At a Washington International Soccer League meeting last sunday, John Terry, the dude who runs everything broke the news to all managers of the teams in the amateur league: DC UNITED IS GETTING A STADIUM SET TO OPEN FOR 2007 or 2008 SEASON meeting was about use of the practice fields, amateur teams using the fields during the weekend get discounts on tickets for gameday, plus there'll be 4 or 5 all weather fields for those rainy days funding'll be split public/private 50-50, local businesses around RFK will pay the private funding, while the DC sports and entertainment commission already has saved money for the sss project, thats your public funding actual announcement within the next month no details on the stadium itself, but imo, it better make home depot center look like a kiddie playground next to our stadium, F*** the galaxy
Are they buiding at the location across the bridge from the boreball stadium or on RFK when they tear it down. It'd be cool if they named it the New RFK or the RFK II until someone buys the naming rights.
I want to believe, but if the scenario is true then it is all public money, which is a little hard to believe will happen. First, I'd imagine a new stadium costs, what, about $140 million. I find it hard to believe the DCSEC has $70 million already saved. Then they expect the other $70 million to come from local businesses? There is no way that is gonna fly. I hope I'm wrong, but this doesn't sound right.
This is bull crap. He isn't saying anything different than what we've heard from the mayor, the front office, etc. I don't see how this qualifies as breaking news. And, how can they make an announcement within a month if they have yet to go before the city council AND Kevin Payne said a couple of weeks ago to expect an announcement in 3 or 6 months? Plus, if a stadium were to be built in 2008 and yet they started it now, that's taking a long time to build the stadium. That's too long, the Fire just began their stadium and they will be set in 2006. This is a load of bull.
Me too... If it doesnt come till 2008, Id be sad, but that would probably mean that we'd have an even more kicken' rad stadium. Still, Im not even going to get my hopes up right now, as much as I want to beileve, this really isnt any new news except for the part about the announcement in a month or so...we'll see. To mellon: I think he is saying that United is going to 'formally' anounce that it wants to build a stadium w/ in the next month, not that it has already been approved or anything like that. I remain skeptical on that, though..
No kidding. I have a hard time believing that local businesses are going to pay for 50% of the stadium, and that the rest is going to be paid for by DC Sports Commission, and that AEG is going to pay a big fat nothing. I mean, really, that sounds totally ludicrous. And what are we back to talking about a SSS in one of RFK's parking lots? It just doesn't sit right with all the Poplar Point talk. I'm seriously debating whether this rumor (because nothing here qualifies as news) really merits its own thread. I ask the thread starter to explain why and how it is that the DC government and all the businesses around RFK suddenly became DC United's stadium Santa Claus. So the credibility factor for this rumor is pretty low in my mind right now. I challenge the thread starter to lend it more credence. Otherwise I'm moving it to the rumors thread ... where it'll probably meet with less "where's the link" and "why should I believe you" hostility.
.....and Allied Troops have established a beach head at Normandy...... I appreciate the enthusiasm and your passing along what you've heard, but we have 1734 threads here that have similar content.
Another thing ... So this rumor says that a SSS will be built around RFK before 2008. The Nationals are playing at RFK until at least 2008. Are you telling me they're going to build a SSS in the parking lot while they're still playing baseball at RFK? I find that hard to believe also.
$140 million? I don't think any soccer stadium other than HDC will cost that much, and I think that was for the whole complex. You're looking at maybe half of that.
There is no guarantee that AEG will still be involved with the stadium or DC United when/if a stadium ever opens. If AEG isn't putting money in, then, to me, this means, that they have plans in place to sell the team. Why put $5-$10M or more into a stadium project that you know is not in your long term plans? We know they want to lessen the number of teams they own. Having a stadium deal in place makes it much much easier to sell.
Prices go way up when you're talking about building downtown in a major city with excellent public transit access. The others built so far have all been in the suburbs.
KP has danced around this bit. I don't think that AEG is going to put up one dollar into building the stadium. I think United's end of the deal is going to be in stadium operations, they'll manage and care for the facility. Whereas that developer was going to pony up a large chunk of the cash.
There was a blurb in the WP Business section 2/14 primarily about Anschutz and his paper. It also said he was in town with business regarding DCU. It mentioned Nowak, Polish embassy etc. Also a conversation with Mark T of DCSEC re "the soccer-only stadium he wants to build". With Tuohey stating "we look forward to a long term relationship with him". If that means anything.
With all due respect unless you can corroborate this info with something of some substance other than your word and desire to get a stadium, than it is BS. Nothing different than what has been said in the other 50 some threads. I want to believe there is life on other planets but I'm not going to do so because someone makes a frisbee look like a UFO. But in closing, yes, Fvck the Galaxy. And their soon to be landlords.
This just doesn't jive. And thank all of us INs (Internet Nuts) would love to believe this. But because of how our FO has been so tight-lipped about the stadium deal, via WP articles, online chats, I seriously doubt they are going to announce anything like that to a bunch of soccer coaches at some random meeting. There have been no public hearings (required by law), no financing plans made public, nor a site selected. Let's say this DCSEC and basically what amounts to yet another business tax in SE DC is true. This means the city is going to essentially GIVE another stadium away. I just don't see that happeneing, nor do I think that DCSEC has SAVED 70 million bucks. They haven't been able or willing to make needed repairs to RFK let alone save that much money. Rumors, only rumors, and tidbits out of KPs mouth. Until I see blue prints, public hearing notices, and something more directly for the horses mouth.... well... "SHOW ME THE MONEY"
So, basically, the Chinese take-out off of East Capitol Street and the local liquor store are going to be footing half of the bill for the stadium.
Dang, you beat me to it... nice one! Just think: DC United's stadium could be the first stadium financed by the sale of single bottles of beer...