Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership Wasn't there also some questions as to if they would be able to sell beer at games? There was such crap coming from both pro and con MLS Miami, I can't remember.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership Although the Crew pay property tax, not on the land, but on the structure that sits on it. I only know that because they tried to triple it a few years after and Lamar Hunt withheld the payment. (It's kinda wild to try and re-value a depreciating asset like that.)
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership Meh, She doesn't carry much weight. I laughed at the county commsioners response in another story..... "But Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack says the potential deal is none of Bellaire’s business, and Houston City Councilwoman Anne Clutterbuck said she would “love” to have the stadium in her district."
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership Exactly. The stadium isn't in Bellaire. It's a little bit near Bellaire, but not exactly next door. Frankly, I'm not sure that she even has a dog in the hunt. Yeah, she might be right about traffic and so on, but that to me is the downside to being the mayor of a city that is surrounded completely by the City of Houston.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership Yep, it's all about operational control, not the legal ownership.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership A smart mayor in her situation would encourage the development of hotels and other drinking/eating establishments to capture the sales tax revenue and new jobs that would be generated by such a development.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership I think the Westpark location is a very good option if downtown doesn't work out. It would be a shame to see the project move from the downtown scene, but a positive to the economic areas off Westheimer near the Galleria and most likely the Kirby/Richmond/Weslayan/59 area as well.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership The Crew don't own the land either, which is on State property. It holds up improving the parking lot, and the annual quarterhorse convention that sometimes would take up the parking lot and require some to take shuttles to the stadium.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership I agree completely. I've worked in the Galleria area for more than two years now and that whole larger area centered on 59/610 that includes stretches of Westpark, Richmond, the two freeways, and the main cross-streets has a lot of positive economic activity, as you point out. I also think as you do that development of that proposed stadium site would feed off, and into, all that activity quite well. I can see why the Harris County Commissioner and the City of Houston Council Member whose districts contain that site would be positive about it. And the Mayor of Bellaire has about as much say about what happens in the City of Houston as the Mayor of Mayberry.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership But it will be connected to downtown via light rail and is a place that Houstonians are used to going. Does that count?
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership TSU might still be interested in being a tenant at the new location. "Share" is not the word that should be used, however. TSU would be a tenant in any Dynamo Stadium. And the field surface will be grass. Plus, a lot of people think that that TSU was brought in as a political move to gain support from the City/County. This new location might not need that. And this is all very preliminary.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership The TSU inclusion hasn't worked out so well for the Dynamo's efforts with your fine, fine county reps Lee y Garcia. I thought I remember TSU's involvement was very important other than politically, no money into the project and some special considerations for using the east side stadium project (is that correct?). If the Dyners move to the Galleria however, TSU would be treated like any other renter . . . which is probably out of their snack bracket, my opinion anyway.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership There was a small amount money for rent (a couple of million for 20 years rent) and game-day revenue like concessions would be kept by TSU. That was pretty much it. I would think that the rent would go up at the Galleria location.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership Well, the thing about it is that Bellaire is far enough away that I'm not sure that a stadium at the Galleria would have any impact. Incidentally, as a native Houstonian, I think that this location would be even better than downtown, but that's my own personal opinion.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership The City of Bellaire actually borders this proposed Galleria area site. The site is a the top of this map just to left of the northernmost part of Bellaire.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership No, it is second class because the roof doesn't go all the way around. However, since it has a roof on two sides it is much better than those 3rd class soccer stadiums Barcelona and Lyon play in. I'd love to know what kind of development won't increase traffic. Does she think putting office buildings, retail development, or houses will cause less traffic?
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership That's quality sarcasm. Fresh from the mine. Proof positive that Politics is just a popularity contest
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership So if this deal goes down, the Dynamo will be the Fresh Princes of (adjacent to) Bellaire.
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership OMG....how did i miss this quality pun....someone rep this gentleman
Re: Dynamo Offered New Stadium By Private Ownership Cindy Siegel is up to no good, and needs to stop making trouble in your neighborhood rep'd