What's Happening at the Fairgrounds

[Earthshaker]

I dug this document up off of the County of Santa Clara website. Interesting reading on the current condition of the fairgrounds and its uses. After going through it, in my opinion a soccer stadium with a surrounding soccer/sports complex is exactly what is needed there.

http://www.sccgov.org/SCC/docs/SCC%20Public%20Portal/keyboard%20agenda/BOS%20Agenda/2006/November%2014,%202006/KeyboardTransmittal-0027829.PDF

[UrawaRed]

I dug this document up off of the County of Santa Clara website. Interesting reading on the current condition of the fairgrounds and its uses. After going through it, in my opinion a soccer stadium with a surrounding soccer/sports complex is exactly what is needed there.

That report beefs up the fairgrounds choice as optimum. I like it the best of every one I've heard.

[chowhog99]

I like the fairgrounds too. WE just need lightrail down there.

However, my heart still bleeds for Spartan. Why can't we completely revamp it from top to bottom? That places has a lot of heart. I wish the land around it was easy to acquire so you can re develop the entire area into an amazing stadium metropolis

Just experiencing a game at Spartan is so awesome. Driving by the empty stadium is painful. I know Spartan is an outdated pile of old cement, but it has so much character.

obviously the Fairgrounds would be awesome, but I would still look up the street at the ancient pile of cement that we called our home. Spartan.

[sj_quakes_fan]

I like the fairgrounds too. WE just need lightrail down there.



There IS lightrail down there. It's only a little ways away, but if there was a shuttle it'd work. Heck it'd even be walkable if there were sidewalks!

[Goodsport]

This document helps further my longtime point that the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds provides the most potential of all the proposed sites (both in terms of space provided and for the need) to design and construct not just The [Corporate name] Epicenter at San José, but also its surrounding training/youth fields, parking lots and other relevant structures, as well as an entire "Soccer Village" (similar to Cisco Field's upcoming "Baseball Village") that would include shops, apartments, restaurants etc., all designed to fit together seamlessly from the ground up.

No need to awkwardly shoehorn a stadium into an existing parking lot or close off current residential streets just to barely have enough room for the stadium itself. No need to rent a nearby parking garage (hoping that it won't be full from other nearby summer weekend events) or search all around downtown for parking only to have to walk several blocks to the stadium. And the shops, pubs and restaurants will be right next to the stadium before, during and after games, as well as during MLS offseasons.

As has already been mentioned here, lightrail isn't too far away, and shuttle service (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=413396) for it can be arranged regardless.

And most important of all, the team name and identity would remain the "San Jose Earthquakes".

A winning situation for all involved!

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


-G

[bigdumbgod]

This document helps further my longtime point that the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds provides the most potential of all the proposed sites (both in terms of space provided and for the need) to design and construct not just The [Corporate name] Epicenter at San José, but also its surrounding training/youth fields, parking lots and other relevant structures, as well as an entire "Soccer Village" (similar to Cisco Field's upcoming "Baseball Village") that would include shops, apartments, restaurants etc., all designed to fit together seamlessly from the ground up.

No need to awkwardly shoehorn a stadium into an existing parking lot or close off current residential streets just to barely have enough room for the stadium itself. No need to rent a nearby parking garage (hoping that it won't be full from other nearby summer weekend events) or search all around downtown for parking only to have to walk several blocks to the stadium. And the shops, pubs and restaurants will be right next to the stadium before, during and after games, as well as during MLS offseasons.

As has already been mentioned here, lightrail isn't too far away, and shuttle service (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=413396) for it can be arranged regardless.

And most important of all, the team name and identity would remain the "San Jose Earthquakes".

A winning situation for all involved!

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


-G

So, are trying to, like, suggest something here?

[Goodsport]

So, are trying to, like, suggest something here?

What could I possibly be suggesting here? ;)

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


-G

[bigdumbgod]

What could I possibly be suggesting here? ;)

-G

I dunno, something about Pukka Pies and Oak Hill?

[Goodsport]

I dunno, something about Pukka Pies and Oak Hill?

Perhaps Pukka Pie and Oak Hill outlets in Epicenter Row at The [Corporate name] Soccer Village at San José? :D

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


-G

[Goodsport]

Great find, GoSounders! :)

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


-G

[Earthshaker]

Great find, GoSounders! :)

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


-G

Thanks, but, the fact that they didn't even mention in the vaguest way the possibility of a soccer stadium in the future makes me wonder where on the interest meter the fairgrounds really is. If you recall, at the Earthquakes "office party" David Alioto mentioned the presence of the mayor and a council member of the city of Santa Clara, council members of San Jose, and officials from SJSU. However, apparently no one from the county board of supervisors was there.:(

[falvo]

There IS lightrail down there. It's only a little ways away, but if there was a shuttle it'd work. Heck it'd even be walkable if there were sidewalks!

I drive by there every day. Yes you can definitely walk from the light rail if you don't mind walking in front of the cemetery on the way to or from the soccer game. I wouldn't do it at night! I would definitely have a problem with that. I'm not so much afraid of the dead but more about the weird living creatures living out there! I see those Tuscan looking condos built up on top of the hill right next to the Oak Hill cemetery. I think to myself at $600k a throw, I would not even pay $150k for one of those.

After having lived in Tuscany, Italy, I can literally say even though they call that place Tuscany Hill, its far from it! A very morbid area to say the least even in the summer months. I agree with the revamping of Spartan. Too bad it will never happen though.

[sj_quakes_fan]

I drive by there every day. Yes you can definitely walk from the light rail if you don't mind walking in front of the cemetery on the way to or from the soccer game. I wouldn't do it at night! I would definitely have a problem with that. I'm not so much afraid of the dead but more about the weird living creatures living out there! I see those Tuscan looking condos built up on top of the hill right next to the Oak Hill cemetery. I think to myself at $600k a throw, I would not even pay $150k for one of those.

After having lived in Tuscany, Italy, I can literally say even though they call that place Tuscany Hill, its far from it! A very morbid area to say the least even in the summer months. I agree with the revamping of Spartan. Too bad it will never happen though.


It's not the cemetery that scares me. Those peeps won't put up much of a fight. I think I can take 'em. :p

They used to have peacocks at the cemetery. Not sure if they still do. But they're tame. I used to collect their feathers when I was little. I also used to help clean the gravestones. There's not much there to be scared of.

What scares me about the walk is the lack of sidwalks over the bridge thingy just near the light rail. I can't remember what the bridge goes over. I used to drive by there everyday. I would see people walking in the road, and one day, one of them got hit. Not good. But if there was a better sidwalk (which I'm kinda doubtful of ever happening), then the walk would be fine.

Oh, and some of those house on top of the hill.... They're over a million dollars. :eek:

[Goodsport]

Thanks, but, the fact that they didn't even mention in the vaguest way the possibility of a soccer stadium in the future makes me wonder where on the interest meter the fairgrounds really is. If you recall, at the Earthquakes "office party" David Alioto mentioned the presence of the mayor and a council member of the city of Santa Clara, council members of San Jose, and officials from SJSU. However, apparently no one from the county board of supervisors was there.:(

I wouldn't be too worried quite yet, as there are still rather vague areas in that document. I actually wouldn't expect David Alioto and co. to engage in much talks with them until after the Holidays are over... basically, starting in early-mid January.

And I wouldn't worry about anyone from the County Board of Supervisors not being at the "office party". The Mayor-elect wasn't there either, but I doubt that he won't be involved in the SSS talks in some way before it's all done.

Besides, The Ep will be privately financed by Lewis Wolff and John Fisher anyway. ;)

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


-G

[Goodsport]

I agree with the revamping of Spartan. Too bad it will never happen though.

I certainly hope that a revamped Spartan Stadium never happens.

If the SJSU South Campus site is chosen for The Epicenter, I'm hoping that a completely brand-new stadium will be built there, either across the street from the current Spartan Stadium or on top of the spot where the old Spartan Stadium was completely demolished so as to leave room for the new SSS.

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


-G

[UrawaRed]

I wouldn't do it at night! I would definitely have a problem with that. I'm not so much afraid of the dead but more about the weird living creatures living out there!

Poor falvo! We'll get you a bodyguard from Ghost Busters to accompany you.

[falvo]

Poor falvo! We'll get you a bodyguard from Ghost Busters to accompany you.

Yeah that's right! The ghost of George Best. Actually, I'm not really afraid of the ghosts, I'm mostly afraid of the living dead! Not to mention the pimps, bordello's & hookers running around down there! Well I am mostly afraid of the pimps! hehehehe!

[FUAEG]

What scares me about the walk is the lack of sidwalks over the bridge thingy just near the light rail. I can't remember what the bridge goes over. I used to drive by there everyday. I would see people walking in the road, and one day, one of them got hit. Not good. But if there was a better sidwalk (which I'm kinda doubtful of ever happening), then the walk would be fine.
There are sidewalks on the south side of Curtner that go from the light rail station the entire ~1.3 miles to the Arch entrance at the Fairgrounds. It's a nice wide sidewalk too, even on the bridge over the railroad tracks. There's even bike lanes. The northside doesn't have a sidewalk over the bridge.

There are also sidewalks the entire ~1.2 miles from the paintball entrance at the fairgrounds to the Capitol Caltrain station.

What's interesting to me is that I park out past the Bayshore Caltrain station when I go to the 'Stick (cheap bastard that I am). Easily a 1.3+ mile walk that I quite enjoy.

Spartan stadium is also about 1.3 miles from the Taimen Light Rail station. Ever make that walk?

The Plant, the new big box shopping center, will be on Curtner and should light up the walk to the light rail well enough to keep the spooks at bay, but you'd still have to be pretty good at holding your breath.

[sj_quakes_fan]

The northside doesn't have a sidewalk over the bridge.



This is the part that scares me. This is where I saw that guy who had been hit, and it was a hit and run too. Scary as heck!

I did realize about the other sidewalks and the new shopping center. That's why I'm not so worried about the walk myself. But they do need to make that area over the bridge a lot safer for pedestrians and bikers. It's so busy with the freeway right there.

In any case, I do think it's a good location. So much will be close with the shopping and the transit. And I've always wanted them to do something with that whole area from Spartan all the way down to the fairgrounds. With the new homes and the shopping it's a major start, but a new stadium would be nice. :D

[FUAEG]

Yeah that's right! The ghost of George Best. Actually, I'm not really afraid of the ghosts, I'm mostly afraid of the living dead! Not to mention the pimps, bordello's & hookers running around down there! Well I am mostly afraid of the pimps! hehehehe!
I don't think there's prostitution on that part of Monterey Highway. There's just not enough going on down there and It's too far south. I've never see it. Could be wrong, never really had to pay attention to that thanks to the lovely Mrs. FUAEG.

And thats today, I image it would be even tougher to work the streets in front of Target, Best Buy and Home Depot.
http://www.willowglenextra.com/2006/04/the-plant-will-feed-off-wg/