I think the buzz during the Arlington stadium soap opera was that Duchissoiss (sp?) needed Daley's support to get some things relating to Arlington Park racetrack through the legislature. So he was easily influenced or intimidated by Daley. However, it's not clear that Daley would be able to strong arm other suburban politicians especially in Dupage county. They would have the Republican connection counterweight to offset any shenanigans Daley might try to pull. Daley needs Republican support to get many things he needs and desires for Chicago. There would be a cost for any vindictiveness toward on a suburb luring the Fire away from Chicago. So if Chicago is not an alternative for the Firehouse, then maybe a suburban location is. In terms of central location, somewhere near the convergence of the Eisenhower/I-88, I-290 and Tri-State would be the best in terms of access. If a spot could be located that also could have Metra access via the Burlington Northern, it would be about as good as you can do. Travel from all the burbs would be as reasonable as could be expected given the shift West. Naperville hasn't been perfect, but has generally been a pleasant place to go to. I think it shows that a right sized stadium for the Fire could be great.
Regardless of whether CART runs there again (I would put the chances of another auto race there at about 50%), Sportsman's Park will continue to be used for horse racing.
Will it? Hawthorne & Sportsman's are still talking about merging their thoroughbred operations. Past speculation reported all racing will be done at Hawthorne. http://www.suntimes.com/output/horse/cst-spt-odnt24.html
Fanaddict, sorry, I was posting off the cuff and got my Ryans mixed up. Don't kid yourself, though, they're ALL crooked. Then let's hear your explanation. Or, if you want to know the thruth, go read RogerinIL's post. I think the the Republicans wouldn't really fight Daley regarding his blocking a Firehouse because they don't care any more about a Firehouse than he does and they're smart enough to pick and choose their battles with him. Besides, they also know that the new SF has to be paid for and it's likely more important to them that the Fire help pay the SF rebuilding bills then it is for the Fire to have a Firehouse. The Fire's best potential strategy is still to try to work a stadium deal on the state level because at the local and county level they can fuggedaboudit as long as Daley wants them in SF. You've obviously never tried to get anything done or stop something from getting done in Chicago. The Cook County Democratic "Machine" is such a non-existent phantom that every serious political analyst who comments on Illinois politics still ends up having to take it into consideration. It may not be as absolutely powerful on the state level as it was in King Richard I's heyday, but if you think it's "fiction", you're sadly misinformed . Wow, you're batting .000 in this thread, dude. This discussion is directly related to the Fire because we're discussing the conditions for the existence of a Firehouse which, like all potential stadium deals, involves a heaping plateful of local politics. Of course, if you don't wish to discuss the Fire, why are you here? Please see my comments immediately above.
I bet we'll get an MLS Cup when the stadium's done. When is the LA stadium supposed to be done? I think it'd be great to have an MLS Cup in Chicago.
Home Depot National Training Center (aka "Victoria Street") is due for completion some time June of next year. Think Garber said that both the All Star game and the MLS Cup will be there. As I recall, your guys did just fine last time Los Angeles hosted an MLS Cup game - so maybe this is a good omen for the Fire.
You guys I don't think you are going to see a deal for a stadium in Chicago until someone else is running the team on Michigan Avenue. End of Story. It's pretty obvious Peter and Co are sending us back to Soldier field and they probably don't care anymore. I don't blame them considering all the BS with AEG and Daley.
I AM SAYING THIS RIGHT NOW. I think that I can say this for alot of people. If the Fire build a stadium anywhere near the town of Naperville or any nutty suburb similar to it. I am not buying season tickets anymore. You can kiss atmospehere goodbuy. I would rather see us back at Solider Field anyday than see us at a crap hole like Naperville, longterm.
Atmosphere? 1. You must have missed the last couple games. The atmosphere in Section 8 was pretty freakin' cool IMO. Seemed like old times... 2. What the hell do you care about atmosphere? You sit in the VIP section. I never see you in section 8. If you don't contribute to the atmosphere, then you can't complain about it. 3. Atmosphere is what WE make it. If we ROCK THE FREAKIN' STADIUM... then the atmosphere will rock. If we whine and moan, then the atmosphere will SUCK! Don't people get that? I'll take a SSS that belongs to the Fire in any suburb in which they'd like to build it. Anyway, I'm sure you'll get your wish... we'll be back in that cavern, where we're all second class citizens and 800 lb. football players can yell about how DaMarcus Beasley tears up the field, explaining why they suck... where the big, white football lines are on painted dirt instead of an artificial surface... where the parking will cost $15.00-$18.00 instead of FREE... I understand people complaining about the surface and the small pitch size... but to comlpain about the atmosphere? That's no one's fault but our own. We control that. We can make it better than ever. We don't have to kiss it... um... "goodbuy."
I respectfully disagree. I live this stuff everyday. Maybe it depends on one's definition of a political machine -- but the days of old are over. There are powerful politicians everywhere, but the omnipresent "machine" is dead. If you'd like to get into the specifics, tell me appropriate forum to head to. Otherwise, I've said my piece and won't clutter this one again.
Looks like I was wrong about Sportsman's... Sportsman's set to hit finish line Would Sportsman's work as a Firehouse site? Pluses: - The land isn't likely to be in high demand for commercial uses, so it might be possible to get it relatively cheaply. - The soccer stadium would take up far less space than the track, so there would be more than enough room for parking. - Close to expressways. Minuses: - Demolition costs for track and at least part of the grandstands (the size and configuration is wrong for soccer. It might be possible to recycle part of the lower deck, but that would be it). - Public transportation. It's not close to the L or Metra and only served by one CTA bus route.
I guess it's a possibility but as reported before the Fire was looking for a town to donate land so I don't know if Anschutz is willing to buy the land plus pay for the remodeling to make it soccer specific.
I'm not sure what you mean by close. The Metra line (the same one that goes to Naperville) has a stop on Cicero within a mile of the location. (That's a bit further than the distance in Naperville, but less than twice as far.) The Blue line has a stop on Cicero & Cermak. That's another four blocks north. Admittedly it's not right on the doorstep, but the metra line is about the same distance from Sportsmans as the red line is from Soldier Field, and there were a lot of people that utilized that to get to games.
UMMM -agree, also it's not like the CTA runs a train right up to Soldier field doorstep - they have buses in Cicero too. There is good abandoned or practically abandoned land all over the SW side (and near in burbs like Cicero). Maybe if a Daley kid or cousin once removed plays soccer ... and if this kid were good enough (or close to it) to play for the Fire, OK the Rampage, OK high school soccer ... and maybe if this kid needed a summer job and the HIZZONOR had already used up his allocation of ghost payroll jobs ... and maybe if his fatcat construction friends ran out of other city jobs to perform ... ... maybe the kid plays for the Fire, Daley builds a stadium, the fatcats overrun the budget by double, and FIRE fans are delirious. Maybe ...
All, The Bears fought old man Daley and current Daley for over 30 years to get a new stadium. They finally settled with the new SF simply because they weren't going to get a stadium unless the park district benefits from it. Then again, McCaskey was running the show for a while. That didn't help either. If it took the Bears so long to get a new stadium, do you really think the Fire will have any success? If I understand correctly, the lease was signed for SF for ten years. The only way the Fire could get out of it if they moved into a stadium in the city.
You left out the key word, "free." They probably could have had a stadium any time they wanted to, if they were willing to pay for it. But they wanted the taxpayers to provide it for them. Which is ultimately what has happened, unfortunately.
Even if the stadium is in the suburbs they can get out of the lease. This has been confirmed by peter wilt.
Keith the atmosphere in Naperville blows!!! Outside of section 8 people sit on their hands in the suburbs. I remember at soldier field that a crowd of 15-20 would be electric on Soldier field because the people were really into the game. You can't force people to clap. it's the type pf crowd that attend the game now. They are there for a show they really don't give much of a crap about soccer other than that fact that little johnny plays. In Chicago alot of the famalies made the trek not just because Johnny plays but to watch the amazing plays of some of our players on a nice wide grass field. SIGH I miss soldier field. . I know you live here but c'mon!! Give it a rest. It isn't as good and maybe it can be but I have yet to see it. Oh and by the way 3/4 of the season gone and still no sellout!!! Cough cough!! keep up the good work sales boys
Well, granted, it was grass, and it was widER, but would hardly qualify as wide as the Gillette Stadium field or Mile High's or the new Soldier Field's. It was certainly wider, cooler, and less fake than Cardinal Stadium's, this is true.