Seattle MLS Stadium Sites

Is a renovation of Memorial Stadium out of the question? With the Sonics likely moving out of town, Seattle Center would LOVE to potentially have an MLS team playing there. I would think that to put in a grass playing surface, add seats behind the west goal, and to just generally make Memorial Stadium a whole lot nicer, would be way cheaper than building a stadium from the ground up.

Plus, it wouldn't have to be 15 to 20 miles from the city.

Let's assume that Seattle does somehow 'get' an MLS franchise in the next 5 or so years. Would Memorial Stadium be possible, economically or otherwise?

 

I like the idea of redoing Memorial Stadium .I have been a big supporter of that and have played many of games their its perfect. But I'm not so sure about the Seattle Sounder Idea .I think its time to start over with some thing new and a fresh start .Sure I grow up in the going to the games in the 70,s but I'm not a big supporter of them know.I think Paul Allen will do some thing but it will be his not the guy ho is a pizza place owner and not with Brian as a coach the guy is a (@##$%0) hole. But I think Portland and Vancouver should also be looked at because the Nasl made the mistake of going into markets that they had no business going to lets just hope the MLS dose it different this time and I think other team need to look at bring more players like Beckham here its just going to push soccer even more.

 

Renton, Renton, Renton......

 

Wow, you might want to try proof reading before you post.

Memorial is not worth the effort. It's a dump, and there is just too much working against it.

It sounds like you've pretty much given up on the "new era" Sounders.
You do know that they have won a few championships, and the local derby cup in the last ten years.
That's a much better record than the other Seattle pro teams...

Just so ya' know, that gung ho pizza place owner has kept a soccer team in Seattle for those of us that still want to go out to see a live match.
You think Brian is a "(@##$%0) hole". What do you base that off of?
Other than last season, his teams have always made the playoffs or the fianls match.
He's always been pretty cool to the supporters.

All that said, I think that if Seattle does get an MLS team it will not be the Sounders...
I'm sure the MLS will want a brand new franchise to promote.
It sucks that they would just throw away that history/tradition.

 

you don't follow the Seattle Sounders now? Why? I don't even want to know the absurdity in that. Shame on you

 

I don't know who owns the land...I think its the city of Seattle but there is a lot of real estate in the Sand Point area right on Lake Washington. Arena Sports has a few indoor soccer fields in an old airplane hangar but there is a LOT of empty space out there. Its not in the suburbs which I think is a plus but apparently rules it out b/c of the last vote on stadium stuff.

 

I don't see a stadium ever going in at Sand Point. The surrounding neighborhoods, especially Kirkland across the lake, will fight tooth and nail to prevent it. The lakefront property owners have the money and political influence. There was a huge stink over just adding lights to the sports fields in Magnusson Park at Sand Point. Suburban Seattle or Bellevue seem to be the most likely prospects.

 

Who owns the land directly south of the Boeing Longacres facility? Is that all Boeing owned? You've got excellent freeway access, as well as a Sounder rail stop right there. When light rail is ready in '09, you could run shuttles from the Tukwila stop. In addition, there's several hotel properties nearby (Also not sure what city the property is in; Tukwila or Renton) for out of towners.

Laying out the stadium correctly would allow Mt Rainier to be on display from more than 3/4 of the seating.

You've got a lot of undeveloped property that could be used for additional fields, as I would think building a large complex, with many fields available for youth tournaments is the only way anything gets built in the Northwest. You'd have to have a place that was usable by the public, not just a stadium for an MLS team.

Apologies if this location has been discussed before - I'm a newbie to the BigSoccer boards (not a newby to the Seattle area (since '93).

 

Who owns the land directly south of the Boeing Longacres facility? Is that all Boeing owned? You've got excellent freeway access, as well as a Sounder rail stop right there. When light rail is ready in '09, you could run shuttles from the Tukwila stop. In addition, there's several hotel properties nearby (Also not sure what city the property is in; Tukwila or Renton) for out of towners.

Laying out the stadium correctly would allow Mt Rainier to be on display from more than 3/4 of the seating.

You've got a lot of undeveloped property that could be used for additional fields, as I would think building a large complex, with many fields available for youth tournaments is the only way anything gets built in the Seattle area. You'd have to have a place that was usable by the public, not just a stadium for an MLS team.

Apologies if this location has been discussed before - I'm a newbie to the BigSoccer boards (not a newbie to the Seattle area (since '93) or (USMNT fan since '90, Crew fan since '96, casual Sounder fan) soccer.

 

Aren't the Sonics moving out of the Key Arena in Queen Anne?


That'd be dope as hell if they tore that down and a beautiful SSS went up there instead.

 

Seattle Center would be a dope location, but the land is worth ALOT and without public taxes or bonds some one with very deep pockets would have to step up to fund the building.

Perhaps the "Gates Foundation Stadium"? They are building their headquarters on the land that is currently the east parking lots after all.

 

Hey there Sounders fans! I read that Phoenix wants to build an SSS with a retractable roof, will you guys be next & when? If Toronto can sell 12k season tix , I'm sure Seattle can with its soccer history! But not before my Quakes! hehehehe! Good luck!

 

Why would we want a retractable roof?
If a SSS/concert stadium is ever built in the Puget Sound area, it will not be in the City of Seattle city limits.

 

The only reason I mentioned it was becuase I thought because of the extensive rainfall, Seattle fans may want one. However, if you don't need it, by all means as the Don would say, "build it & they will come"!

 

As long as they can profit more power to them! Are there any potential owners out there interested or is it just the Sounders group?

 

I know what you mean. Sometimes they say silence is golden. However, that isn't always the case especially not in the days leading up to the Quakes departure in 12/2005 when no one seemed to want to leak anything about it.

 

It really doesn't rain that much in the summer.
When it does, we just tend to drink more beer!

 

Gotta say I totally agree with this. Qwest Field was made with soccer in mind and if everyone remembers it was sold to voters of the whole state, not just Seattle, as a football/soccer stadium.
Somewhere around there has to be a photo of the ads they ran featuring the MLS logo.
The only real question is how supportive would Paul Allen and First & Goal be? If they are supportive and part of the ownership, then it might be doable at Qwest. If they are not involved as anything other than a landlord then it's probably going to cost an owner too much (see Giants Stadium).
I think a lot of us who care ought to take the time to remind Mr. Allen and First & Goal of this.

 

It may not even be the "Sounders group" anymore now that Adrian Hanauer is apparently investing in Cambridge United in the UK...

 

I know a guy whom I worked for in Italy that pledged 13 million to UW. However, he has basically welched on the initial pledge (kind of like he did with me) & is now being investigated by the SEC for back dating stock options. I wonder if this is the problem with investing in the SSS/Seattle MLS deal?

How about the other big wigs? Are they in trouble too? I mean why don't Paul Allen & Bill Gates want to be involved? Is it because no one has approached them or because they don't like soccer?

 

Probably because they don't like soccer. Allen's been quoted as saying he's not interested in investing in MLS.