Tampa. Orlando where would you put your new stadium.

In Miami, I'd tear down the old Miami Areana site and build a 45-50k seat Soccer stadium with a covered roof around the spectator seats.

Having the stadium adjacent to the Overtown Metrorail station is IDEAL. It avoids most of the traffic conjestion, puts the stadium in a sweet urban location, and may become a perfect stadium for other tenants such as the University of Miami Football which would probably help with the cost as well.

Of course, it sorta sucks having Gridon played however, I suggest placing temporary "turf" for the Gridiron games and at worst placing a turf similar to the one presently used in Giants stadium. The Giants Stadium turf is practically indistinguishable from natural turf at least on TV. (?? I believe it is the same turf that is being used at the Dallas Burn's temporary Dragon Stadium, however the bounce on the ball there is horrendous and the Gridiron markings don't help either?? is it the same turf??)

The other alternative is keeping a natural turf to be shared with Gridiron. Not such a bad alternative since the college gridiron football season is short and U of Miami practices on on-campus fields. Thus only 5 to 6 Gridiron games would be played all year. Sure College Gridiron is usually played on Saturday's but mostly at 12 or 3pm leaving the cool Saturday evening for Soccer at 730 or 8pm.

PS: In yet another positive turn should the above occur. You would leave the OLD and ragged out OB without a tennant--minus soccer an UM Gridiron. Thus allowing for the hopeful development of a state of the art Baseball stadium on that site and thus all parties WIN.

 

There is no way UM football would play in a stadium that holds only 50,000. Even if they usually only need the extra capacity once a year.

 

you'd think disneys wide world of sports complex would have ONE nice SSS.

 

I disagree. UM has traditionally had troubles filling up the OB. Because of it, its games lose out in atmosphere and intimacy. They may fill the OB once a year maybe for that FSU or rare UF game but thats in large part from the rivalry and the large UF/FSU alumni in S.Florida as well.

UM would certainly be interested in a state-of-the-art SMALLER(but more luxury seats) facility in downtown with a great deal of intimacy, right next to a metrorail station. Not only that but the smaller stadium creates much more demand and would probably jack up ticket prices for a deservedly better "experience".

Trust me a UM game in a 50k or so seat stadium in downtown would be AWESOME...not to mention the footy. Could you imagine the noise alone in a such a covered stadium right on top of players!!! Gridiron or Footy.

 

I would LOVE to see a European retro-style 20-30k purpose-built soccer stadium in Ybor City! Picture it in the Historic section, with matching Castellano architecture, located right between I-4 and the Crosstown for easy access (once all the I-4 construction is done). I'd name it Campo Ybor.

Doubt I'll ever see it happen (sigh).

 

Ybor

I don't think there's enough room to put a stadium in Ybor city. There's really no open space there.

Has anyone petitioned The Mouse for an expansion? Disney has money. They already own three major sports teams.

 

i did read your post above. and it does not mention anything about Disney's interest or lack of interest in soccer. all it mentions is that there'll be an open stadium due to their lack of interest in baseball.

calm yourself.

 

A little birdy told me a PDL team might be placed in the following markets: Tampa, Miami, Pensacola, Jacksonville, and/or Orlando/Kissimmee.

I'd love to see maybe Thunder Field or Tinker Field converted to a soccer stadium...

 

Slightly off topic

Well the Glazers are apparently looking to buy the LA Dodgers.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2003/05/15/angels_sale_ap/