WJLA Channel 7 news is on, and in their break to commercial moments ago, they showed a teaser; so they'll be talking about this shortly. EDIT: Jonas beat me to the computer, hehe. EDIT #2: Well, it wasn't much "coverage." But they did mention it anyway.
Hey, Stokes playing at _____________ (instert new stadium name here) is almost bearable. It's inifintely better than Stokes playing at RFK.
MUST HAVE RENDERING! i want to see what this hotel attachment will be like. it would be cool if the hotel was actually part of the stadium and there are balcony's coming out overlooking the pitch
D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission Chairman, Mark H. Tuohey. & Global Sports & Entertainment Executive Vice President, Gary Hopkins also attended the meeting. From what i saw on the map of the project (dated as of November 1, 2005) the stadium appeared to have 4 sides. I think what it is supposed to be the hotel was closed to the waterfront behind the west & north section of the stadium. I also counted around 8 auxiliary fields next to the stadium.
Never mind the hotel, WHAT ABOUT THE PUB??!?! This has all sounded really good. But I guess in the end we're still waiting to see what Congress will do . . . .hopefully, not render all this moot.
I guess the real question is will there be a supporters group discount for hotel rooms the night after games to most easily facilitate attendence at reserve matches in the morning?
So I'm thinking we all better start investing in wheeled ice chests and carts for all our tailgate stuff looks like we're not going to have a Lot 8 equivilent at our new digs. But from this summary we've been provided (and repped onefineesq) I think there is a lot for the residents of Ward 8 to get behind. The hotel is an awesome idea, you can have your opponents stay the night there, as well as traveling fans, or JoeSoccerFan when he's passed out. This all sounds like a win/win, now the only thing left is to show us some stadium renderings!
Thanks for the update. With this hotel thing it is very possible there will be some sort of bar and I think it is possible this bar will get alot of business before and after games. Also the possibility of transients deciding to catch a game simply because there's a hotel near or attached is is good too. So, anyhow. now we wait.
Read the article just now. Not being a jerk, but I doubt that the guy who wrote it has been paying as much attention to this story as its unfolded from the beginning (the stadium issue) as I have. So he is just commenting from one moment in time. You'll just have to take my comments for what they are worth when I tell you that I sat amongst the people, stood in a long line for food afterwards, talking with a bunch of people I didn't know, and then sat down and ate at the cafeteria tables, listening to comments from people I didn't know .......... and the vast majority of it all was decidedly positive. Of course there were a few who expressed concern. But there are ALWAYS going to be a few who do that. Most of the people that I noticed having the concerns were older black people. Again, I LOVE my people. However, I couldn't help but think last night that many times I will see areas like this and feel very sad as I think to myself that despite the concerns of the people, progress is never made. Then, when a reasonable suggestion is made to do SOMETHING forward-thinking is made (whatever that something may be), it is jumped on mostly by that older crowd, who has been living in those same unacceptable conditions for the longest of time. It made me question whether or not it is truly despite the concerns of the people that progress is never made ......... or BECAUSE of the people (again, mostly the now older folks), that progress wasn't and isn't made. Some people (of any race) are always going to be better at ripping others ideas down than they are at coming up with an idea of their own. Again though, I got the feeling that the people in charge were very much in the corner of DCU and were just presenting this in an effort to allay the fears of the populace. And to my witnessing, most people were on board.
Yikes, sorry, it wasn't my intention to say "hey, this guy says onefineesq is wrong," especially when I don't think it says that at all. It's the nature of newspapers, when they cover something like this, to interview, and present comments from, people on both sides of an issue; so things that aren't very contentious are apt to seem like they are. At the same time, I do like to hear what people on both sides of things are saying . . . . Well, I think that the concerns a lot of people in Ward 8 have are certainly legitimate. In a different article today, the Post looks at the dramatic drop in quantity of affordable housing inside the District. If I lived in Ward 8, watching the "$800,000 for a townhome" line sweeping across Capitol Hill closer and closer to the Anacostia, and unable to get a single supermarket to open in the Ward for years, and was told that somebody wanted to build a stadium there, I'd be skeptical too, thinking "dammit, that isn't what we need". It seems like Payne and Co. are making a solid effort to address those concerns; but they're not going to win over everyone.
It's human nature to oppose change. When you're used to the status quo a radical change like the one proposed might seem like your way of life is being uprooted without taking you, the individual into consideration. It's going to be difficult to sway the older folks minds regardless. They've been there for generations and see their neighborhood changing leaving their past behind.
The Post also seems to be looking at gentrification and development across the city with a fairly critical eye. Not saying this is bad, but seems to be the case. I also think affordable housing will be one of the top issues in the next Mayoral election.
This is a good point. It would be nice to see some community banking support in this project that might help residents open businesses like grocery stores. There are foundations that guarantee bank loans for community reinvestment projects. They should try and get that kind of foundation involved in this kind of thing.
thanks to those who attended and reported back here. one more question: was any form of a timeline mentioned? i'm guessing a lot depends on the land transfer and MLB concerns (or maybe not so much anymore). but is 2008 the year when a Poplar Point stadium would open? 2007 is not an option at this date, is it?
I found the last paragraph of the Post article interesting: This is where we need to educate the Ward 8 folks a little bit more about US Soccer. The folks aren't all that rich, and we just got to the point where AMERICANS in general are really running things, in terms of front offices, coaches, etc. That, and we're really just now running through the first real generation of soccer players that will and are going to move into management. It won't be too long until guys like Eddie Pope are running things. Or the team can try an illustrate Earnie Stewart as an alumnus of United now has a front office position in Europe. Or we can just bring Desmond Armstrong to the team (where is that guy, anyway?). Point is, that United could help strengthen the point that MLS is not like the other leagues run by rich old men (don't show a picture of Anshutz, Hunt, or Kraft), and doesn't have a history of excluding people based on backgrounds or ethnicity.