Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Where Newbies Go to Get Flamed

Discussion in 'D.C. United' started by millwalldavey, Feb 13, 2010.

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  1. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    Child, please.

    United started looking for a stadium publically in 1998. MLB agreed to move the team to DC in 2004. The team had all that time to get a deal done but couldn't come to terms.

    It wasn't the Nationals' fault nor the DC government's fault that United's ownership situation was askew and the team wasn't in position to negotiate a deal before then.

    And there's zero evidence to suggest that had baseball not come to town that the DC government was going to ante up enough in the way of an offer that the team's ownership would have covered the rest to build a stadium.

    United doesn't have a stadium because of United and the Disctrict government, not because of the Nationals.
     
  2. Stan Collins

    Stan Collins Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Silver Spring, MD
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    Well, they were all waiting on the Feds at that point.

    Well, for the record, Natwar Ghandhi did actually imply at one point that it was the Nats' missing their attendance targets that left them in the financial pinch that meant that they couldn't realistically issue bonds for United.

    Also, I do seem to recall a few quotes about "getting the Nats' settled first"--and then unfortunate events intervened. (Nats stadium going way over-budget, then not drawing as well as forecast, then the Great Recession.)

    I mean, don't get me wrong, I think you're like, 90% right, in the sense that had United come up with a real halvesies offer (on the entire expense, whether that meant reducing that expense or not), they'd be playing in that stadium right now. But if the Nats had never come into the equation, there's a chance some of those comments could be taken at face value, and that United could have gotten a better deal.
     
  3. Falc

    Falc Member+

    Jul 29, 2006
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    Well, it was not Jesus but I did attend Mass at the stadium when Pope Benedict was in town. It was a bit odd going for Communion and smelling the sausage and onions getting grilled.
     
  4. Eastern Bear

    Eastern Bear Member+

    Feb 27, 1999
    Great Falls, VA
    Club:
    DC United
  5. mntiburon

    mntiburon Member

    Jun 25, 2009
    Fairfax County, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  6. Chesco United

    Chesco United Member+

    DC United
    Jun 24, 2001
    Chester County, PA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    While it seems logical, where's the land for it?
     
  7. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    10,385
     
  8. greatscott

    greatscott Member+

    Dec 21, 2002
    Richmond
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!



    someones gotta have 15 million bucks on this board.
     
  9. uniteo

    uniteo Member+

    Sep 2, 2000
    Rockville, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    well if it's a temporary stadium they might could put it in one of the RFK lots
     
  10. blockski

    blockski Member

    Feb 13, 2009
    Club:
    DC United
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    We've been over this before - how is a temporary stadium any better than RFK? How will it generate more revenue?

    The only reason to play in a temporary venue instead of RFK is if RFK were unusable for some reason.
     
  11. mntiburon

    mntiburon Member

    Jun 25, 2009
    Fairfax County, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    It would have to be part of a bigger plan
     
  12. Falc

    Falc Member+

    Jul 29, 2006
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    And what is defined as temporary? Another 15 years? :rolleyes:
     
  13. DCU1996

    DCU1996 Member

    Jun 3, 2002
    N. VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Korea Republic
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    Still sounds absolutely way better than Baltimore United.
     
  14. Eismahn

    Eismahn Member

    Sep 26, 2003
    Silver Spring,Maryla
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    How about move out of RFK so you can raze RFK to the ground and build a better venue inside it's footprint? That, and finish 395 to connect with 295. Use the surplus construction workforce/resources to improve the infrastructure around the RFK area.
    Not sure the local government does anything to improve United's slice of the pie with that arrangement, however.


    If there's going to be soccer inside DC, it's either gotta be Poplar Point or this, unless there's a viable abandoned city block somewhere where massive development could get in and take root.

    I'm surprised there's not a panel of connected support ready to levy some momentum for this club to get it out of it's current predicament. You'd think with the academy and United for DC, there'd be some goodwill with increasing potential going out the window for the local area if this team moves. Given the tight vested stance these days, I'm hoping wheels are moving behind the scenes along these lines.
     
  15. Stan Collins

    Stan Collins Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Silver Spring, MD
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    Fwiw, it does have luxury suites, and you could conceivably sell naming rights, but it would depend mostly on how long such a structure could stand. The one in Vancouver is only planned to stand for one, maybe two years, and at $15M that's a bit rich.
     
  16. nobletea

    nobletea Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 29, 2004
    HarCo
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    I beleive most people would define temporary as however long it takes to bring the Skins back to E Capitol Street.
     
  17. Petworth Posse

    Feb 24, 2009
    Club:
    DC United
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    It's the absence of this - and any meaningful effort by the team to instigate this - that makes me think the odds of a move are good. It would not be difficult to build a coalition and have them mobilize. Like many in Washington, that's part of my job. It would not cost that much money. What's missing is the drive and focus of United to want to make this happen. Fenty needs every vote he can get. If he had to face an organized movement and needed to put forth a position, (and the same for Gray), I think we'd see real progress.
     
  18. blockski

    blockski Member

    Feb 13, 2009
    Club:
    DC United
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    You want to resurrect the Barney Circle Freeway? Good luck with that. With the new 11th Street Bridges, the actual transportation justification for that project has completely disappeared - not that urban freeways were ever a great idea to begin with.

    That said, razing RFK and building a new stadium (regardless of the tenant - whether DCU or the 'Skins) will bring a whole host of procedural issues with it as well. That means negotiating another land transfer with the Feds, negotiating with NPS and NCPC and all the other federal stakeholders (as just tearing it down and rebuilding is not likely supported under the current land lease). It can happen, and probably will - but that's not a fast process at all. And unlike Poplar Point, that process hasn't even started yet.
     
  19. Sundevil9

    Sundevil9 Member

    Nov 23, 1999
    Reston, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!


    They're connecting 295/395 right now. The old RFK to 295 ramps were torn down to make way for this and there's a barge in the Anacostia to support construction. It's not the fastest project in the region, but they've been working it.
     
  20. song219

    song219 BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 5, 2004
    La Norte
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Vanuatu
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!


    You really think that a DC United charity would raise DC United's profile high enough to be of use in stadium negotiations?

    I've been a Redskin fan most of my life & I couldn't tell you the name of their charitable wing.

    The only things really useful to DC United are access to cash (or ability to borrow) and mass popular support thoughout the Wash metro area & including DC itself.

    DC United is definitely lacking in the 2nd of the 2.
     
  21. blockski

    blockski Member

    Feb 13, 2009
    Club:
    DC United
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    Let's make sure we're talking about the same thing.

    The Barney Circle Freeway would have replaced the RFK Stadium access road and connected via a new bridge near the railroad bridge south of Lot 8. That project was killed many moons ago and is never coming back.

    The same justification for that project, however, was to improve traffic movements between the SE/SW freeway and 295 on the other side of the Anacostia. The current 11th Street Bridge project will make all of those ramp movements possible. The RFK access ramps were torn down as a part of the 11th Street Bridge project.
     
  22. Eismahn

    Eismahn Member

    Sep 26, 2003
    Silver Spring,Maryla
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    Taking in all of the responses thus far, it's granted that BOTH sites (RFK & Poplar Point) are problematic. My admission was an attempt to make SOMETHING of the situation. What's lacking in this thread is a third viable site- adequate land, access to public transport, welcoming local populace.
    It's hard to try and hold the club accountable to finding a way to stay in DC when there's seemingly only 1 solution attainable in the near future(somehow resurrecting Poplar Point).

    It's amazing to me to take in all of the perspectives out there where 395 is concerned though. You have had neighborhoods in the area clamoring for shutting down sections, as well as areas affected by through-way traffic trying to both streamline it as well as take advantage of the commercial exposure. What's missing from all these is the obvious perspective from a bird's eye view. In this day and age, I'm grateful that something constructive is being done via 11th St. Hopefully it will alleviate the traffic in that area in ways that benefit local communities as well as commuters.
    And then maybe FINALLY the citizens of lower (southern)DC will HAVE a decent emergency evacuation route!!
     
  23. Eastern Bear

    Eastern Bear Member+

    Feb 27, 1999
    Great Falls, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    The temporary stadium would certainly have a lower maintenance cost compared to RFK. Where to put it? Fedex parking lot, RFK parking loit, US Air Arena parking lot, etc. There is a temporary tennis stadium at the site of the new convention center hotel right now.
     
  24. QPR Kevin H

    QPR Kevin H BigSoccer Supporter

    May 23, 2001
    Silver Spring, MD
    Club:
    Queens Park Rangers FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    Here you go...

    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/search.php?searchid=12081154

    It's not lacking in this thread, it's lacking in the realm of possibility for the club because Chang doesn't have the cash and influence to get involved in development process. And it looks like the area is heading for primarily residential development... http://www.planning.org/communityassistance/2009/pdf/BuzzardPoint.pdf
     
  25. QPR Kevin H

    QPR Kevin H BigSoccer Supporter

    May 23, 2001
    Silver Spring, MD
    Club:
    Queens Park Rangers FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Vote for Gray!

    They should add to the facilities and play at the nicest stadium in the District...

    Cardozo High School

    [ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/getyourshoeshined88/3556872155/"]football field at Cardozo HS | Flickr - Photo Sharing![/ame]

    [​IMG]

    Or we can just have FC United of Washington play there when United moves to Baltimore.
     

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