House Park!

Congrats, it looks like it has more of a traditional feel.

a google map search of the stadium (1301 Shoal Creek Blvd, Austin, TX) shows it in a soccer set up, but the other photos I found show it set up for American football. Does it realy hold 6000? I guess the stands could be alot higher than the overhead hints at.

not sure what the parking, concession (beer), press box and locker room situation is. a reduction of price is good thing too.

 

It's definitely a nicer, more traditional feel. The absence of the track is a big improvement.

Here's a picture from Bing.com's "bird's eye view", which lets you get a better idea of height than the satellite photos:



Doesn't that pitch look lovely? Too bad, it was ripped out last year, and replaced with green plastic & a white gridiron.

Parking could be a problem, though there's a new community college parking garage nearby that may help, if we're allowed to use it. Like the stadium we're in this year, there will be no beer in the stadium, period. It's state law for public school property.

The locker rooms should be pretty nice ... once they're built. That was the whole reason the Aztex weren't at House this year: new locker rooms are being built, but aren't finished yet. (Actually they aren't even started yet, but let's not talk about that today.)

 

It's hard to see from several of the angle shots we've got so far, but House has high, steeply angled seats. This is one of the things that creates the "intimacy" of the stadium, and will really give fans the feel that they're more involved (along with the absence of the track) with the match. The other thing is that at night, you can see the Austin skyline lit up, which is really nice for the locals as it provides more Austin character than what we had at Dragon Stadium (last year and this year's PDL) or Nelson (2009 USL1 stadium).

As TwoMeters mentioned, no beer here either. Frankly, a majority of fans (other than a few short sited prats) put the "NO BEER" rule as a nuisance, not a show stopper. We're not going to have beer in the stadium until we get a purpose built facility, probably 10 years out (conservative).

One thing that I'd love to see is for some type of turf overlay that would provide soccer lines only (no gridiron). As the Aztex would be the only team to play here in the summer, they could lay it at the beginning of the pre-season and then pull it up after the season ends. I've not heard of this before except massive stadiums (Giant Stadium and the Gold Cup Final for instance), and have no idea of the cost. However, it might be less expensive than purpose built and still give us soccer lines with no gridiron lines to interfer.

 

I'll preface this by saying I've never been on the surface at House Park, either pre- or post-2008 renovation. I was hoping that I could do that at the press conference today, but it was postponed. I'm guessing though that the surface at House Park is the same as what we've seen at Nelson Field (which I have been on). I believe this as both Nelson and House had their pitch renovated at the same time (2008), and my guess is AISD got a better deal. I am hoping that the surface is closer to what we had at Dragon Stadium, and what I've seen at the Palace on Parmer. It gives more and plays more like grass.

 

Before they put the turf field in, House Park may have had grass but the field was not great. It was raised in the middle, for drainage I guess, so it was uneven.

 

I also drive by there almost every day, depending on traffic. And I watched as they put down the new fake grass. Didn't ever see any rubber underlay go in, just stand. I know for sure a couple years ago when the Aztex were starting up that someone found out that the company that put in the faux-grass at House was the same company that did the work at Nelson.

I also haven't been on the field at House, but I have no expectations that it will be any better than Nelson.

It is, however, an effing awesome little stadium.

One of my favorite memories is looking out of the press box straight across at the dome of the capitol with lightning glowing in clouds behind it. With all the buildings that have been added since the Lonestars played there 15 years ago, it can only feel more awesome.

I looked up info on the ACC parking garage, but haven't been able to find out anything about it being available for non-ACC use. Since it's ACC, it's possible it would be available for Friday and Saturday night games, but since ACC has evening classes, even in the summer, weeknight games might be out. Hell, for all I know maybe even Friday and Saturday night games might be out.

Is it rude to already be looking forward to next year with two home games yet to play?

 

I found this: http://www.austincc.edu/locations/garage.php
(emphasis added)

I asked the team yesterday, and heard back that they're talking to ACC about a similar arrangement, and hope to get permission to use it too. I can see that affecting the team's schedule next year. I.e., more Friday night home games, maybe.

 

*sigh* I swear I've been spreading rep around. But I still can't rep TwoMeters.

I think I now owe you two $8 Bug Lights.

In other words -- sweet!!!!!!!!

Oh, and AISD football doesn't play on Saturday nights, so I don't think this necessarily would push more games to Friday nights. I think that we'll probably end up with just as many Friday - Sunday games as this year. It's how the USL works.

(We *really* need a San Antonio USL1 team.)

 

So glad to see the team finally made it to House Park. Sad to see that due to construction it happened after I moved. However valid the complaints are about the surface, with water rationing and heat the pitch usually sucked during the summer because of this. Also with the new surface House might host the UIL Soccer Championships which fall near the beginning of the season. Needless to say this location adds to the team.

On a side note, while only really following the team on some FSC broadcast, they definitely look young and injury depleted at times but I think I might really see a type of play that is unique. Unlike many MLS teams who play a very unorganized brand, Inchy seems to be breeding a definitive style of direct play involved with a bit of flair. I am definitely going to make a Cleveland v Austin match next year.

Can't wait to see the entire Austin Firm on TV next year getting rowdy at the Park. Go Aztex

 

I was talking to one of the Aztex staffers this morning (forgive me whoever you were, I was half potted) and he said that the fill at House is actually different than Nelson (which is apparently sand).

So no more horrific pitch!

 

I don't usually plug my blog posts here, but this one has a satellite photo comparison of House to Nelson that I think turned out to be pretty cool. It's interactive!
http://aztexan.net/2009/08/house-new-home.html

 

Great article, TwoMeters. I really liked the comparison of the two fields, as it displays well the more central positioning of the stands to the center circle. Combined with Blackburn's report on the filler being sand, I'm more excited than ever about next year.

 

Cool pictures and article on your website, TwoMeters. ACC is listed on the Aztex website as a sponsor, maybe that will help in getting access to the parking garage for next year.

 

I can not "CAN NOT" express my joy adequetly at the moment, in regards to the relocation to House.

I also can not re-itterate enough the absolute awesomeness of Peaze Park for Pre-match bevies/barbecues. I prupose you guys have a big bbq and booze fest in the park to celebrate the move to house, sometime in the offseason on a Stoke match day maybe?

Anyway

NOTHING BUT AWESOMENESS ALL AROUND THIS WEEKEND FOR THE AZTEX AND IT'S BIG SISTER IN STRIPES, STOKE.

UP THE RAW FOREVER MORE!!!!

 

Next season at House. We only have one home game left this season, on Monday.

 

No we're not playing Newcastle. Some rinky-dink team from the Pacific Northwest.

 

Hey, I don't expect other teams supporters to know our home schedule. We could've been playing someone here else after you.

 

And we're hoping to extend the Timbers' new, current streak to 2.

 

Very excited about this. And the new prices seem quite a bit more reasonable.

Grilling in Pease park before the games will be nice too!