Soccer Specific Stadium (Oklahma City's future).

Discussion in 'Rayo OKC' started by Laramie, Aug 31, 2013.

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  1. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Wow...once again probably just my opinion but I really don't like this! Lol
     
  2. The Devil's Architect

    Feb 10, 2000
    The American Steppe
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sight lines are terrible, and you think you get sunburned at Owen Stadium?
     
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  3. Laramie

    Laramie Member

    May 5, 2010
    Oklahoma City, OK
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Thanks for reminding me of the various standardized tests we had to administer in OCPS. Glad I retired early and preserved my sanity. It was a nighmare for us principals; especially, when the results were announced and your director came in to extend praise or lower the boom on you. I was lucky, my school had a lot of room for improvements and we knocked those tests out and got off the state's dreaded poor performing list and moved to 2nd among OCPS middle schools in performance in just three years.

    Yes, the current legislature isn't about building anything worthwhile. They did begin repairs to the state capital building; they have no desire to honor their $40 million which was previously pledged to finish the American Indian Cultural Center on the south OKC riverfront.
     
  4. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    IMHO Sporting Park is the best one ive seen built in the US so far. Its the best one ive been to, at least. I was glad to read that along with renaming FCD Stadium to Toyota Stadium they are also looking to upgrade the stadium as well.
     
  5. FCjason

    FCjason Member

    Jul 25, 2013
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Toyota Field is by far (pound for pound) the best SSS.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  6. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Like I said, I agree with you about SA's Toyota Field. That's what I hope any SSS in Oklahoma City looks like. Also, I hope it is close to the new downtown park.
     
  7. Laramie

    Laramie Member

    May 5, 2010
    Oklahoma City, OK
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
  8. Laramie

    Laramie Member

    May 5, 2010
    Oklahoma City, OK
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Impressive true, just like Mr. Warmth said the sight lines would be terrible. That structure has to accommodate at least 15,000 to 20,000; it reminds me of a visit to Lewis Field in Stillwater back in the late 70s. I can still hear the cowbells and rodeo-like screams from that crowd which brought me back to the wrestling days at the old historic Stockyards Coliseum. Sorry didn't mean to get caught up in a 'Walter Mitty' moment.

    Most of the new soccer venues give you that up close and personal feeling. Much like you get watching a soccer game at old Skelly Stadium or a football game at Owen Field.

    I haven't had a chance to visit Drillers Stadium since it has been used as a soccer venue or the new stadium in Frisco. The renovations to Taft will make it more suitable for a track and american football.

    I remember old Oiler Park in Tulsa; it was baseball friendly stadium, moreso than that dugout called Oklahoma City's All (one) Sports Stadium. Oh boy, progress comes at the price of memories; some things you would like to forget.
     
  9. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    FCD Stadium is one of my least favorites. I don't like the HUGE Steel-beamed stage at the north end. And I don't care if they call it a "Beer Garden" It's a stage, and to me it detracts from the game atmosphere.

    Yeah, All Sports Stadium was a DUMP! Folding metal chairs. Really? Really? But as old and decrepit as it was, at least it never collapsed like the old Oiler Park in Tulsa. I was there when it happened!
     
  10. Laramie

    Laramie Member

    May 5, 2010
    Oklahoma City, OK
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
  11. Laramie

    Laramie Member

    May 5, 2010
    Oklahoma City, OK
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    #36 Laramie, Sep 15, 2013
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2013
    Don't forget the Bunte Brigade (south bleachers extending past first base): https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=475&q=all sports stadium oklahoma city&oq=All Sports Stadium&gs_l=img.1.1.0l2j0i24.4024.9477.0.12022.18.13.0.5.5.0.149.1602.0j13.13.0....0...1ac.1.26.img..0.18.1636.1aq7S-Sti58

    That was the sun tan bleachers. Bunte Candy Company in Bricktown had a promotion for those green bleachers (Bunte Brigade). Present a Bunte candy box or wrapper and you could sit there free. The other option was child care hill; with a general admission you could sit there (hill, extending past 3rd base) and bring a blanket and get eaten by the chiggers and mosquitoes in addition to having some kids zoom past you going down that hill.

    All Sports Stadium was an experience you could never forget. Old 'Charlie 89er' would fire that shot gun whenever we scored and awake the whole town. There was a beautiful view of the OKC skyline at that park. Thank God for 'The Brick!"

    What happened to Oiler Park? I thought they had a fire and most of it burned...
     
  12. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nope. During an exhibition game between the Tx Rangers and Houston Astros (I believe) there was a stoppage in play for rain. During the delay there were alotnof people up on the upper walkway. A portion of it colapsed, dropping several folks quite a ways to the ground. Nobody was killed but it spelled the beginning of the end for the stadium. The upper portion was demolished before the beginning of the next season. I think that was the last year of the Oilers. My grandfather and I were at the game when it collapsed
     
  13. Brother Badgerjohn

    Oct 16, 2000
    Okie City
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I spent three seasons at The Dick (What we called Dick's Sporting Goods Park) in Colorado: A great venue, although the stadium security has been downright fascist. The surrounding area isn't ideal (It's the equivalent of putting a stadium south of Crooked Oak), but it's surrounded by dozens of fields that are constantly used by local teams of all types. If a team here were to go in that direction, those youth/adult fields would be the real cash cow.
     
  14. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I drove by The Dick one time. Isn't it also right next to a water treatment plant?
     
  15. Brother Badgerjohn

    Oct 16, 2000
    Okie City
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No, worse: it's by the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, a military dump site that used to be one of the most toxic places on earth outside of New Jersey.
     
  16. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Holy crap! Lol
     
  17. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Its not that bad. They do have a nice setup with all the soccer fields surrounding a very large parking lot (parking isnt an issue). There are worse places (Citrus Bowl, Crew Stadium...).
     
  18. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And there are actually things farther from downtown, like Denver International Airport
     
  19. Laramie

    Laramie Member

    May 5, 2010
    Oklahoma City, OK
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Wantland Stadium in Edmond, Oklahoma on the campus of UCO may be a more viable option for a soccer specific stadium:

    [​IMG]

    This was an artist's rendering (2004) of Wantland Stadium's renovation which would enlarge the current stadium from 10,000 to a venue seating in excess of 20,000-plus.​
     
  20. Brother Badgerjohn

    Oct 16, 2000
    Okie City
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not in favor of Edmond - Suburban teams fail to draw fans from the Urban core, whereas centrally-located teams get traffic from the suburbs.
     
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  21. Laramie

    Laramie Member

    May 5, 2010
    Oklahoma City, OK
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    #46 Laramie, Oct 14, 2013
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2013
    Many of your current soccer facilities are located in the suburban areas:

    Colorado Rapids - Commerce, CO (suburb of Denver).
    Chicago Fire - Bridgeview, IL (suburb of Chicago).
    FC Dallas - Frisco, Texas (suburb north of Dallas).
    Kansas City Wizards - Kansas City, Kansas (suburb of Kansas City, MO).

    Los Angeles Galaxy - Carson, CA (suburb of Los Angeles).
    Chivas USA
    New England Revolution - Foxborough, MA (suburb of Boston).

    These areas (MSA) with the exception of Salt Lake City are larger than Oklahoma City; the recent trends for building and locating soccer specific stadiums appear to favor the suburban townships.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Metropolitan_Statistical_Areas

    Personally, I would prefer to have a soccer specific stadium in central OKC; Edmond does have a stadium which could serve the OKC metropolitan area's short term needs and expand a university's profile which could move to a higher division in the future. There has been some MLS soccer exhibition games played in Edmond.

    We're not going to be able to build everything on the river unless you go with item #10 Football Stadium (MAPS III); where you go with an NFL type structure which could serve multiple needs for Oklahoma City. A stadium of this magnitude (65,000-70,000) could be completed around 2020-21 with the bare minimum in place costing $500 million. Should the NFL be an option after 2020; a renovation could take place. We did this with the indoor sports arena built downtown.

    Oklahoma City has been more about looking down the road and planning for the future. It couldn't hurt to be stadium- ready in case the opportunity presents inself...​
     
  22. ManuSooner

    ManuSooner Member+

    Nov 15, 2007
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Yep, and with the exception of SKC they are all underwhelming at the gate.

    And I think most of LA is a suburb, so can't really consider them for urban/suburban
    And NER, once again, not setting the world on fire in regards to attendance.


    I agree with Brother Badgerjohn. I don't think Edmond will work. Hard to get to from OKC. In N. Edmond with no major thoroughfare to/from the stadium.​
     
  23. Laramie

    Laramie Member

    May 5, 2010
    Oklahoma City, OK
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    You think that Oklahoma City is any different from Los Angeles? OKC is a 'Frankenstein' of suburbia.

    Many of you are new to this area and I can tell that you aren't familiar with the topography.

    The many times I drove to UCO for that early morning P.E. class asleep at the wheel with the good Lord steering, you're telling me that there are no major thoroughfare to the stadium? I-35 north, exit onto 2nd street and you're right at Wantland Stadium. If you're approaching Edmond from I-235 (Broadway Ext.,) north you will encounter a maze of traffic concerns.

    I would love to see everything on the banks of the North Canadian River (not Oklahoma River); I lost friends there and it will always be the North Canadian River to me. We grew up on that river. It is going to be difficult to construct on that river because of the quicksand and holes which are going to be costly to fill unless you use existing previously occupied parcels.

    Soccer is a sport which Oklahoma City will embrace if you take the right marketing approach. It is a widely accepted in Oklahoma as a good conditioning sport. Tulsa does have more of an huge edge on OKC with soccer as a spectator sport. Is Oklahoma City ripe and ready for soccer? We're getting ready to find out and two groups will have a shot at exploring this market.​
     
  24. FCjason

    FCjason Member

    Jul 25, 2013
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I doubt the city of Edmond could fund that project. There is no way the city of OKC will fund a SSS to be built in Edmond city limits. I personally would rather see the team stadium be centrally located for all the obvious reasons. Soccer is big in the city of Norman too, I'd hate for our Moore/Norman friends to have to drive an hour both ways (with Edmond traffic) to make a game in Edmond (which is already a driving nightmare). I hate getting around in Edmond...especially on 2nd st. But if the city of Edmond wants to pay the tab, then so be it.
     
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  25. FCjason

    FCjason Member

    Jul 25, 2013
    Oklahoma City
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Oh, and I was born and raised in the city and now drive all over the metro on a daily basis for work.
     

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