AJC snippet today

[gosh1976]

In the Sunday edition of the AJC in the sports section there is a little story about Don Garber visiting Atlanta last Monday.

He would not say who had met with, he mentioned the Mexican population, and that the biggest hurdle was the stadium.

Sorry I don't have it in front of me right now and there's no mention on the AJC site.

[Cellular26]

I read it. It's so exciting to see that in there, here a promising quote from Garber: "We will be there; it's just a matter of time."

Wow, my hopes are so high after this article. :D

But also, what does this mean? Is this just a good sign? Or does this actually assure us a team in the next few years?

[jross]

Here's the snippet:

Soccer considers city

Major League (https://www.ajc.com/search/content/sports/braves/stories/2007/04/27/0429sptbiz.html#) Soccer commissioner Don Garber said he was in Atlanta Monday to meet with potential investors about bringing a team to the city.

"We're intrigued by the growth of the Mexican community in that market," Garber told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It's our goal to be in Atlanta. We've been quietly investigating the market. We will be there; it's a matter of time."

Garber would not say whom he met with. He said the biggest obstacle to placing a franchise in Atlanta is finding a stadium.

In recent years, MLS has moved away from large stadiums to new soccer-specific facilities that seat about 20,000.

Link: https://www.ajc.com/search/content/sports/braves/stories/2007/04/27/0429sptbiz.html

[DavidP]

I posted this somewhere else on BS, but whoever is in this thing ought to look at building a stadium with underground parking. Forget the multi-field stadium complex; it will never fly (Atlanta Soccer Village, anyone?).
St. John's University has a small version of what I'm talking about. Land prices in the ATL and surrounding area are beginning to dictate moves such as this, and it's time for some more innovation.

[oldie]

I would like to meet these investors that would throw $200 million into a black hole.

[gosh1976]

I would like to meet these investors that would throw $200 million into a black hole.

he had to be meeting with either the silverbacks owners or that real estate group that owns the minor league baseball team or maybe both

[stanleyt]

Here's the snippet:

Soccer considers city

Major League (https://www.ajc.com/search/content/sports/braves/stories/2007/04/27/0429sptbiz.html#) Soccer commissioner Don Garber said he was in Atlanta Monday to meet with potential investors about bringing a team to the city.

"We're intrigued by the growth of the Mexican community in that market," Garber told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It's our goal to be in Atlanta. We've been quietly investigating the market. We will be there; it's a matter of time."

Garber would not say whom he met with. He said the biggest obstacle to placing a franchise in Atlanta is finding a stadium.

In recent years, MLS has moved away from large stadiums to new soccer-specific facilities that seat about 20,000.

Link: https://www.ajc.com/search/content/sports/braves/stories/2007/04/27/0429sptbiz.html

Couldn't Herndon be purchased (isn't Morris Brown still up for sale) and upgraded to a SSS?

[jross]

Couldn't Herndon be purchased (isn't Morris Brown still up for sale) and upgraded to a SSS?

I searched everywhere for more information on this and I could find anything more recent than late '06 so maybe someone can bring us up-to-date.

Garber:
"Unfortunately, at this time, Atlanta does not have an appropriate facility for an MLS team. The stadium that was home to the WUSA’s Atlanta Beat, Herndon Stadium, is too small and does not have the modern amenities needed for an MLS team."

This was before the Guatemala v. Honduras (which did well on attendence, I hear).

Any new news on this?

[AndyMead]

I would like to meet these investors that would throw $200 million into a black hole.

$200 million? :confused:

black hole? :confused:

[oldie]

Here in the ATL land goes for $2mil an acre inside the perimeter. These guys will need about 40 acres for the stadium complex, infrastructure and parking. That's $80 million. The 25,000 seat stadium along with infrastructure will cost another $80 million. The franchise fee and startup costs for an MLS team is about $40 million. They will never be able to recover those costs with a soccer team in Atlanta. Hence the black hole. They may be able to rent the stadium for tractor pulls, rodeos or country music concerts though. That is about it in this part of the country. The only sporting events that are attended here are UGA football, Braves and NASCAR. Oh yes, and tractor pulls.

[DavidP]

Here in the ATL land goes for $2mil an acre inside the perimeter. These guys will need about 40 acres for the stadium complex, infrastructure and parking. That's $80 million. The 25,000 seat stadium along with infrastructure will cost another $80 million. The franchise fee and startup costs for an MLS team is about $40 million. They will never be able to recover those costs with a soccer team in Atlanta. Hence the black hole. They may be able to rent the stadium for tractor pulls, rodeos or country music concerts though. That is about it in this part of the country. The only sporting events that are attended here are UGA football, Braves and NASCAR. Oh yes, and tractor pulls.

That's why they need to look at a stadium/parking deck (underground) idea. It takes less land.

[gosh1976]

Here in the ATL land goes for $2mil an acre inside the perimeter. These guys will need about 40 acres for the stadium complex, infrastructure and parking. That's $80 million. The 25,000 seat stadium along with infrastructure will cost another $80 million. The franchise fee and startup costs for an MLS team is about $40 million. They will never be able to recover those costs with a soccer team in Atlanta. Hence the black hole. They may be able to rent the stadium for tractor pulls, rodeos or country music concerts though. That is about it in this part of the country. The only sporting events that are attended here are UGA football, Braves and NASCAR. Oh yes, and tractor pulls.

The thrashers attendance increased something like 14% in the 2005-06 season and they were already at the middle of the conference in avg attendance.
Hawks attendance has actually started to improve again I believe.

The World Cup one Sunday last summer beat out a nascar race for TV ratings in the Atlanta area.

A look at the Creative Loafing any week will show you that there is a load of music in the Atlanta Area that is not Country Music. That includes bands that would be good for a soccer stadium size venue.

The Atlanta Chiefs had better attendance in the early 70's when there were just a couple kids playing rec soccer at Fort Gillem then the Silverbacks do now. I understand that they have good business reasoning behind the slow steady growth of the Silverbacks and the stadium. I can't help thinking that with a little more marketing a little more professional feel behind the experience in attending a Silverbacks game that they would have much better attendance.

This would no doubt be a very expensive venture and the investors will have to have no only the start up costs but a whole lot of extra cash besides the initial costs but I don't think the picture is as bleak as you make out.

It would take some ingenuity to get a stadium plan in place for Atlanta but a workable plan can be done and with the right politic-ing it could be approved. It would seem that the cheapest plan would involve the Re/Max but I doubt it's the only viable plan.

[jross]

I can't help thinking that with a little more marketing a little more professional feel behind the experience in attending a Silverbacks game that they would have much better attendance.

Yahtzee! I meet so many people attending a game for the first time that can't find the entrance.

Plumbing will probably help that as well.

Maybe I'm just outside their target demographic, but I live inside the perimeter and attend GA State. College students get sold everything, yet I've never heard anything about the 'backs. This doesn't just go for campus, but newspapers, radio, etc.

What is their marketing strategy?

[BigKahuna]

Here's the snippet:

Soccer considers city

Major League (https://www.ajc.com/search/content/sports/braves/stories/2007/04/27/0429sptbiz.html#) Soccer commissioner Don Garber said he was in Atlanta Monday to meet with potential investors about bringing a team to the city.

"We're intrigued by the growth of the Mexican community in that market," Garber told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It's our goal to be in Atlanta. We've been quietly investigating the market. We will be there; it's a matter of time."

Garber would not say whom he met with. He said the biggest obstacle to placing a franchise in Atlanta is finding a stadium.

In recent years, MLS has moved away from large stadiums to new soccer-specific facilities that seat about 20,000.

Link: https://www.ajc.com/search/content/sports/braves/stories/2007/04/27/0429sptbiz.html


Thanks for the link

Here in the ATL land goes for $2mil an acre inside the perimeter. These guys will need about 40 acres for the stadium complex, infrastructure and parking. That's $80 million. The 25,000 seat stadium along with infrastructure will cost another $80 million. The franchise fee and startup costs for an MLS team is about $40 million. They will never be able to recover those costs with a soccer team in Atlanta. Hence the black hole. They may be able to rent the stadium for tractor pulls, rodeos or country music concerts though. That is about it in this part of the country. The only sporting events that are attended here are UGA football, Braves and NASCAR. Oh yes, and tractor pulls.


While what you say is true, there are other options. Infact I was on the MARTA train from the airport just yesterday and all I could think about was how many good, urban locations there were for a stadium. Anyone seen the Cut Rate Box Company building right next to the tracks? Looks straight out of an episode of the Simpsons if you ask me. No one needs a 40 acre stadium complex when a 20 acre complex with access to public transportation could be just as good AND cheaper. Right across the street from the West End Station there is a sizable abandoned warehouse that could be a perfect location for the stadium. It'd take $$ to buy the land, tear down whats there and build, but I like that idea much more than limiting ourselves by searching for expansive plots of realestate outside of the city. And surely the Cut Rate Box people could use a nice little pay day.

[Professor B]

That's why they need to look at a stadium/parking deck (underground) idea. It takes less land.

Parking decks (whether above or below ground) are insanely expensive. I'm not sure you generate much savings with that route.

Costs generally range from $10,000 to $20,000 per space. A quickie google search brought up figures for three parking garages. Two in a relatively rural location cost around $11,000 per space, and one in an urban area was projected to cost over $22,000 per space. Neither figure included the cost of the underlying land.

Professor B

[jross]

I have decided to be the link geek for this thread.

Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ottok/473990492/

Here is a picture of the Cut Rate Box Building.

You're right though. It looks like there is a lot of land out that way.

Castleberry Hill
Link: http://www.castleberryhill.org/photos.php

[Professor B]

Maybe we could get Cut Rate Box to be part owners or to buy naming rights . . .

that way the team name could be "Cut Rate FC"

or the stadium could be called "Cut Rate Stadium" (with a nickname of "the Cheap Box")

;)

[jross]

Should seriously consider going with La Real Cut Rate Atlanta FC.

[olderandwiser]

Don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but it's true for Atlanta what's true for the rest of the country - Don Garber will visit, talk it up a little, and then let the politicians take it from there as far as building a stadium is concerned. The wagon won't come before the horse - that's guaranteed. Someone should pinpoint every city Don Garber has visited. You'd need a lot of pins.

Hotlanta may already have a couple of things going for it, though; MARTA and big monied people.

[jross]

I don't think you're bursting anyone's bubble. Most of us are aware that Garber is a businessman and does travel quite a bit. But, it is news for us and helps us to know where we may eventually fit into the scheme of things.

Wait ... MARTA is one of the things Atlanta has "going" for it? The rail or bus? Because most drivers just smoke cigarettes on every corner and do very little of the picking-up-of-the-people.