[Knave pls move wherever you think appropriate] From today's conference call: http://www.mlsnet.com/content/03/mls0331conf.html GARBER ON THE D.C. STADIUM SITUATION: “The city has to finalize its master plan for sports facilities and that master plan is a long-range plan. And it will include, in their minds, baseball. So it's difficult and impossible to finalize one aspect of that plan without knowing what's happening on the other end. Unfortunately, we have got to wait until they make a decision on baseball before we can move forward, at least with our discussions with Bobby Goldwater, but fortunately, soccer is part of their master plan. At some point if it drags on too long, and we're not able to find a solution to our situation and our desire to be in a soccer specific stadium we'll have to pursue some alternate site for our D.C. United. That could either be in D.C. or within the sort of D.C. general area.”
Hopefully there is a little bit of gamesmanship going on with this statement. I would hate to see DC move out of DC, and moving anywhere outside of the original 10-mile x 10-mile DC square (which includes Arlington and most of Alexandria) would seriously suck. See Field, FedEx; Centre, Capital (RIP). I'm really starting to hate baseball.
I can easily envison a scenario where my sole purpose for living is choking the life out of Bobby Goldwater.
I don't understand why the team and/or league hasn't organized DC voters to lobby or do something yet. We have ample access to manpower and probably in this berg, experienced lobbyists. I'm sorry but this waiting for baseball is ridiculous, we could have already built the damn thing already. I do not want to think about the chaos of sharing nor do I care if RFK is vacant if baseball doesn't come (not MLS' problem). I think I'll make a nice sign for the opening game Our Balls are Bigger than Baseballs Build Us a Stadium Now! K
you're waiting because there is more money involved with the baseball team money does the talking, so united is waiting
You know, Baseball has problems. Kids aren't playing it as much anymore, now they play soccer. With the amount at stake for MLB's owners and administration, I could really see their motive for actively trying to supress the spread of soccer in the US. And if they see us in this light, then I guess I hate baseball too.
I really don't want to get into a pissing match with DC area baseball fans, I don't think it helps the cause and frankly I think we're better than that. My point is that (as far as I understand) there is a soccer stadium design, a site selected (which is owned by the Dept of the Interior), AEG will pay so why are we waiting for baseball, I'm not seeing the connection between the two projects? From drawings I've seen, our stadium would be in lot 8 and a possible baseball stadium would be in lot 7. If there's a huge fight not to build the baseball stadium (if DC gets the bid) then we may get caught up in that. Better to be almost built before that could happen. RFK needs to be torn down anyway, it's a money pit. I think MLS should start looking at other sites and fast. K
Amen! After Montreal, it will be some other sorry ass team looking for a new set of taxpayers to fleece - hurry up and wait some more!
K, I feel your pain, but DC can't even get 3 practice fields built because of NIMBYs. Imagine how far out they would have to look to build a 25k stadium. It'd be nice if the City would offer some of the sites they have offered for baseball for the soccer stadium. NoVa too.
I think that's part of the problem. THey won't offer the sites because they're holding out for baseball.
This bothers me. D.C. has an opportunity to do something but they choose not to, to wait for baseball. D.C. has the best fans, consistantly in the hunt for the best ave. of fans per game each year (if not the best each year, can't remember stats too well). This just sucks. I guess I just really want the best for the league and DCU of course.
Look, baseball is the proverbial 600 pound gorilla. They play 80 home dates--more parking, concessions money, more TV revenue. The reality is that baseball will be what affects the decision-making process. Why can't DCU act now? B/c it determines what options are realistic. I'd bet there would be no approval for a SSS near RFK (that might take up parking) if baseball might move into town in a year or two and need that parking lot. I don't mean to sound paranoid on this. Only that b/c of the delaying game with the Expos (Angelos poormouthing, threatening to sue, the original owners demanding money) so the decision to relocate or contract keeps being pushed back, I believe there will be NO progress on a SSS in DC until the baseball issue is resolved. Either they're coming here or not (contracted, stay in Montreal or move to the NW). Either they're using RFK long-term or only short-term and they've identified a stadium site. Until those issues are resolved, there will be no progress on a SSS.
I think a stadium in Arlington or Alexandria near a metro stop (train not bus) would be just as good as in DC. Espically if DC keeps dragging its heels. I heard rumors of looking at sites in Fairfax, but those were rumors, I have no way of knowing how valid they are.
Well, maybe not for those of us who live in Maryland. Even with the Metro, that's probably going to be an hour trip. Now, I'll make that trip, I don't mind. However, for every one of me, you've got a family with kids for whom that's just too far. I wouldn't support a stadium in MD either, because there are too many Virginian fans that might not come to games that often/at all due to the distance. Personally, I hope NoVA gets the Expos. Baseball fans get what they want, RFK stays the way it is, the city might even actually focus on getting our stadium done...everyone wins.
### MODERATOR'S NOTE ### Anything from Garber and MLS in general on this topic should probably have it's own thread. It the general baseball to DC topics that shouldn't.
Does anyone know how MCL Center got built?? Did Pollin buy the land and finance the whole thing?? Was the Stadium Authority involved or are they now?? Would Jason really enter Virginia to watch United??
With all due respect to Commissioner Garber I would like to offer a quick clarification on the status of a SSS. While there may have been some delay in moving conversations forward with the DCSEC (baseball caused or otherwise), we are currently back on track. Officials of the Sports Commission have met with senior officials of AEG. We are now both doing due diligence in reviewing the financials involved with the project. We are communicating on a weekly basis to move the project forward.
MCI Center I believe the city helped put together the land and the infrastucture (rebuilt metro stops and utilities) while Polin paid for the building. The city paid for their portion with a tax on business receipts and a surcharge on every ticket sold to an event there. The business tax is being talked up as one way to pay for the proposed baseball stadium. I don't think DCSEC was very involved, though I could be dead wrong on that one.
Well, at least there's some encouraging news. Due diligence is a concept I should perhaps apply to my everyday life: "Have you seen Ed?" "I think he's at the grocery store, doing due diligence on the broccoflower, to make sure it will work in the same dish as the orange bell peppers."
This is an issue no matter where you put it though, even if it's in DC. You can balance it somewhat if you put it exactly in the "center" (wherever that is...) but as soon as you re-locate it in any direction you make it a longer trip for folks who are coming from the other side of town, but a shorter one for those on the near side. Additionally, I'd say that a stadium outside the city might be a more appealing prospect. Heading downtown with the family can be a headache, whereas staying out near the more gentle 'burbs would be a smoother trip. I think a key here is to make sure it's Metro accessible. If you can't get to it without driving, I think you may lose a lot of people.
S., Thanks very much for this, but I wonder if you couldn't shed a bit more light. Does the due diligence on the "project" involve a number of potential sites? Or are we still in the "how do we move forward with the revenue sharing" stage? I just don't see how we can have any meaningful progress unless we're talking about sites that are completely independent of proposed baseball sites.
Ding, we have a winner. Great analysis, and I would go farther by saying that even if (and in my opinion, when) the DC area is passed over for the Expos, the powers that be will still cling to the dream of baseball. There are other franchises in trouble, or perhaps the local groups are deluded enough to think baseball will expand. Given a choice between the dream of 80+ home games averaging 30-40K and the reality of 20 or so home games averaging 15K, soccer is always going to lose out.
...meanwhile, we're drowning in a stadium we can't fill, with a revenue structure that screws DCU on parking, consessions and everything else you can think of. At some point, I would think we have to say enough is enough and get out from under DCSEC by any means possible. This interminable foot-dragging from Goldwater while he waits for MLB to make a decision (HA!) can't go on.