11/28/04: The End is Near

"A firm in Louisville, Ky., is fabricating about 80 percent of the stadium, and the pieces could be shipped to the stadium site as soon as mid-January."

Did Erector Set get the contract or has Lego managed to steal it away from them?

 

Anyone else see the "likely to have an artificial surface" part. Why oh why would they do that. I know it's probably cheaper and easier to maintain but sometimes you just have to spend money to make money. MLS will not go to rochester if they have an artificial surface. Wouldn't the owners rather watch their team play on natural grass?

 

"The Rhinos are leasing the land — off Oak Street, just south of Lyell Avenue — for $1 a year for 45 years from the city."

damn thats cheap! the way things are going i think rochester has a really good chance in the next round of expansion.

 

they'd rather lease the stadium to a lacrosse team

 

fabricating a stadium? You mean like Nick S. ?

 

I was waiting for that one.

 

People gotta wake up.

This MLS Rochester thing ain't happening.

Makes little sense for the current Rhinos owners. Why lose money?
MLS wants deep pockets. They remember Miami.

By the time MLS is viable for an ownership group like Rochesters (near to or at break even) it will be in 7 or 8 years when MLS is a 16-18 team league with owners who have deep pockets. At that time other owners with much deeper pockets from larger cities will be on board or will be coming on board.

Rochester will not be a choice for MLS at that point. Just the way it is people.

Glad about the stadium and very happy for your city, but Rochester's not going to be a part of MLS unless someone can come up with a lot more money on your ownership side, or the MLS model produces a quicker break even that would get them in (Rhinos) before they become too small.

Not happening. A dream.

 

I understand the financial side of artificial turf but the sad thing for Rochester fans is -- no USMNT friendlies with artificial turf. Probably.

 

Guys if Rochester can't afford grass - they have no business being in MLS.

Plain and simple.

DuRoss is doing nothing to endear himself to the many non-Rochester fans he created when his Little Engine that could beat an MLS team in the Open Cup.

It's a damn shame too - because I think Rochester had the heart and soul to make a splash in MLS as one of the smaller markets.

I mean what's DuRoss thinking?

He's getting a sweet lease $1 a year - and he's only investing $3 million out of the $23 tab himself. 90% of the costs for the stadiu (facility and roadwork) are being bankrolled by the government!

And he has the nerve to put in plastic?

What a shame.

 

The reason they are putting the field turf in is becuase of the ground share with the rattlers lacrosse team. Lacrosse is evil on fields. one of the main complaints from the baseball teams is becuase they hated the way lacrosse ruined the field from what I remember. I can tell you from sharing our field at the college I coach at, Lacrosse destroys fields almost as bad as football does. Since UEFA has approved the Field turf stuff for qualifiers, i think it's fine.

 

When will people realize that Rochester only has a three month growing season? Trust me, you would bitch about playing on a poor quality live turf in the early spring and late fall.

We'll see about USMNT despite the turf. The last couple of home games have been a real disappointment in terms of attendance and atmosphere. Attendance and atmosphere won't be a problem in Rochester.

 

Well, the US may end up playing WQCs on FieldTurf - not in Rochester, but in San Jose, Costa Rica. Saprissa's stadium now has it.

http://www.fieldturf.com/index.cfm?pageView=viewFifa&installationID=27

http://www.fieldturf.com/index.cfm?pageView=readNews&newsID=919

 

Damn. Good point. Rochester could be an excellent location for a qualifier.