Anyone have an update? It appeared that the ball was in Frisco's court and that a decision would be made some time soon.
Yesterday's MLS Confidential said that an agreement with Frisco might be announced in the "next couple of weeks". I'll believe it when I see it.
It's funny that this should come up again. In the latest MLS Confidential, as posted to the Burn e-mail list by Hitman...
So in terms of what might be announced... What do people think? A) Frisco and HSG have entered into an agreement to "explore" a SSS OR B) Frisco and HSG have sealed the deal and construction will start on ______________ pending _______________. It took 9 months to build Crew stadium once the shovels hit the ground. If Frisco is a go - I wonder how quickly HSG could start construction. I assume they already have blueprints from the McKinney project and Crew Stadium. The only variables I see are potential financing issues with Frisco (i.e. a public bond) but that doesn't seem to be the case given the money is already there. The only other issue is the environmental impact survey and anything else related to preping the site for construction. I'd appreciate any thoughts on this matter. I'm trying to get a sense of how realistic it might be to expect the Burn playing in a new SSS in 2004.
Yes, but Crew stadium is relatively barebones. There're some high school football stadiums in the DFW area that're almost as nice. Presuming the Burn's SSS is a middle-of-the-road design -- no bench seating ala Columbus, but not as many bells & whistles as LA's -- I'd expect it would take approximately 18 months to build.
I'm wondering if Hunt would have the same outfit build in Frisco, as did in Columbus. I've always known that if a builder does a big, unique contract once or twice, it does get easier. 12 months... especially when you consider the climate.
I've been to Crew Stadium and I can tell you for a fact that for the most part, it's pretty much Dragon Stadium with seating on all four sides of the field. And a grass field. I'd imagine that it would have bench seating in the ends, some real luxury suites (the ones in Crew Stadium are open-air and without any plumbing), and it would take probably just over a year to build.
Why does anyone here think that Hunt's going to break the bank and build something more substantial than in Columbus. For one thing, he'll be primarily spending Frisco's money correct? Regardless, Hunt doesn't seem to be the type to spend AEG dollars on his parks. No sushi for the club areas and no valet parking for celebs and high rollers. So unless the stadium design includes a roof - I'm inclined to think that will go with a barebones Columbus Crew type of stadium - that incorporates minor improvements and fixes that have come out of the Crew's experience running their stadium. Still - I'm curious to hear your thoughts on what precisely will be announced in the coming weeks. 1. A final decision with a groundbreaking date? 2. A decision to enter into negotiations? 3. A final decision with a roadmap to a groundbreaking?
My guess is that Frisco will chip in $25 to 40 million and Hunt will put in $10 million or so. That should be enough to build a nice 20,000 capacity stadium with individual seats along the sidelines and bleachers behind the endines. The reason Hunt took the cheap route in Columbus is that he paid all the costs of building Crew Stadium, $25 million or so, himself. In Frisco, however, the city will be paying the majority of construction costs, and so Hunt will end up with a pretty nice home for his new team for less than 1/2 of what he spent in Columbus.
VW is correct. It cost Hunt 28 million to built CCS and that just covered bare bones, but the Crew needed it because there was nowhere else to play. There are plans to expand and refurbish it when CCS consistently sells out though. I wish there were some pictures still around of the stadium Hunt wanted to build with his 28 million and Columbus's 28 million. It was a lovely stadium with the same capacity with chairs, closed boxes, and a roof where Nationwide Arena is now. However, Columbus citizens consistently refuse to fund billioniars and even Nationwide was built with private money. Good or bad that's the way it is here. (Now to add a little personal preference, I like benches with backs more than seats anyway. Even on a full row there is room to negotiate space. With Seats you have your 14 to 16 inches and that's it.) I would have to say anything with Frisco would be a half and half deal. Lets say Frisco 30M and Hunt 30M. They will be able to do amazing things with 60M to work with. Same will go with the Metros stadium if all their legal papers get done. That's the way of the world. CCS showed that building a stadium could make a team financially succesful and the stadiums that follow will be better and have more luxeries than the first. I hope when all the teams get their stadiums, CCS is the worst and it forces them to go through with the renovations.
I'll feel a heck of a lot better when ground has been broken in Harrison and Frisco. Who knows, after that maybe something can be done about Chicago and DC? -Tron
one step at a time, let's get the dirt flying in NJ and Dallas first before talking about DC and Chicago.
When the announcement comes, it's not going to be a "we've reached an agreement in principle." It's going to be "a groundbreaking ceremony is tentatively set for the week of (insert date)"
Are you hearing any rumors from Burn sources regarding the stadium? Does it look like the stadium has a good chance of getting built, or does it look more likely to slowly fade off the radar screen?
Well if Frisco officials in conjunction with HSG make a groundbreaking announcement and if the ground is actually broken before April - there is a 90% chance that the Burn will play in Dragon for only 1 year. It took the Crew 9 months to get Crew Stadium operational. From April to April - the Burn would have 12 months to pull off the same feat. I don't think the Frisco stadium would be on par with the Carson stadium - so outside of having more seatbacks - I don't see it taking that long to build. The devil is in the details - and we're short on those. Anyone else know more than what was hinted in SA?
That would be a serious misscalculation of the conditions of the sports entertainment market in Collin County. Frisco is opening a minor league baseball stadium this spring that has every amenity that a major league stadium offers just smaller in scale. The price point of their ticket is on a par if not lower than the price point of a Dallas Burn ticket. Therefore, the soccer stadium will have to match or at least come close to matching the amenities offered at the baseball park to get Collin County Joe Public to support it.
I agree with Chamo here. The North Dallas fans are not going to be satisfied with a glorified High School stadium. It will have to be at least minor first class. Minor in size and it won't need to be up to the new American Airlines Center, the Ballpark in Arlington or Texas Stadium in amenities but if it is stark the Burn will forever be considered second rate. Let's hope that Hunt and Wagner know this about this market.
Oh, I'm pretty sure they know. I think if they were looking to put up something like Columbus Crew Stadium or Lockhart Stadium, they'd just go to the Carroll ISD and say, "Hey, we're interested in making a few changes to Dragon Stadium." And $10 million later, they'd have something like Crew Stadium or Lockhart Stadium. And don't doubt for a second that Carroll ISD wouldn't let them do it. Given the very Burn-friendly terms of the current lease at Dragon Stadium, I don't think that they were exactly of mindset to play hardball with Hunt Sports. The fact that we haven't gone that route yet tells me that they've got something bigger and better cooking in Frisco. And let's face it, Tom Hicks' new minor league ballpark in Frisco isn't gonna be bare-bones, so Hunt'll have to build something at least as good for the Burn.
This is what the Burn new stadium has to compete with. http://www.ridersbaseball.com/upload_images/BullpenView.jpg http://www.ridersbaseball.com/upload_images/ViewoftheField.JPG
Very nice, I don't care too much for the beach house look behind the plate, the press area almost looks more like a golf resort than a baseball stadium. But it is nice nevertheless.
I would be happy with Crew Stadium. It makes sense for Frisco to build a high school football stadium. They added the additional sales tax, but never, to the best of my knowlege, revoked it. A high school football stadium, paid for by the tax, will bring some money into the school district. Money Frisco does not have to share. If HSG does decide to contribute a substantial amount of money, I believe we should be happy with enclosed ends, a well kept grass pitch, painintg over the gridiron lines during the season, and decent concessions. Oh, and preferential areas for the Inferno. Luxury box for the officers.