Since this is the Great Cosmos thread I figured this would be fun to post here: 2 hour Cosmos YouTube highlight movie http://www.empireofsoccer.com/video-amazing-video-highlights-glory-years-of-new-york-cosmos/ PS plus there hasn't been any Cosmos news in awhile.
I wonder which will come first the Cosmos rebirth or tohos remake of the remake of Rebirth of Mothra.............
Cosmos planning 25,000-seat, $400 million stadium at Belmont The New York Cosmos are ready to announce plans tomorrow to finance and build their own soccer-specific stadium at Belmont Park racetrack.
BTW, Belmont Park is in Elmont, NY. That's just east of Queens in Nassau County on Long Island. It is north of JFK airport.
I wonder... If this is legitimate and they have "moved on from MLS", how the hell are they going to sell that stadium out? Sure, Cosmo fans would be thrilled to see the club back in action, but are there enough fans to fill 25k seats while they're playing in a minor league? IMHO, if their plan is to build this thing and not join MLS, my first reaction would be to call this a half-a-billion-dollar waste of space. Yet there is much in that article with which to speculate. We don't even know if this is legit or not. Not being part of Major League Soccer might also be pure speculation on the part of the reporter. It is the New York Post, after all. I'd love to see the Cosmos in MLS, fighting RBNY for metropolitan supremacy someday. If their intention is to stay in NASL with this plan (if it's real), I see this as a horrific and irresponsible waste of money. If that's the case, I'd assume their intention is to use the brand as the sole selling point rather than the brand competing in first division US soccer. Sounds arrogant and foolish to me. All that being said, time will tell. If this is all true, please let it be with MLS intentions in mind. My cent-and-a-half. EDIT: Now that I know where Belmont Park is, it doesn't sound promising for the NYC stadium crowd. Sure it's just east of Queens but it's not NYC. I wonder if that'll ruffle some feathers, if any at all. On the bright side, at least it's not New Jersey...
Wait, I thought the Cosmos were going to be the true NYC team playing in the city (even though historically they played 75% of their home games outside the city). Now they're not even going to be in the city? What's next, a 3rd team to appeal to those fans that are apparently on city arrest and can't go past the city limits?
I know. I wonder if that will mean anything to the Cosmo "wait-and-see"ers... (lol... nice one, Jasonma)
Sure they will Actually I hope they do. I'd love to see someone lose $400 million for no reason other than they're a moron. Still I call shenanigans. There's no way someone who has that much money would blow it on a 25,000 seat stadium for a division 2 soccer team in any event to say nothing of doing so outside New York city. They'd literally be the third wheel after MLS 20 that no one will give two shits about. They'd spend most of their time playing in front of empty seats.
My guess is that this is the Cosmos' group's attempt to position themselves back into the sweepstakes if/when the Corona Park plan falls apart. If the Corona Park falls apart - which is very possible, that probably closes the book for feasible stadium locations in the New York city limits. The next best thing is to have a stadium just on the other side of the city limits, which is this location. Then the Cosmos group become the preferred expansion group again. If Corona gets built, this idea fades away because there is no way this Belmont Park location could compete with it. Building on a race track parcel sounds infinitely less politically complicated then building on (and replacing) park land. That's probably the bet they're making. They don't have to spend money until they build it, so might as well play the card.
First Chivas. Then TFC. Now Montreal. I say we bring in the Cosmos. Having a 4th team that is totally deluded would only increase the fun that is MLS.
Hey! They aren't the New York City Cosmos, they are the New York Cosmos. At least they'd have some truth in advertising at Belmont.
My thinking too... And I'm guessing the $400 million is for the entire development not just the stadium but I guess we'll hear more details tomorrow. I'm betting F.cosmos is depending on financing through some developer as interested in the rest of the project as the stadium. MLS has looked at this option and while they'd obviously prefer the city Belmont Park is a location they apparently seriously considered. If this unlikely scenario plays out F.cosmos can also bargain down the $100 million expansion fee...no New York City. This is also a direct attack on the Flushing Meadows Park plan. If Belmont Park is approved the opposition can argue why take parkland when there's a soccer stadium being built just a few miles away. Maybe the Wilpons will help them, lol. Let's see if the Borough Boys show some integrity here. A few years ago they supported then abandoned FCNY when they appeared to renege on their promise to play in NYC proper. They didn't forgive them even when they changed plans and did in fact play in Queens at St Johns. F.cosmos is boldly declaring themselves to be a Long Island club (not for the first time either). We'll see if the NY2 guys are true to their cause or if they're just too bedazzled by their expropriated name.
I checked the list of synonyms for deluded and "incompetent" is not one of them. So, how are they deluded?
It's at the very edge of Eastern Queens (see the black dot on the picture above). Part of Belmont Park is in New York City. The bigger part is in Nassau County. Here's the letter submitted to Empire State Development Corporation http://thisiscosmoscountry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/309640_4674703379308_1542644131_n1.jpg http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/socce..._stadium_lArBA6KwY4sfiT1CYjWIKK#axzz2I52lnHT4 The stadium will be in the South Parking lot of Belmont Park. I checked Google Map for that parking lot and compare the size to RedBull Arena. There is a lot of room for a stadium the size of Red Bull Arena there.