Don Garber set this Thursday as the deadline to whether or not the Quakes are staying in San Jose. With yesterday's announcement about the Wizards staying put, the press release mentioned the 2006 MLS schedule is nearing completion. "Nearing completion", to me, sounds like 90%. I'm not calling AEG on a bluff, but it is something of interest to note. The next 36 hours are going to be tense for us all, but heck, so has the last three years.
You know I have no idea what is going on but this stuff is really getting sickening! I seriously doubt AEG thinks Houston is a viable option to San Jose but San Jose is really doing anything in their favor to keep the team either. I mean its like a CATCH 22! I hope something happens soon so we can get this over with!
the freakin' catch-22 is... Santa Clara County Board of Sups have 175 acres to develop. They want to develop it including a state of the art theatre (there have been discussions of stadium) BUT, City of San Jose slapped a lawsuit on Santa Clara County Board of Sups because THE CITY thinks they will build their OWN theatre and Santa Clara County is stealing $$ from the City. So, The City of San Jose just DENIES our opportunity for a stadium, but then we can't turn to the County Board of Supervisors because we will get hit with a lawsuit. THIS BLOWS City of Santa Clara, please help. Don't forget to call Commission Don Garber at (212)450-1201 and leave a message telling him to put the pressure on AEG to be flexible in negotiating with Santa Clara. Call afterhours so you can get in his voicemail
I think the dealine is this friday, the 16th. At least that's what was stated by Colin McCarthy to the SJ city council last week.
San Jose did not DENY an opportunity for a stadium. They have currently tabled the current discussion of a stadium to be located on the lot which is currently the Fire Department's training facility. The City of San Jose has not denied anyone a stadium. The City of San Jose would be irresponsible to put a tax-payer funded stadium before the voters at this time. There are still too many issues surrounding the Dumpster-gate issue. The County still controlls the Fairgrounds. The property is their's for development as long as the environmental and traffic issues are addressed. If someone comes forward with money to build a stadium, I believe that they city or county would offer the land at a decent price. Having a multi-million dollar for-profit company to come in and ask the taxpayers to build them a facility is rather silly to do at this time.
Do you think that building the San Jose arena and handing it over to a multi-million dollar for-profit company to run was silly?
Or how about the SanJose Convention Center or the California Theatre. These are run by a multi-million dollar for-profit company.
At the time that McEnery (sp?) was trying to build the Arena, I thought it was a terrible idea. I thought that the city would lose a ton of money on it. Boy was I ever wrong. Now I would be for the City of San Jose or any other city putting up hundreds of millions of dollars for a stadium for a profitable team that could afford to do it themsevles, but we're talking about a much smaller facility here, therefore much less money is at risk, and the likelihood of getting paid back in a timely fashion is much greater. So I think I'd go for it, were I the city. (And not just because I support the Quakes. Were Vancouver to debate whether or not to support the local minor league basketball team, I'd take a hard look at the numbers, but probably support it.) Anyway, the deadline is either tomorrow or Friday, depending on how you count. If Colin said Friday, then Friday it is. I think that our best hope now is that AEG decides to let it play out in San Jose because they've made more progress in the Silly Valley than in Houston. And yeah, I think that's a long shot. QUAKES FOREVER!! - Mark
Read an article on my cell phone by Steve Brisendine, writing for the AP i think. He says regarding quakes "That decision is expected before Christmas, MLS spokesman Dan Courtemanche said." yet another fake deadline???
Why can't these idiot politicians put their heads together and come up with solutions that can benefit everyone. The county should build the multi-purpose soccer stadium at the fairgrounds where there is more than enough room for a stadium and the city build their indoor concert hall downtown.
you know what. another topic has someone blasting taxpayers for never letting anyone get things done. and you are exactly the kind of person he was talking about. "silly to do at this time"? so when would it not be silly, huh? just because there are multimillion dollar corporations all around us doesnt mean that taxpayers don't have to pay part of the bill. clearly noone is stepping forward to do something without the taxpayer money. how could the Earthquakes ever think SJ was a city worthy of their hard(lol) work when the people won't support the team further than going to games and posting on message boards. this stadium could be SO profitable...i can't believe a stadium hasnt been built already. FUAEG but the same goes to the taxpayers who say no because you need to at least throw them a bone to bite on.
Please check your facts before you post. Taxpayers have never been given the opportunity to say yes or no. The politicians have not had the political will to put the opportunity in front of them.
The government of California has been taken over by public employee unions and we let it happen. What have they given us. The worst performing schools in the country. In Texas, public employee unions have somebody else on the other side of the table. And what do they have. The 4th best performing schools in the country. And now the Quakes. Government by public employee unions has failed in California. They need to get the boot.
Well, as a Quakes season ticket holder who is also a teacher in the California public school system and a member of one of the unions mentioned above, I can say that one thing I won't miss after the Quakes leave are messages like this one.
Nope, it was supposed to be praise for your post (i am serious), but unfortunately this "reputation" thing does not let me officially add points to your positive reputation at this moment.
Um yeah... that and the fact that we spend far less per student than every other state, but why make nuanced arguments when a one-size-fits-all just came from the conservative blogosphere. And they spend much more per student. Coincidence? I have no problem with the statement that teachers unions have too much power in the state of California, or that other union backers have too much power in the City of San Jose, but at a time when the strength of unions pales in comparison to previous eras, your argument is a bit of a strawman, doncha think?
Back on topic: There is a press conference with the Mayor of Houston and the Houston Sports Authority scheduled for 2 p.m. Pacific Time tomorrow, Friday. So, to answer the question in the title of the thread: No.