Looks like they spent their whole rendering budget on making Realistic Roof Shade (tm) so they didn't have any left to make the rest of the stadium pretty. Looks like a Roof really does add too much to the cost of these places.
It's kind of cool, because it really has a dual culture look to it. It looks like a European grounds with an American style SSS addition. A concept that is also European would be adding stands. It's going to be cool.
English isn't your first language, is it? Please don't start a meme that it's the stadium design that's been keeping the Eurotwats away from MLS
What was yours in griping about the "rendering" that didn't meet you high standards? What was it, huh? Lord knows you can't have a good stadium without a "proper rendering" for "your kind".
I guess the lack of a heated seat has kept you out of Giants stadium too. Good, thanks. Just wanted confirmation.
If the stadium comes out looking like that...wow. The Timbers are going to be something special in MLS. With that hardcore fanbase already in place for a USL team...a USL team! We've seen what supporter groups have done in recent expansion cities without any real history of organization or support. Portland is going to be on a whole other level. It'll be like the Südtribüne of MLS in the Timbers Army sections.
Personally, I can't wait for the Toothpick Army/ECS riots outside of the stadiums. It's more Euro than terraces on proper roofs.
Well, I seem to remember Crew players telling us after playing at BMO the first year how that field was absolute shit. So pardon me for not being thrilled that yet another stadium gets to waltz into the league with turf. Once upon a time, pointyball was played on grass too. And I believe that PSU should have to pay for the upkeep of the field if they are using it and tearing it up. Call me old fashioned there... I loved the atmosphere at PGE when I was there in 07... but more turf in our league is NOT the answer.
So they're expecting this to be done in a year? Seems like a bit of work... Not to be a downer. Looks great though!
You can pay all you want for upkeep - if a grass field is overused, it's going to degrade no matter how much money to put into it.
Agreed Grass would only work if it was being used as soccer only and not shared. Part of the problem is grass has a hard time growing during the fall/winter football season. The other have exactly keeping it intact which is really hard with football being played on it as Blockski said.
The other excuse that has been used is that we don't have training grounds, so the "match day pitch" is also the "practice pitch", so grass would get tore up real fast. (not my excuse, but Paulson has used this one)
I'm probably really naive on this issue, but don't they need to get started on this pretty soon in order to have it completed for the beginning of next season? We're just a little over a year away. What's the timeline on this project?
An actually training Facility like Starfire sports complex which the Sounders use as theirs? Didn't think the timbers have one. Its actually still on track for the 2011 deadline the non-construction resolution that was passed by the council was to make sure that deadline would be met. Not like MLS really cares when it gets done its just they just want it DONE period. The union's stadium won't be done in time before the start of 2010 season. The Whitecaps revamp to BC Place won't be done until fall of 2011 with enough of it done for the Whitecaps to move back in July of that year.
Luckily it had a huge renovation around the year 2000, so any major work that needed to be updated to code were done. So I look at this as just another phase of the renovation we just had.
the east stand and roof can easily be done in that time. the part that may take time, but is not essential to the operation of the stadium is the restaurant above the north stand. the concourse widening on the north and west side is the part that worries me. i believe they intend to renovate the west stand a little so it can be raised, thus allowing them to make the concourse under the west stand to be widened (and allowing them to renovate the concessions). i see no problem for completion by 2011 if they can get started in the next couple months. in reality the renovation isnt THAT expansive, the east stand can be built relatively easily.
Yea, that was my concern that it was going to be a longer process to renovate. Good to know. Awesome...thanks for the input guys.