http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou070514_cc_dynamostadiumnegotiation.6d38df74.html ...for a downtown stadium. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?p=11547238#post11547238 Probably not proper N&A decorum to reference a BS thread but there isn't a link yet. Glenn Davis reported it a little under an hour ago on his radio show. It should be archived soon and available on-line. I'm also thinking Bernardo Fallas should have something up on the Chronicle's website shortly.
In a related story, AEG also signed a Letter Of Intent with the City of Sugarland for a $65 Million concert venue. It's possible that the SSS could be stage-free, due to different technicalities in prior H-Town paperwork. But OYE OYE OYE, they say to expect a final anouncement/renderings in or before July. The plan's for it to open in 2009.
Oi, I'm ********ing stoked about this. Let's get it right, there's no better place than to have the stadium in the city of Houston. Think TFC but without the EPL-style atmosphere.
How "pro-business" and "pro-stadium" are the powers that be in Houston, and the population in general?
I'd say they are very pro-stadium. The local tv seems to be covering the stories well, and interviews with the all-powerful Astros fans and owner seem to be in support of a SSS.
Congratulations to Houston for whatever this means, but I'm trying to figure out how is this really news. They still have to iron out small little details like where, how much, how it will be funded and control over events and revenue, but they signed something that said they want to build the stadium in Houston? Seems like something that will really get everyone's hopes up without actually any new developments.
This means A) Sugarland, Webster, Pearland, and surrounding suburbs are out of the running for now. B) City of Houston officials have some sort of agreement with the Dynamo, they will work together to get this done before Dynamo gets moved C) Closer than ever before on getting a stadium blueprint
I really do hope Houston gets a stadium, because I can't wait to never have to go to Robertson again, but I'm just going to play devil's advocate here For now, exactly. So how is this any different from how it was before? They're saying they'll only talk to the city of Houston about a stadium until they can't come to an agreement on it? Isn't that how it always is? Again, how does signing a letter change anything? So they'll work together giving each other proposals and hope that they can find something that works ? It just seems like the kind of thing that will get fans hopes up without anything really changing.
I understand the reservations that everybody has, especially considering how many times MLS fans have been burned over the past decade. I mean, San Jose looked like a lock for a stadium a month ago, and now that's completely blown up. At the same time, though, every little bit helps, and the fact that city officials are willing to go in public, and in writing, about their support for a Dynamo stadium in Houston is still outstanding news. Congrats guys!
For the past 6 months or so, various towns in and around Houston have expressed interest in building a stadium for the team. What the LOI does is give COH first crack at it, so as of now all the other locations like Pearland and Sugar Land are out of the running. For those that know Houston's layout, here is the proposed site: That's Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros, on the left, US-59 in the center, and some parking lots on the right. Oliver Luck has had a hand in building all of the major stadiums in Houston. The fact that AEG is building an entertainment center in Sugar Land is huge, as a non-compete clause the city has with Toyota Center means concerts couldn't happen at any Downtown Dynamo Stadium.
Honestly, the population in general, isn't too keen on stadiums that are financed with tax dollars. I guess you could say no population is but I think Houston's is even more opposed to the idea. The biggest thing going for Houston in Oliver Luck. When he worked for the Houston Sports Authority, he got Reliant Stadium, the Toyota Center, and Minute Maid Park all built centrally and within a 3 year time period of one another. He is connected with everyone and has relationships with just about every key member in the community that will have a say in whether or not this happens. He's already gotten Drayton McLane (Astros owner) on board by tying in parking for Minute Maid Park with a SSS deal and several councilman as well too. He knows everyone, is respected by everyone, and I'm confident he can make it 4 for 4 for Houston sports venues. There's some truth in that a LOI doesn't finalize anything. That said it is significant because it means that the Dynamo is only restricting their negotiations to the City of Houston and not Sugarland, Pearland, etc. It's only in the Dynamo's best interest to narrow the field to one if both parties feel that they are close to hammering out a deal. Of course, there could be stumbling blocks along the way but this should indicate that, at the least, neither party expects their to be any problems working out a deal. I believe that they are hoping to have things finalized by July if there are no problems during the negotiations.
It's OK. They haven't come up with a way to link the radio yet. Added the KHOU link to the top when I saw it.
Why is it only 20k? Wikipedia says average attendance for houston was 18,935 last year. Especially with a downtown stadium that would increase tremendously.
That includes 70,550 for a doubleheader at Reliant Stadium with Barcelona-America as the night cap. For the 15 games held at Robertson Stadium, they drew 15,494 a game. Robertson Stadium is only a few miles to the southeast of downtown on the campus of the University of Houston. How would moving a few miles north on the Gulf Freeway make that much of a difference?
We don't know the new stadium capacity yet. It will be as low as 20,000, or as high as 25,000 from what I understand. Probably 25,000, since it will be in the middle of Houston.
What it changes is, the downtown option is now "quasi-officially" realistic. This is the threshold it's unlikely they'd cross for a longshot. And that's how you would have had to view a downtown stadium only a few months ago.
1) Robertson Stadium is obsolete and nowhere nearly as fan-friendly as the newer stadiums 2) Not everyone's been to UH. 3) The stadium would be in probably the most noticible place you could possibly put a stadium in the state of Texas without demolishing the Alamo. When people go to Dynamo games now, they don't go because of the "comfort"; they go because they love the team. Hopefully the new stadium will provide both.
Yeah, but that has nothing to do with the location. Downtown vs. UH is basically a wash, location-wise, as close as UH is to downtown. Not that I think that location is as big of deal in Houston as it would be in other markets, short of putting the stadium in Humble or Katy or something goofy like that.