Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread I was just looking over some of the other USL stadiums. Pak-tek Park is a beautiful facility and Atlanta isnt bad either (with the exception of the colored seats) One thing I do know about Nestor and Hinds is that they are 25 and 26 years old. Their company, Citrus Ventures, finances and provides logistical support for start ups. Im not sure of their intentions, but this thing has a venture capital feel to me. If this is the case, they have access to abundant capital (or at least investors that do)
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread how much do you know about venture capitalists and how they think? The first thing they look for...is an exit strategy. Where's the exit strategy here? Where the evidence that you can even develop a reasonable exit strategy? As far as the 'abundant capital' part....lol...for soccer? Don't confuse guys like Anschutz with relative small fries like Nestor, etc. Don't confuse MLS with USL either. Bad analogies in business are killers
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread My point is the goal of their company is to identify markets and niches which are viable for profit. Once they cultivate a business, they pitch it to investors and capitalists with more money for a sell on fee. That is the exit strategy. I can see a scenario in which they build a soccer stadium (which can be utilized as equity in itself) which turns a profit in time. Remember, it is not about the actual earnings of the business, it is the valuation of the business.
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread When venture capitalists own a team it is because it is a passion not a business venture and i believe this is true with the Rowdies owners.
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread By definition, venture capital investment expects a return several times that of their original investment. Ive no ideas of the intentions of these owners, but the fact is they have brought pro soccer back to Tampa. That is good enough for me.
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread related news, Hillsborough County approves money for soccer complex... http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/07/me-commission-oks-50-million-for-parks-soccer-comp/
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread University of Tampa's soccer stadium. Pretty nice looking. No idea how much it holds.
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread USF holds 4,000..The Rowdies are looking for a capacity of about 6,000 - 7,000
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread USF holds 4,000, but how many does UT (University of Tampa) hold? Nevermind, there athletics website says it holds 1,500. Looks bigger than that. Also, fwiw, the Rowdies Cup was yesterday. Totally missed that. Ended with a 0-0 draw between USF and UT.
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread UT's old stadium was bigger, maybe 5,000ish. There was a chance when UT rebuilt the stadium to make it for pro soccer, but sadly it wasnt in the cards.
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread Me thinks that the new Rowdies were not involved in this? They need to do something with their web site.... like updates to let potential fans about the Rowdies Cup?
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread The game between the two schools is played every year. The winner of the game gets the old Rowdies national championship trophy. USF currently holds it.
This just in http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/08/rowdies-stadium.html Looks like have our stadium site!!!!
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread Damn some have all the lot. Your own stadium with terraced seats, LUXURY BOXES, concessions, possiblitiy ta expand ta 15,000 in tha future!!! hope it becomes a reality for u mates, and hey just incase all of it doesn't, remmember that we here in TX will most likely be watching our boys play in a HIGH SCHOOL THROWBALL FIELD.
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread Wow, great site, not too far from me, and closer to population than going up in Keystone area or up farther north. Makes having a pub or such there a much more pragmatic thing.
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread Interesting choice of land. I think it's great that it's closer to downtown in the thick of things (At least as closer than some of the other ideas I heard floated around.) but Waters is pretty crowded. From memory there wasn't much space just driving through and looking at a good ole GoogleMap it's going to be a tight fit (I'm guessing that piece South of Waters where Sitka Rd. runs through some wooded area???) but hey no complaints here. Build that bad boy and let's play some ball!!
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread I used to live near there! It was crowded in 1983. I'm sure it's worse now. But, hey, this is a great step. There's a site!
The stadium will be on 18 acres near the Veterans Expressway at Waters Avenue, according to Perry Van Der Beck (left), a former Rowdies player who is now a marketing official for the team. It will seat 5,500 to start but also have the capacity to be expanded to 15,000 seats. The privately funded stadium would likely be named after a corporate sponsor that has not yet emerged, Van Der Beck told a group at a Brandon Area Youth Soccer League meeting. http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/08/rowdies-stadium.html Excellent news!!!!!!! I googled earth the site and it is right across from the Countryway Golf Club whoever lives near Oldsmar is lucky http://maps.yahoo.com/#mvt=h&lat=28.028153&lon=-82.606654&zoom=16
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread I jsut read this...awesome. I can't wait. When they start construction I'm gonna take pics and have a weekly update
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread Rezoning Sought To Build Rowdies Soccer Stadium By MIKE SALINERO and BILL WARD The Tampa Tribune Published: August 22, 2008 TAMPA - A 5,000-seat soccer stadium for the Rowdies could be coming to the Town 'N Country area of northwest Hillsborough County within two years. Documents filed by an investment group planning to bring professional soccer here show a proposed stadium site between Veterans Expressway and Benjamin Road, just south of Waters Avenue. Complete Article Map of Site
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread Thanks TF. Does anyone know what business is currently in that area? What is that building in the NE of that block, near Veterans Hwy? Also doesn't it say 18 acres? By my measurements, the whole area between Waters and Gardener Ct, and Bejamin and Veterans is only 13+ acres....?
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread I actually thought it would be a this location it has 18+ acres, can anyone verify this? http://maps.yahoo.com/#mvt=h&lat=28....606654&zoom=16
Re: 2008 Rowdies Stadium Thread no its the area south of Waters, west of Benjamin, east of Veterans and sorta north of Gardner Court. From looking at the Hillsborough Property Appraiser website, Laxar and Berns Steak House own most of that land. Has to be it. And its about 18 acres.