I always get a kick out of ppl who say I cannot stand the weather in a certain place..like here in Canada, where the winters get a bit chilly and in the southwest where you could fry an egg on your forehead, if they really could not handle it, they would not live there. A soccer game maximum is two hours. They have been handling the weather in Vegas, Phoenix, even LA for many years, so I doubt the weather is an issue for a MLS franchise, worse case scenario, do like they do in the middle east and play under the lights. Could be worse, in Toronto if you are not blown away by the winds of lake Ontario, you have some yahoo stanidng up in front of you all day poorly singin English football songs as you watch the ball bounce wildly on their plastic playground. Anyone can throw up some concrete and make it look good, but in some locales thought has to actually go into a stadium to cope with extremes, in GTA unfortunately there is no solution for unwarranted arrogance when it comes to TFC.
Makes me wonder how other countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, Potugal, African nations, Mexico and Central and South Americas etc, cope with the heat or humidity or both? Vegas is not the only region that has a climate unique to itself..almost all over the world except the polar ice caps, ppl have adapted to their climates to play the game...they even play on a concrete field painted green at BMO where new foot and muscle injuries are being discovered weekly due to the turf, all for the love of the game, ..so I am certain any city in the southwest will adjust accordingly.
It's not really a question of can you play (though, no, you can't just "adjust" and play the game at 111 degrees...the Dbacks knew this, which is why they have a dome), it's "will anyone come and watch?" They're not playing at 111 degrees with absolutely no breeze in Portugal, I can assure you. You know how we "handle the weather?" You know how Chicagoans "handle the weather?" Probably the same way Saskatoonians "handle the weather." You don't freaking go outside for long when it's 111 or -40 and you build domes to house your pro sports teams. That's how.
You are telling me something that is obvious...and I am sure any city with extremes will address them in developing stadiums and franchises. It is alot warmer and humider in many many places where football is played and they cope..I am sure the mega millions Vegas generates can easily support a building that will do the same.
They have had professional sooccer in Mexico for many years and their te,peratures are just as hot if not hoter..it is doable in a city like Vegas and Phoenix,. with nowadays engineering, a covered, airconditioned stadium for soccer is very possible for either city.
I think I said it once before, but I'm surprised one of the casinos hasn't already built some kind of venue that would be suitable for MLS, a venue that, while indoor and would require turf, would still seat 18-20,000 for soccer. Failing that, perhaps something like the Tacoma Dome could be built, with a field similar to U. of Phoenix' movable field.
Scaled down version of the one in Juarez would be great. http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=561356
Btw, Vegas is now the emptiest city in the US, wouldn't it be better to put a franchise in more thriving cities?
Link? Statistics? A news article or something to back this up? And if you're going by foreclosures and the like do people that don't own their own homes not go to soccer games? Is there a guy at the gate keeping all apartment dwellers out?
Great, thanks for the link. Now anyone care to explain why that's a reason to turn away from them for another city? A city of a half million people with nearly 2 million in the metropolitan area still has the same market size regardless if it's 5% vacant or 45% vacant.
That's not an argument. Try harder. Btw, Chicago was 12th on that list, KC 8th. Guess we better pull those teams out and move them somewhere where there is less vacancy. And you still never answered any of my questions. Not that I expected you to. Here's the original data that that argument is based on: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/hvs/rates/index.html
No reason we can't get Las Vegas mentioned on page 1 of Expansion News again . . . Some people are talking about it anyway, now that Montreal is in and the league is looking for # 20. http://kickssoccer.wordpress.com/2010/05/10/mls-expands-now-what/ " Las Vegas: Vegas is unlikely but also worth considering for the league. With nearly two million people, Las Vegas is the largest city in the United States without a top-level professional team. In 2008, Vegas was mentioned among the early candidates before the seven other cities threw their hats in the ring, and a Google search for “Las Vegas Major League Soccer” will turn up results about the Las Vegas Sports & Entertainment Group’s efforts to get its foot in the league’s door, both by attempting to buy a stake in other clubs and through an ambitious expansion plan that initially included a $500 million stadium complex with a retractable roof. The bid is a bit outlandish, but in a town known for glitzy extravagance, the league could find an unlikely crown jewel if the investors’ plans can prove more than just a mirage. " Maybe we should be talking about a Las Vegas bid on the USL or NASL boards, but this at least verifies that it's not completely off the radar screens of everyone as a possible candidate city in the future . . . probably distant future . . . but part of the conversation just the same . . .