What I'd really like is a good measure of how many people can get to specific locations by car or public transportation in less than an hour in weekend traffic, and how many more can do it in two. But that's not something I can put together easily with publicly available sources.
I'm worried this means we won't get in in this round. The final decision should come before MLS decides in mid December, but how do you think this affects us? If Wayne county goes with the Rock proposal and then MLS does NOT award Detroit a spot, what then happens to the site where the stadium would have gone up?
The next two rounds will probably enter the league within a year or two of each other. Don't panic -- MLS probably will expand to a 28 league by 2022 at the latest.
I thought it was too late anyway for Detroit to get an expansion bid this round anyway. Detroit City or whatever the team name will be will need at least 3-4 years after the "go ahead" button is pushed. I am all for Detroit and do believe they will get an expansion club, but there bid is very complicated. This is an investment that doesn't need to be rushed.
I don't see it that way... How is Detroit late? Wayne County has been postponing the decisions on the jail site, because they are working with the MLS Detroit team. A decision would of been made months ago if they didn't want to work out the qinks with the MLS Detroit group. If MLS Detroit gets the go ahead on the jail site on Dec 1, then they are right on track... and possibly one of the best bids, considering all the other intangibles. In July they filed for a trademark of "Detroit City Soccer Club", and just recently they filed for another one... "Motor City Soccer Club". Seems to me the Detroit group is moving in the right direction, and still one of the contenders for the next 2 spots.
Just combine the two names and you'll have "Detroit Motor City Soccer Club". You know how I feel about it.
Unless they played in a temp facility (which I'm strongly against), they would be extremely hard pressed to have that stadium done by 2020. I'm predicting Detroit as a shue-in once the land deal is approved, but not till spots 27/28
It doesn't matter if you are against a temp facility.... MLS is fine with temp facilities. They have stated that bidding cities need to have a viable stadium plan. They never said you have to have a stadium in place by 2020. There is also this (posted less then a month ago).... "Arn Tellem: Detroit MLS expansion team could play by 2020"
No they are not. Circumstance, and poor planning have forced the last three expansion clubs into temp facilities. That was one of the big drivers of this "official" vetting process for the next round. I've gotten it on "good word" that MLS has been less than happy with Minny's delay. State legislation issues aside, the property agreements that were supposed to be done, weren't. I believe they did (not looking it up though) That sounded like spin to me when i read it a month ago. A lot of potential markets "could" play by 2020. Nebulous PR talk. There is a ton of work that still needs to be done before DET could break ground. Just the paperwork trail- permits, entitlements, EIR, design- doesn't happen overnight. I'm sure some of it is in the pipeline, but you can only go so far before actually controlling the site. The most realistic site plan (in my eyes) requires the stadium to occupy part of the juvenile facility property just south of the unfinished jail. They have to build a new Juvie center first- requiring a property transfer with the City for the new jail site, and relocating the City General services dept currently occupying the location. Lots of moving parts and logistics. Like I said, won't happen by 2020, unless they can play in a temp location. If they do ask my opinion on that..............well, you know my answer
This is what MLS released to the public... "A comprehensive stadium plan that ensures the club will have a proper home for their fans and players while also serving as a destination for the sport in the community." The keyword is plan.
So.... 2018: LAFC 2019: Miami (24 teams) 2020: Nashville & Sacramento (26 teams) 2021: Cincinnati (27 teams) 2022: Detroit (28 teams)
With the largest market left by a considerable amount and well-heeled owners with sports experience, it comes down to the stadium plan. Even if things don't line up soon enough for 27/28, Detroit has 29 or 30 when ready. For a built out league, Detroit is either the last must-have or the first should-have. Miami was already promised a team, and that's not quite Detroit's situation, but the market is the next biggest.
Anyone else think it's absolutely laughable that in this country, the sport is called "soccer", the league is called Major League Soccer, but several teams have "Football Club" in their official names? Pathetic caving in to Euro snobbiness. I hope this "soccer club" thing stays. (Oh, and I'm THE farthest thing from an "America ******** yeah" type of guy.)
A friend has a sixteen year old daughter named America. Sweet kid. She really hates that song. But it still comes to mind.
I still don’t think Sac gets in. MLS has figured out the sport is viable outside of California, Texas, and Florida.
Here is the issue though... it is very likely 25/26 for Detroit or bust. There is a very good chance that 27/28 won't work. So if MLS wants Detroit and definitely if they want a downtown Detroit stadium, it is now or never. Here is why: With all of the moving parts finally aligning in place, the setup is there for Gilbert and Gores to get their downtown stadium should a MLS franchise be awarded. It goes without saying that no franchise award = no Detroit stadium. But let's take that one step further. Let's say MLS doesn't award Detroit #25/26. Now you have a situation where Gilbert spent a lot of money to get prime downtown property. Being the good business man he is, he is not going to sit in the vacant parcel of that size hoping that Detroit maybe would get #27/28. Every year that site is not developed is millions of $ lost. In this scenario, he likely redevelops the parcel with Residential towers, and/or commercial and other uses. Again, he doesn't sit on it being vacant though, as the land there is too valuable. And once the land is developed into other uses, the last big place a soccer stadium could realistically get built in Downtown Detroit is gone. And with that goes Gilbert's incentive to land a franchise in the first place. As described earlier, Detroit is the last must have or first should have market remaining in MLS. And to get a downtown Detroit stadium, it is now or never for MLS.
The time difference between the announcement of 25/26 this December, and 27/28 next year is probably 6-8 months at the most. If Detroit is not ready for 25/26, they will know whether they are getting a later spot (they are a lock). Expansion will be long over before a shovel could ever hit the dirt for a residential tower. Its not like building a shed in the back yard. Rules, and stuff......
Except residential towers and business towers are part of the Detroit plan. A $1 Billion plan was proposed, included a stadium and 3 or 4 towers. I think the 3 or 4 highlighted buildings in this rendering are all new and part of the proposed Detroit plan.
Will NC leaders explore the MLS stadium idea? Funding pulled off the table Raleigh News & Observer http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article176948111.html
One step closer for the Detroit plan.... ""Wayne County and the city of Detroit have come to an agreement to swap land in what is another step toward bringing Dan Gilbert's plan for a Major League Soccer stadium to Detroit."" """This agreement gets us one step closer to a deal with Rock Ventures," Wayne County Executive Warren Evans said in a release. "Acquiring this land was one of the significant hurdles to Rock's proposed criminal justice complex.""