Massive update about FC Cincinnati and its MLS aspirations below ----------------------- Futbol Club Cincinnati is taking a serious look at three sites for potentially building a new soccer-only stadium, including one that borders redeveloped Over-the-Rhine, The Enquirer has learned. The upstart franchise, hoping to make the jump to Major League Soccer in the next few years, is looking to build a $200 million stadium possibly on one of these sites: • West End: Taft high school's football stadium – and some land around it – near Central Parkway, just west of Music Hall and Washington Park. • Oakley: Land around Oakley Station off Interstate 71 and Ridge Road, including the former Cincinnati Milacron plant site. • Newport: The site long planned for the Ovation mixed-use development near the confluence of the Ohio and Licking rivers, land that offers a clear view of the Downtown Cincinnati skyline. In an interview with The Enquirer on Wednesday afternoon, FC Cincinnati President Jeff Berding confirmed the neighborhoods but not the specific sites. "Our prospective stadium finance plan is being developed," Berding said. "Our effort to land an MLS franchise for Cincinnati starts with $250 million in private investment and would not include a new tax increase as speculated today at the Hamilton County commission meeting." News of prospective stadium sites surfaced on the same day some citizens launched the No More Stadium Taxes group. The group opposes using taxpayer money for a new soccer stadium, but it also rejects the use of public funds to renovate U.S. Bank Arena. In recent months, FC Cincinnati has been aggressively pushing to develop a stadium plan in an effort to earn one of four highly coveted expansion spots in Major League Soccer, which prefers team-owned, soccer-specific venues. Club officials have been shopping their stadium financing and location ideas to regional political and business leaders. Team officials hope to drum up enough support to use public money to help pay for a new stadium, but sources said the club does not intend to push for a new tax increase. FC Cincinnati's owners and financial backers plan to invest around $100 million into a new stadium, and pay another $150 million to cover the MLS entry fee. It's almost unheard of for a sports franchise owner – or ownership group – to pony up anywhere near half the cost to build a new stadium or arena. The Bengals, for example, only put in $25 million toward $455 million Paul Brown Stadium, regarded by financial experts as one of the worst stadium deals for taxpayers in American sports history. The Bengals' sweetheart stadium deal in the late 1990s continues to leave a sour taste in the mouths of Hamilton County taxpayers. Fair or not, it could hurt FC Cincinnati's effort to get a new stadium despite the club's plan to pour in so much private money and not increase the sales tax. Both Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune and Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley have said they do not see taxpayer money going toward a new soccer stadium. FC Cincinnati has put down roots at Nippert Stadium, where the club has drawn record crowds that rival – and even surpass – some MLS teams. The question of FC Cincinnati’s long-term stadium plans has dogged the organization since before it played its first game in March 2016. Berding has long maintained FC Cincinnati’s current lease deal at Nippert Stadium would be suitable for hosting MLS competition. Record breaking attendance – the team this month surpassed 400,000 for its all-time attendance – bolsters Berding’s claim. FC Cincinnati’s lease at UC can be extended to 15 years. This past offseason, the club undertook a $2 million upgrade of Nippert Stadium that widened the field to bring the venue up to FIFA and MLS standards. FC Cincinnati officially submitted its application to MLS in January, and league brass have hinted strongly that tenant status in non-soccer specific venues simply won’t work. MLS can now boast of a highly-developed, soccer-specific infrastructure throughout the league, allowing the league to keep more revenue rather having to share money with other stadium tenants. Cincinnati is one of a dozen cities vying for MLS expansion, and stadium plans are likely to separate true contenders in the fierce battle for the open spots. FC Cincinnati's push to move forward with stadium plans should elevate its bid. ----------------------------- Big points for those that didn't want to read FC Cincinnati expanded ownership this week to bolster financial might. $150 million to get into MLS $100 million toward a SSS 3 stadium sites targeted Who knows if we'll get in, but this removes a lot of reasons that may disqualify FCC.
yeah no kidding, great read. Pushes Cincy to the top of the pile with Sacramento IMO. Packed stadiums are a very good thing, those two deserve in.
Excellent news. Im a Crew fan but im hoping for you guys and Detroit to both get in so we can have closer realistic rivalries. Im assuming the spot near Over the Rhine would be the most desirable. Right across the river with a view of downtown could be cool though too.
Thank you, I see all this as rising tide for every club/city involved in the sport. West End and Oakley would both be fine, even if they are not as ideal as current Nippert in Clifton or the prime downtown area where the MLB and NFL stadiums are. Newport, Kentucky is the last choice because desire to have the stadium in Cincinnati. Newport is right across the river and would have a view of Cincinnati.
Looking at that west end site where the football field is, it looks a little too narrow, like you would have to cut off one of John or Central Ave for the needed width. It could get complicated with land acquisition down there.
I get the impression that one or more of the locations has been put out there as decoys to keep the land acquisition down.
I actually like all three locations, and could imagine any would do. There is quite a bit of room there. The soccer field at the site looks about the proper size (FIFA wants the field 70 to 80 yards wide. The football field is 53 yards wide.). It might be tight to build the stadium with the same orientation as the football field, but the stands could start about where the track currently is. Alternatively, they could turn the soccer field perpendicular to the football field. The distance between John St and Central is enough for the length of a soccer field (about 110 yards), but there would be limited room along the goal line... maybe they could fit a supporter's area the size of the Bailey. There would be more room for stands along the touch lines, though. This location is probably the best, but the space is the most limited. The Newport location looks good, and is close enough to downtown Cincinnati to park and walk to the game. The disadvantage of the Oakley location is that Madtree would be more of a zoo than normal before and after games. But it would be the easiest to get to and from.
That megachurch next door in Oakley is also a mess. If I had to rank I'd go 1. West End. 2. Newport 3. Oakley. If they're planning on using the high school football stadium site in the West End, then FCC should let local high schools use the stadium for games as well. FC Dallas does this.
Stadium renders shown off last night, again stated three location on the table. Goals are construction would begin in 2018 with 2020 completion. Idea was a smaller version of Bayern Munchen's stadium, with 25K capacity and safe standing area for supporters. Obviously depends on getting into MLS, will play at Nippert as long as FCC is in USL.
I have seen nothing to indicate that is the case. Oakley, West End, and Newport are on the table and work with local governments on any of those sites.
Most of the articles talk about utilizing the same tax as the one that got US Bank Arena and the Bengals stadium to build this stadium. I have yet to see anything different mentioned for Newport.
Article in Stadium DB website. New design: FC Cincinnati's grand vision http://stadiumdb.com/news/2017/06/new_design_fc_cincinnatis_grand_vision
https://www.socceramerica.com/artic...ncinnati-breaks-new-ground.html?edition=17412 One thing I don't see mentioned, at least not mentioned often, is that Cincinnati is the location of the first professional sports team in the USA. It was the baseball team Cincinnati Red Stockings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnati_Red_Stockings Also first city to have beer at a sports event. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds From wikipedia: The origins of the modern Cincinnati Reds can be traced to the expulsion of an earlier team bearing that name. In 1876, Cincinnati became one of the charter members of the new National League, but the club ran afoul of league organizer and long-time president William Hulbert for selling beer during games and renting out their ballpark on Sundays. Both were important activities to entice the city's large German population. While Hulbert made clear his distaste for both beer and Sunday baseball at the founding of the league, neither practice was actually against league rules in those early years. On October 6, 1880, however, seven of the eight team owners pledged at a special league meeting to formally ban both beer and Sunday baseball at the regular league meeting that December. Only Cincinnati president W. H. Kennett refused to sign the pledge, so the other owners formally expelled Cincinnati for violating a rule that would not actually go into effect for two more months.
They host Chicago tonight in US Open action and on national TV. Let's see how they do (I am sure they are going to kill it).
Right now at least 30,000 and would guess 33,000+ will be there based on announcements leading up to this.
See our 7 minute conversation with the man calling @fccincinnati's match on Wed: https://t.co/SLGkr7KQeHHere's his take on FCC and MLS: pic.twitter.com/DsH4do0p7n— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) June 27, 2017 Some expansion tidbits in there. Good interview
He said with how attendance etc etc continues to explode in Cincinnati they have placed themselves right next to Sacramento in the expansion race. Said if they finish the stadium deal *he thinks* they will be 1 of the 4.
I don't think it will have much of one. Some people will drop off some ppl will buy in. Ticket prices go up but so does the talent level.
Difficult to say but the conversation from the general public that I've encountered seems to be they're getting the crowds because 1. the Reds are awful and 2. the tickets are cheap. I don't believe the higher talent level is going to make a huge difference as far as attracting people. Casual goers more or less don't care and the hardcore's are there regardless.
This is generally true. They are good for 23k-30k per game depending on how good they are. This year they're on the low end of that but 25k tracked as tickets sold is the norm. So to your point nothing is happening now that is so unusual as it would be a boon for soccer