives there and I go there a lot.
I am just wondering why the MLS (and are we talking AEG or Lamar Hunt or some third party?) would want a franchise in Cleveland so much?
There are bigger cities - Phoenix, Atlanta, San Diego, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, North Carolina area.
There are wealthier cities - see above.
There are faster growing cities - see above.
Were the Force a big draw in Cleveland?
Is there an owner ready to go over there?
Not sure I understand all the dynamics there.

Metropolitan Cleveland-Akron-Canton-Youngstown is still one of the top markets in the United States. Even though the central cities have diminished in population, the suburban and exurban communities thrive. There is a tremendous amount of wealth. MLS would be foolish not to put a team in this great area.

[FC Uptown]

Who would own the Cleveland franchise?
A local ownership group, AEG, LAmar Hunt?

[Crew14]

A local group made up of Paul Garafolo and Bert Wolstein's son.

[WarrenWallace]

http://www.logansrevenge.blogspot.com/

JB is reporting that Cleveland 2007 may be a done deal.

[Puskas1954]

http://www.logansrevenge.blogspot.com/

JB is reporting that Cleveland 2007 may be a done deal.



YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks for the info

[FC Uptown]

This is great news!!!
Maybe the USMNT will come in a couple months too.
"Crooked River FC"!!!

[paladius]

Of the 3.9 million in the Cleveland market area, which include 17 surrounding counties, there are about 290,000 people of Italian heritage.

Here's the breakdown:
688,045 German
490,245 African American
399,845 Irish
289,935 Italian
286,935 English
211,507 Polish
106,420 Hungarian
102,250 American
94,598 Slovak
69,752 French
67,449 Hispanic
62,714 Scottish
49,915 Dutch
47,889 Slovene
47,641 Scoth-Irish
649,508 Other

Yeah, that's just off the top of my head...

(too bad Inter had to pull out of the Champions World friendly with Celtic. That could have been epic)
Man, that's a huge natural base of informed soccer fans. I just hope they aren't Eurosnobs that won't give MLS a chance.

[paladius]

This is great news!!!
Maybe the USMNT will come in a couple months too.
"Crooked River FC"!!!
I love that name. Keep pushing it!

[FuzzyForeigner]

lol i think you have greatly offended both the scotts and the irish for associating them together in you nnumbers analysis