Hey I go to Heat games all the time, I was just there this past Saturday, I park behind the Freedom Tower. I don't mind the location but it's just not terribly ideal as far as parking goes. And you gotta be honest that little area is kinda dicey. The AAA is right on the bay and across from Bayside, only a few blocks away but a much better atmosphere. The old Arena site was kinda stuck in a rough couple of blocks. If they want to go downtown, trying to figure a way to get the city on board with using Bicentennial Park would be a worthy cause. That location(where the Marlins Ballpark should've been built in like 1999), would be EPIC.
Donut Hole, IA has as good a chance as Orlando of getting an MLS team chief. Perhaps you should post your crack-addled ideas in the Orlando forum......
Lucho, I don't want a possible MLS stadium in downtown Miami, because I know that will kill our last chance for MLS in this area. It just won't work. The cost would be way too prohibitive, plus you'd NEVER get city or county money for it. Metrorail? Really? No one rides on it except within the city itself, and even then, it's barely used. This isn't NY, Chicago, or any other large city. People drive their cars where they want to go in South Florida, and therefore also need a place to park. And you're damn straight I'm scared to go into Overtown, at night, during the day, any freakin time! I went to a Panthers game down there once. That was more than enough to convince me never to go back. And drsoflafan is right, it's only a couple blocks from Bayside to some place you don't want your family to be as well. You also have the demographic the organization is trying to reach to sell their product. Do you know why the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers has been far more successful then any other pro soccer incarnation in South Florida? It's aimed at the best possible demographic. Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE for every single person in the tri-county area to have an interest in the team and come down to the stadium and watch. But that's not happening in the real world. So as a minor league soccer organization, you have to be very careful where you aim your limited resources for marketing purposes. Somewhere in Broward is ideal. It's easy to get to and from for everyone. It is located closer to the majority of your fanbase. We could probably get away with a stadium being as far south as Sun Life, but that's it, no further into Dade or you're going to start reducing your numbers. We need to come out and support the Strikers at Lockhart. Serious support will show Traffic, or someone else if need be, that MLS could be ready for a return to our area. The beauty of our situation is, you could spend some money to fix up Lockhart without breaking the bank, to get things started. As time went on, if the team is successful and becomes profitable enough, a new, better stadium could always be a possibility. This allows a potential MLS owner to hedge his initial outlay, while still being able to provide MLS atmosphere and plan for an even better future.
Last I checked this was the FLORIDA forum and the title of the thread is "Stadium locations for future MLS SSS.." , so its my understanding that thread would/should be about all locations within FLORIDA for a future MLS SSS correct?
Over and above the location is the size of the location. I just looked at it on GoogleMaps & there just doesn't seem to be the space needed. I don't even think that it's big enough for the playing field itself. This means you may have to acquire more land. How? Who'll pay for it? In fact, who'll pay for the original site? Then, who will put up the millions to pay to have a stadium built? It won't be gov't financed, you can bet on that. I can't see it happening in Miami-Dade, unless something can be worked out with FIU.
True, but Orlando is never going to be a major league sports town, so it's moot to talk about MLS even considering coming there.
When you going to get your head out of your @#$# and except the fact that the MLS is going to add a team in Orlando and Florida's best hope for D-1. Ft. Lauderdale or Miami will never be more than a D-2 town. Damn your closed minded attitude pisses me off..
Relax, man. He said that before Orlando City launched the season. Let the season fully play out. No need to needlessly goad anybody any further.
That thing is a moron who posts articles that were copies of other articles and tries to convince us that they are two entirely different stories. It doesn't know what the hell it talks about. Better to put it on your ignore list, like I did, so that you don't feel its stupid burning on you.
I saw some land in Flagler and 100 99 ave by FIU engineering center campus... if it goes to Miami just saying.. peace in the middle east lol
Flagler & 100 ave / 99 ave? I don't see anything there, Lucho.... That's a long way from the downtown stadium you were dreaming of once-upon-a-time & not so long ago. A long, long way...
Yes antique I dream, but still good location its actually on flagler and 102 ave but you would have to turn on the satellite imaging as their seems to that there was an old complex there before but there is nothing there now, turn on the satellite image better, I compared lockhart and this site and its bigger than lockhart lot, Im just saying if you can fit 17,ooo in lockhart you can buld a 20,000 seat stadium for MLS and it would be in the heart of Miami, which is a plus, its just for future reference, but everybody take a look at it...
Lucho, Lucho, Lucho...... You still haven't given up the ghost eh? Come to Lockhart on Saturday my friend. See what is being rebuilt in the tradition and glory of the Strikers legacy and name. This is the real deal. If there is any hope of MLS coming to South Florida, this is it. The foundation is in place, now we just need more people to come and join us! Come and watch your professional soccer team Lucho, the only one you're going to see in South Florida, probably for at least 20 years, if not forever. Bring your 305 amigos with you! We love the game just like you, stop the ridiculous hating because of the area code. BTW, I'm not nearly good enough at satellite maps and stuff like a number of you. There is a large piece of land on the north side of Hillsboro Blvd., just a little west of 441. It used to be a trailer park, but they cleared it out, and it's been sitting there empty for a few years now. Can anyone tell me how big that parcel is in comparison to Lockhart?
Lucho, There is an empty area near Flagler & 102nd by "Woman's Park" & Plaza Garibaldi. It that the place you are thinking of? It is a tough spot to get to with no direct access to any of the Xways or the Turnpike. I also fel it is a bit too far south for any appeal to the tri-county. If you read Claure's interview he want to draw from ALL of South Florida. Smoke & Mirrors, Hillsboro & 441 is way too far north for tri-county appeal & way to far from an Xway or Turnpike. Thanks for looking, guys.....
The bit on Hillsboro and 441 (I think) has been developed into a shopping plaza unless you are talking further west? If that is the case you are getting a bit into Parkland and people out there wouldn't be too keen on an SSS if I were to guess. As for accessibility... the sawgrass isn't that far away from that intersection but that's about it.
I see the parcel you guys are referencing. What's the building at the NE corner of 441 and Hillsboro?