I like the Godfather idea BTW Coney Island - Mets just built a stadium there for the Brooklyn Cyclones, no more room. Corona's been mulled around for years (this would be my second realistic choice)- unfortunately that's either USTA territory or everyone else is waiting for the Mets to build their new stadium. Randalls Island commute makes the Meadowlands look almost simple. It's a nightmare to get to from Long Island, Jersey and everwhere but Spanish Harlem - it'll be like Yankee Stadium in the Bronx without the popularity of the team inhabiting it. (Although the idea of two-three thousand people mobbing up and marching over the bridge would be way cool.) and besides, Hizzoner is too busy jerking the public around and jerking himself off over this West Side Stadium. NOTHING will happen re : another stadium until the West Side is done (hell even Ratner's Brooklyn Nets is on the backburner and he already know half the surrounding area) edit : bs - you also are under the assumption that people care about a new soccer stadium. Chances are, most people don't and if it is brought above ground there is a very very strong NIMBY prescence (even in an absolute hole like Harrison) who will bitch and moan and complain. If they can derail Pequannock, they can derail this. It's a bigger problem than anyone is admitting to.
What about Riverfront Stadium in Newark -- where the Bears play, and do they still play there? We had a friendly match there several years ago, and the place has possibilities -- but only if additional stands could be built and the field re-oriented for soccer. It would cost a pittance to do that, compared to building a new stadium (where ever!), and that Newark stadium is right off a light rail line. As currently configured, parking is limited, to put it kindly. The Newark Metrostars? Yeah. Whatever.
Randalls Island which is #1 by a long mile. and by "realistic" I mean "best chance of getting it done if Metro thought it was feasible to do/easiest partners to work with." The sad part is there's too much money to be made for most municipalities in the area if they use their limited resources to things other than stadiums. and I think the state owns the surrounding area, but it's all public park (Flushing-Meadow/Corona Park. Which oddly enough probably houses a good 4 digits worth of soccer players on any given weekend.)
Yeah, I appreciate the difficulty. Out of all MLS markets, only the Bay Area has a land problem anywhere close to as bad as yours. And you see what kind of problems they have. You guys have my sympathies, and my hope that the Harrison project is only dead as originally conceived. I wouldn't put it past this lame duck to speak out of turn on the broader issue.
I have thought about this for a while and maybe this site is a good area and it has subway access to the #4 B & D trains. The Kingsbridge Armery in the Bronx is not in use by our armed forces anymore. It's on the corner of Kingsbridge Road & Jermoe Ave. With the #4 line right along it. The B & D trains are only a block or two away on the Grand Concourse. There is plenty of room there in my opinion for stands and field for soccer. Make it a double tier stadium enclosing 3/4 of the area. Leaving a 1/3 open for a Diamond Vision Screen, information board wall. Don't destroy the entire place, leave the shell of the building up and build it from the inside. There are some warehouses across the street from it on Jerome Ave. Buy them out, tear them down and build a giant Parking lot. There are other parking garages along the Jerome Ave Subway Line. Also strike a deal with Steinbrenner to make him a part owner/investor if there are territory issues he might cry foul on. For those coming from Riverdale or on the west side of the Bronx and also from Westchester. The Metro North #1 & #9 trains all stop at the other side of the Spyten Duyvil Creek and there is a BX MTA Bus that goes up and across Kingsbridge Road. That's my 2 cents worth.
You can see the top of their new stadium on the tribourough bridge on the way to the Metro game in Jersey..... And this would be a GREAT venue for Open Cup or exhibition games..... but we all know the track record of the GAA when it comes to outside events.... will the NYGAA act the same way?
1. Is there actual construction in progress or is this still talk? 2. GAA in Ireland won't share their fields with non-Gaelic sports. 3. Website says 500 Gaelic games to be played in complex annually. 4. Gaelic pitch is 30 yards wider & 60 yards longer than soccer field.