I miss all this awesome drama and nobody posts the MJ popcorn gif? Everybody who doesn't support Columbus or Austin should be ashamed. On topic... The St. Louis thing is really odd. Can they really claim Eminent Domain for the construction of a stadium?
It depends on Missouri law but probably yes. The US Constitution requires property taken by eminent domain to be for a public purpose and with fair compensation paid. A sports stadium open to the public should qualify unless Missouri tightened their ED statute after a US Supreme court case called Kelo. In that case the court ruled a public purpose was just about anything a public body declared it to be (a city in CT wanted to seize Suzette Kelo's house so a real estate developer could build an office park which would pay more taxes than a residential street). That prompted a political backlash so some states and cities did restrict ED.
Wasn't there a similar case north of Boston where the Supreme Court ruled that the town could take the private land to turn it over for redevelopment by another private company?
I didn't see it mentioned in the article, but that lot is owned by Anthem Blue Cross. They are located in the big white building 2 blocks east of the lot. If any can afford a protracted fight over eminent domain, it would be them. Hopefully it won't come to that.
I wouldn't have questioned it if it were the 1950's. Of course, but it's surprising to me that it's an option anymore. While I usually disagree with its use, if it were going to be able to be used, I'd be ok with it being used to take domain of a parking lot.
There was the battle over the Northern Pass hydropower project in New Hampshire's North Country, or Great North Woods. A partnership comprised of Hydro-Quebec and Northeast Utilities (now known as Eversource) wanted to build a transmission line through the state. The problem was that 40-some-odd miles of the 192 miles needed for the project were to be newly-acquired right of way through privately-held property. After almost a decade of wrangling with residents, environmentalists, and elected officials who were dead set against Northern Pass, the $1.5 billion project was abandoned a year ago this month.
I dont know that in the eyes of a court they would be allowed to differentiate between, say, a private residence and a parking lot, but they sure ought to. To me, throwing someone out of their home so that some developer can build a strip mall and some condos, and ripping up a parking lot are two very different things. I just can't get over the feeling that this is a game of chicken; this isn't one of those cases where a widow has been living there for 50 years and just doesn't want to give up her house, its an insurance company making a business decision that whatever is being offered isn't good enough. Whole different game and, as someone noted above if this ends up as a court fight, it'll be long, expensive and ugly. They'll be dropping white shoe lawyers like paratroopers at Normandy. Meanwhile the Kindle family - which we could note in passing is witnessing the near total collapse of their core business, rental cars - has lined up some trailers and a bulldozer or two and is busily pushing dirt back and forth to prove they're serious. That would appear to be a bluff; when they start setting pilings and pouring concrete before they own the whole plot, we'll know they're not kidding around. What fun..
If they are bluffing, they are bluffing all in. I drove by the construction site today, there is probably double the equipment there now, and the west side (bottom of the picture linked above) is now lined with construction trailers. They are not outwardly showing an signs of slowdown or concern.
Got down to the site the other day and took some stadium porn shots my own self. These are from the fence looking west along the south side of the stadium, and then looking north. Starting to come together.
Not MLS, but Louisville opened the best sss outside of MLS today. Very cool for a lower division club.
So, I realize COVID has thrown a lot into chaos, and I checked out for a while, but is this accurate? 1. Miami Lockhart 2.0. Finished. Awaiting Grand Opening. 2.-4. Cincy, Austin, Columbus. Moving right along. 5. St. Louis Site prep underway, save for that one parking lot. Eminent domain imminent? 6. Nashville. Some site prep demo done. On hold momentarily due to lawsuit & having to re-vote due to not giving proper public notice on approval vote. 7. Sacramento. Not started. Last update from April said summer start still on track. -----------------Prospective Stadiums----------- 8. Miami Arsenic Park. Clustered. 9. NYCFC. Possible positive developments a while ago, but nothing since. 10. Chicago. New ownership seems like they want a home, but expect an extended stay at Soldier Field. 11. New England. Brady's gone, so maybe Kraft pays attention? Nah.
You can see inside the bowl now on the Cincy construction cams. Looks amazing. Has that third view been there for a while and I just missed it? https://www.westendstadium.com/construction-cam-2
I just looking at it earlier today and that 3rd view wasn’t available so you may be the first to have seen it.
This is an amazing stadium. And the "facts and figures" section of the website already best by far. Imagine this: SACO Shockwave V-Stick S products 2.65 Miles (4.3 km)
Austin has redesigned their north building to accommodate hospitality NOT Office space, with the addition of a Beer Hall and two-story merch store now 5000 square feet. This comes as a precursor to adding additional seating in the north end, in which the stadium is zoned for 22,000. (Currently 20,500).Our home keeps getting better.Check out our new Beer Hall and expanded merch store under construction at #AustinFC stadium. https://t.co/ObLpMrW7Ui pic.twitter.com/1W4kZKq26t— Austin FC (@AustinFC) July 14, 2020
I'm not sure the connection you're making is accurate. Red isn't anywhere in Austin's color pallet, so there isn't a reason to think it is anything other than two generic teams playing each other.