The New Stadium

I think they said there are going to be 5,500 parking spaces for the stadium. There will also be graded lots where future development is intended to go that can be used for overflow parking. Additionally there is going to parking for the various retail uses and Commerce City that will probably be 5 cars / 1,000 SF of building. I think there will be plenty of parking out there. Especially if the Rapids continue to draw under 7,000.

 

Where could I find a picture of the stadium drawings? Thanks.

 

nowar99 ... I too got that uneasy feeling about us and our name and colors.

I hope that when they sell season tickets ... they include a free parking pass with the ticket. They need to get season tickets up to like 8000 at least and that would be a GREAT incentive to buy season tickets instead of just walkup tickets.

 

Nice idea. I bet that would up the season ticket numbers. However, I'm still not confident they are more interested in season tickets over group sales.

I am worried we're headed for a FC Dallas type renaming with the new stadium. I really hope that isn't true...but it is a possibility.

 

Yes, I would like to see some drawings too. It sounds like Fat Tire Field is going to be great. I wouldn't worry too much about the 18.5k capacity since that's easily fixable once the place sells out consistently. The important thing is to have our own place, designed with soccer of an appropriate size, and without the logos of some gridiron football team plastered all over it. And if the team is changing it's name and colors, how about an Eastern European feel--Rapid Colorado or Lokomotiv Denver. But seriously, I'm fine with the Rapids name. The black and blue uniforms have never excited me. I'd just as soon ship them all back to Italy and bring back the green.

 

Can somebody clarify the pub/restaurant for me? Will it be open 365 days a year, or is it a game day only thing? Is it a pub or a restaurant?

Love the 120 x 80 field

Love the mountain roof concept

I expect a rebranding when we open the stadium. In fact I'd bet it's already a done deal. I just want them to either stay black and blue or go back to green. No third color set...

 

I agree. I like the 18,500. I'm pretty sure they can get over 20k for national team games with adding bleachers on the north side.

120X80 perfect for the altitude here ... Maybe it will become Azteca Del Norte after all.

The roof. Nice.

I can't stand sitting at grass level so I'll be up near the top where I can see the whole field so the proximity to the field doesn't concern me at all.

If KSE can make money with an 18,500 capacity stadium with a winning team then I'm all for it.

The only question I wish someone had asked was about public transportation. Is the light rail from Union Station to the Airport gonna stop near there? Anyone know?

 

It also sounded like they might open it for viewing party type events for the Rapids/National Team/World Cup.

As for renderings, I hope they will be on the website...once it is up and running.

 

I believe the FasTracks plan had the right of way closer to I-70 with a stop at Quebec. So a bus up Quebec would be needed. I'm sure RTD will serve the area since it is a major development going on in Commerce City. I'm trying to pull stuff up on FasTracks on the RTD website but it is running painfully slow.

 

I am very excited...after hearing all the features of the stadium I think KSE is Deeply commited to the "soccer property" as they were calling it.

As far as the seating capacity goes that is roughly the same size as the Pepsi Center. So They have no trouble selling it out. Once we get over there and the hype is all up with something new...etc much like it was once Pepsi was built I have a feeling that Rapids tickets are going to be a hot item in 2007. Everyone is going to want to be a part of it. so we should have no trouble getting fans out there.

Supporters section...Jason Linscott said that we could have it where-ever we wanted it! So that is a positive. But as they said they have not figured out seating etc yet. So for now I am going to sit quietly and wait continue to renew and wait to see.

If they do change the name of the team and the colors etc...when the stadium opens perhaps there will be a new supporters group much like the Crew have or Real.

 

Here is a map of the FasTracks line going to the airport.



I believe Quebec is N/S road to the left of the Stapleton stop.

Acording to this RTD service map below there is a bus running to 56th and Quebec from the Stapleton stop that looks like it is already a park and ride of some sort.

 

Good call on the parking pass. I would love to see them do this, although I doubt that they will. Still, it'd be a nice bone to throw, or a SERIOUSLY reduced parking pass (ie, if you pay $10 normally for parking, a $5 parking pass).

 

Actually, from your map it looks like the new stadium is equal distance between the Airport Line and the North Metro Line. All the bus lines will probably change when light rail opens, but it seems like there might be more than one station close by.

 

Does anyone know how many season ticket holders there are?

 

I've heard 1000.

 

If they could devise some program with incentives that make being a season ticket holder a better deal I think they could significantly increase season ticket sales.

Say a discount on consessions, parking and maybe even some exclusive events with the team for ticket holders only.

The new stadium really is their chance to start fresh

 

They said that the pub was newly added to the renderings (like Monday). I doubt its plans have been worked on much. Q

 

Can anyone get onto the Rapids' website right now to see if renderings are up? I've tried with no luck.

 

True, True. Like you said, I'm sure CC, The Rapids and RTD will be sure there will be bus service to the stadium.

 

I'm seriously map-impaired, so I couldn't interpret either of these maps, but I drive Quebec by the old Stapleton all the time. I know there are parking areas with shuttles to the new airport. I have also seen buses on Quebec--not sure which route--but I would assume they would extend them to the new residential/retail areas without much problem. If they don't already go out there.

I haven't ever driven Quebec further north than the I-270 interchange, but if I get a chance this weekend, I will do so and see how it looks as far as the new stadium property. I'll also look for any evidence of existing bus stops and stuff.

I thought I'd heard somewhere that eventually there will be light rail service to the stadium area, but that's probably sometime in the more distant future.

 

The light rail is planned on passing significantly south of the stadium ... just south of I-70.

 

I would echo the impressions that others had about the name and colors of the team. The fact that they spoke of putting Colorado on the seats instead of Rapids made me wonder about the name, and the fact that they didn't want the seats to be blue or black "just in case the team changes colors" made me wonder about color. I had the impression that they were doing a lot more than just thinking about these changes. I agree about some perks for season ticket holders. The current parking pass which gives one no reduction in price, just the convenience of having it, is not much of an incentive to get one. If I had been able to drop a dollar off the price, I would have purchased it. They don't need to be huge perks, but season tickets would look a lot more attractive if there were some things that made them special other than the convenience of not having to purchase tickets when you arrive.

 

You'll see the Stapleton stop in the bottom right corner of the bus line map. Just to the left of it you'll see Quebec, with a light blue line going north on it. Follow that and you'll see it gets to 56th.