Orlando Stadium Discussion

Discussion in 'Orlando City SC' started by Macsen, Mar 7, 2010.

  1. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Two things to cover here:

    A) The best temporary solution for 2011/2012 (list in no particular order)

    Citrus Bowl (blah)
    Tinker Field (where are the temp stands?)
    Bright House Networks Stadium (like the Citrus Bowl, just less decrepit)
    Champion Stadium (dark horse)
    Other...

    B) The best permanent solution

    Where to build an SSS?
    Possible Disney/ESPN SSS? (The one Steve Donner told me Disney was considering building at the press conference)
     
  2. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree on the current potential venues. Although I am not excited about the team playing at Brighthouse mainly because its fieldturf and thats going to get hot in the summer. And to be honest I can't see UCF going along with it. I think they are too strict to let Pro Soccer in there.

    Tinker Field would be nice, be it would have to be renovated. I can't get it out of my mind that they will end up playing at the CB. :(

    As for future potentials, it would be great for Disney to build something, be to really think that would happen? And even if it did, its not like anyone actually lives near Wide World of Sports, they might end up the way of the Orlando Rays (no pun intended OR). Nice venue with great parking but so remote that average, regular attendance dies. I

    I had similar feeling about Dillon's Winter Garden stadium. Too far out. I wonder if any of the schools in the area are looking to build a new HS football stadium?
     
  3. GIO17

    GIO17 Member

    Nov 29, 1998
    Is there still any room left in the Little Lake Bryant area? Somewhere behind that outlet mall/Big Church down that Road? I think that would be a good area. Go to Landry's or Longhorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze restaurants before or after the games.
     
  4. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Prime asked me in private about the possibility of an SSS at Disney. The word Donner used was "considering", so I don't think he's even sure it'll go anywhere. We'll see. FWIW, it makes sense to have a full football/soccer stadium to go with their baseball and basketball stadiums.

    About Lake Bryan: There is still a good amount of undeveloped conservation area between Lake Bryan and Little Lake Bryan. And there's SQUARE MILES of empty space in a rough square bounded by Central Florida Parkway, John Young Parkway, SR 417 and I-Drive South.

    If we're going to consider that area, I think the best place to put it would be the NW or NE corner of the SR 536/I-Drive intersection. It's got good access from I-Drive, SR 417 and SR 536.

    The big problem with Disney isn't necessarily the remoteness (see: The Palace at Auburn Hills). It's the access. The minimum admission fee, free parking notwithstanding, makes things problematic.
     
  5. GIO17

    GIO17 Member

    Nov 29, 1998
    I agree that the 536/I-Drive area near the 417 Greenway entrance would be a good place to build a Soccer stadium. And you are correct that the access near that area is not that large.

    That's a very good area to build a stadium. Orlando is a second home to me, so I hope it works.
     
  6. nick p

    nick p Member+

    Jul 11, 2009
    Baltimore Maryland
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  7. nick p

    nick p Member+

    Jul 11, 2009
    Baltimore Maryland
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  8. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'll say it again, I really think a permanent venue for Orlando Pro Soccer will not work @ Wide World of Sports in the long run. I just think your too far from your soccer-friendly base of north Orange and Seminole county. Even on weekends, you all know the bear that I-4 is to drive on. Now I used to live in Winter Garden, so it was a easy 15 minute ride (tops) on the new Western Beltway, but not everyone lives in west Orange County.
     
  9. Dammit!

    Dammit! Member

    Apr 14, 2004
    Mickey Mouse Land
    As I live in Winter Garden I am biased towards this direction but I have to admit that it seems the "heart" of soccer in the Orlando area is more up towards Seminole County way. Or maybe on the East side of town with the larger hispanic and college-age crowd.

    I would really like the field next to the Citrus bowl be upgraded a bit - that way you don't lose any demographic - it's central.
     
  10. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Another possibility I was thinking of: Amway Arena.

    You can fit a stadium the physical size of Bright House Networks Stadium in the footprint of Amway Arena and its south parking lot. That's more than adequate for a 25-30k soccer stadium.

    Plus, the land will be available very soon. All you need to do is build parking garages on the north side to compensate for the lost parking.

    (And if we wanted to, with the tennis courts to the west of Amway Arena, we could replace Bob Carr with a Center Court and copy The Home Depot Center. :p)
     
  11. WorldGame

    WorldGame Member

    Aug 28, 2002
    Orlando
    I love the idea, mainly about the location of it.

    But I have to assume you're thinking way out, either literally (in the future), or figuratively, in the form of a whole other scenario. I can't imagine this happening for a USL-1 club.

    It seems like that level of development would only be likely for a scenario in which some billionaire suddenly decides his life isn't whole unless he moves heaven, lots of earth (including one vacated municipal arena), and at least one-fifth of his wealth to plop a new MLS franchise into the middle of Orlando. And that cost would include having to convince city hall to sell him the land, the arena, and the rights to redevelop it into a pro soccer pavilion. Against that, the city would have to decide to accept the soccer idea instead of their other plan of the past several years, which was to build some kind of urban "digital village" of schools and digital/media companies.

    I guess the argument could be made that this prospect would be a whole lot more appealing to the city goverment getting ready to dogpaddle its way through a lot of red ink in the next few years. But still, this prospect would require the same thing every other large-scale idea needs in this business (ie: MLS franchise; stadium; etc.): some owner who has, A) a massive amount of wealth, and B) the willingness to spend it on such a project.

    I love the idea. But I don't see it happening.
     
  12. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Back in the day, when I worked in planning and development for Orlando, there were plans to actually bulldoze the O-Rena, build a mix-use development and turn one side of the development into a minor league baseball stadium. Now the Mayor is a big baseball fan so I believe the developers that made the plans were just placating him. But last thing I heard, turning that land into a mix-use with a sports stadium is still in the plans.

    I wonder if Donner and the Titans are talking to the City about this.
     
  13. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't see them building a minor-league baseball stadium downtown if it's not at Tinker Field. The field is on the National Register of Historic Places, which makes its demolition difficult. If they want minor-league baseball, they'll have to restore and add on to Tinker Field.

    If Rosenbach has the money, then him buying Amway Arena and building a privately-financed SSS is a lot better than the City swallowing it into another foolhardy urban renewal project, especially in recent months and years with a lot of their more-controversial ideas, like evicting paying customers from city property in favor of money-leaking political pet projects.
     
  14. uksailmaker

    uksailmaker New Member

    Apr 5, 2006
    Why would Disney have to build a new stadium. They have a soccer complex already ......
     
  15. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes they have soccer fields. Yes one of the fields has some nice covered bleachers. But total capacity is probably in the 500ish range. Its not a stadium.

    At this point, they would be better off using Champion Stadium.
     
  16. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Field 17, where the PSC was held, has an official capacity of 1,500. Field 18 has half that.

    There are several places they could put a full soccer/football stadium: at fields 18/19, the IC fields behind the Jostens Center, or in the aux parking lots before the gate.
     
  17. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [​IMG]

    Your really think there's 1500 seats there? Maybe if they filled it in with bleachers all around...

    (is this a old picture?)
    [​IMG]
     
  18. TheHun

    TheHun Member

    May 5, 2005
    Firstly, let me say that unless you recruit Messi, Beckham AND Kaka' - playing in the cavernous citrus Bowl is pure lunacy.

    It has been tried before and it has not worked.

    There was a wonderful training facility built at the Seminole Soccer Complex in the 1990's which was to be used by US Soccer. Unfortunately, they opted for the complex in California.

    It is stull very acessable from the East and West. It happens to adjacent to the Seminole youth soccer fields. If a club is to build its fan base - this would be a good start.

    While Disney's involvement would be a dream, it is unrealistic and the traffic in and out on weeekends would be a nightmare.

    The UCF area is still growing and its develpement could be complimented by the University.

    Seminole County is preferable to Kissimmee or Orange County.

    The proximity to Ft. Lauderdale (Strikers) and I-4 rivals Tampa Bay (Rowdies) would be excellent.
     
  19. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes, that's an old picture. Even Google Maps has it current. The southern (smaller in that pic) stands are expanded, and that pic was before they covered the stands. And also, this one lacks the stands on Field 18.

    But still, not nearly big enough.

    The top picture shows the wrong field. It shows Field 16.

    I got the attendance number from the official stats from the match.
     
  20. Soccer_Lancer

    Soccer_Lancer Member

    Jun 30, 2004
    Orlando, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Brighthouse is natural grass. "The Bounce House" (UCF fan's nickname for the stadium) would make for an awsome soccer experience. I wouldn't be a fan of the soccer lines on a football field or football lines on a soccer field when the two season overlap (if they overlap) though.
     
  21. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes, Bouncehouse is natural grass. They use a special prescription natural grass. In fact, I think the grass they use is perfect for soccer.

    It's the Citrus Bowl that is going to FieldTurf.

    And there probably will be overlap beginning in September.
     
  22. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  23. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah I saw the Google Maps and thought the others must be dated.
    http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...224,-81.557983&spn=0.002602,0.004136&t=h&z=18

    [​IMG]
     
  24. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Actually I think the image you had looks like a 3D CGI impression, not an actual photograph.
     
  25. WorldGame

    WorldGame Member

    Aug 28, 2002
    Orlando
    If I'm looking at that picture correctly, the field on the bottom right does now have the same bleachers on the opposite side of the field and they are covered. This is the field where they held all of the matches of the MLS preseason event a few weeks back. On the plus side, it's a fairly solid little facility. On the other hand, it's not second-division grade, or at least, not what we ought to be expecting/hoping for. A high school football field would have a better environment as a home ground, or a facility like the Kraze home park.
     

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