Revolution Stadium Groundbreaking "12-24 months" Part XVI

The oldest piece I've ever found is from 2006. I certainly remember rumors in the tailgate in 2005 (from what I can remember from those bygone days). I don't know if it's been discussed, probably has, but Columbus (COLUMBUS!!!) might lap us by moving into their second home.

That is a very interesting little chunk from the Wahl piece. "First half" (6 months) and "might" kind of take the air of out it but hey it's been awhile since anything was mentioned.

To me this is the important piece:

That's the problem Grant, "left behind" doesn't really mean anything in MLS. You're still getting those sweet, sweet SUM checks every time someone joins, big events still roll through Bob's stadium (Copa America 2016, upcoming Chelsea game), there's no real stick to go with the carrot.

 

Where once, upon seeing new activity here, I would flood with excitement and butterflies, I now just open the thread with a simple sigh.

Perhaps this time the swirl of news will come true but 10-15 years of disappointment and cynicism prevent me from having even a glimmer of hope upon reading these updates.

 

C'mon now, you need to see the glass as more half-full! Of course, one way to get a half-full glass is to take a full glass and pour out half the liquid, and in Burnsian logic kind of way, it makes perfect sense.

But remember, we are all just unwilling passengers on a runaway train to doom and annihilation. Brief spasms of joy, like 5 MLS Cup appearances, are only there to point out the total hopelessness of all human endeavor.

 

I hear ya.

 

If so, then it leaves BrickBottom Somerville as the next most viable option, since it is mostly warehouses for removal. The former area by the former Masspike tolls might be an alternative too. For that again, if the city can somehow can remove nearby homes for cheap and realign roads in the future, then it could work.

 

What about Wonderland Dog Track in Revere? I read that is a 28-acre area, and that the demolition of it entered its final stages earlier this year. I don’t think it has been sold to a developer yet.

 

Note the cited quote, when I wrote the post.

 

Am I missing something. I don't see anything about Wonderland in that post.

 

The former Wonderland Dog Track site is owned by CBW Lending, which - in turn - is comprised of New York-based developer Richard Fields' Coastal Belmont, LLC; another New York outfit, Vornado Realty Trust; and Joe O'Donnell's Belmont Capital.

I've heard differing stories regarding what CBW plans to do with the property. In February of this year, Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo said that the owners were looking to sell the property. Then, in September, CBW spokesperson Chip Tuttle said that the owners were looking forward to working with the city on the property and contributing to all of the good things that were happening in the community.

Earlier this month, Mayor Arrigo announced that the City of Revere was setting in motion the process by which the municipality's first comprehensive master plan in more than 40 years would be put into place. A kick-off event is scheduled for January 15th of next year, after which the city's planning and development department will team with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to conduct a six month long community engagement progress in an effort to incorporate the vision of residents into the outline. One would presume that future development of the Wonderland site would be a significant part of said "comprehensive master plan".

Would a Revere-sited soccer-specific stadium for the Revolution be ideal? No, it would not. It would undoubtedly present challenges, many of which have been discussed here before

Still, that said, it would seem that if the Krafts have an eye on Wonderland, even if only as a potential site for a soccer-specific stadium (a "fall-back option" if you would), then they need to make their possible interest known to the powers-that-be in Revere sooner, rather than later. Otherwise, they run the risk of being left out of the discussion altogether.

 

To add a little fuel to that Revere fire, the NECCO factory located to the north of Wonderland across the train tracks recently closed for good.

Buy both of those properties, and you've got enough room for a stadium, parking, and some additional development.

 

Some stadium porn on a Sunday morning

 

MK Dons stadium. Perfect, imo.

 

MK Dons. UK's Relocation Team.

 

They used to be Wimbledon.
I have no interest in the team. I just want their stadium.

 

It'll never happen in New England, but I keep waiting for an MLS team to build the soccer equivilant to Fenway Park or Tiger Stadium... something with a little character. Sadly, I think Providence Park is as close as we're gonna get.

 

Some of you have heard this story before, but back in 1999 or so, when plans for the new stadium were underway, I had a conversation with Jonathan Kraft and suggested they model the new Pats Palace after Sampdoria's stadium in Genoa, only larger. (It holds maybe 40 k)


You can't really tell from this pic, but it is double-decked all the way around, but the roof gives it a really intimate feel. I remarked how the Broncos always had such a great home field advantage, and with a design like this, the Pats would have it 10x as good. He said he had visited Amsterdam(n) ArenA, and it was "really nice," but then what we got was Giants Stadium with cup holders and a few empty sections.

So yeah, Portland is the closest thing to Fenway Park we'll have in MLS. Of course, it does date back to the 1920s.

 

A roof would be nice, but also would reduce the critical light needed to keep grass growing. A retractable roof would address that, but now you're talking $$$.

There are reasons that none of the new US stadiums/arenas have the real intimacy of the old ones: building codes, safety regulations, customer expectations of 'comfort' and accessibility and construction/real estate cost factors.

 

Why Robert or Jonathan Kraft would spend the amounts thrown around here for a seperate SSS is already a HUGE question. Since this has devolved into a SSS daydream, why not imagine he’ll pay for retractable roofs, special greenhouse lighting, a field that rolls out from under the stadium to get clear sunlight between games or all three? The fantasy has to stop at retractable roofs?

More “seriously,” I believe they’ll be wasting money if they don’t build a SSS that has both real grass AND significantly improved protection from the weather/elements. That is, IF they ever build anything at all.

 

American Soccer Stadiums are pretty new since the league started in 1996. In about 100 years from now, these Modern Stadiums will be the "Old Stadiums" of the future.

 

The thing about old structures is that they last longer than new ones. Look at Fenway Park, it's over 100 years old. No new stadium has ever lasted that long!

 

Our imaginary, Kraft built SSS must be an "old structure." It will be at least 100 years before it is replaced by a real structure.

 

About to get lapped...

New owners pledge to make Crew SC "the most successful organization in MLS"
February 6, 2019, 2:57PM EST
Charles Boehm

 

Indirectly related to a SSS in Boston but there's a Globe article discussing a proposal out for a Local Wetlands Protection Ordinance led by councillors Wu and O'Malley. This is significant because Wu is the councillor who have the most influence in a stadium in the Widett area. It's relevant because it would further strengthen the power of the BPDA to designate certain areas Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, warranting further protection. This is perhaps necessary for the city to combat CO2 emissions but it also could hinder a stadium effort. Just something to watch.