USA - Stadium and Arena Development News [Archive] - Page 10

40Acres

May 10th, 2006, 10:56 PM

Ok. first of all: This is an open forum and Ill reply to whatever post I want to.
Secondly: you should calm down. We dont want this discussion to turn into a troll circus.
Thx.

In rantanamo's defense, he answers the exact question about 5 times a year, just by different posters. I'd be frustrated too if i had to put forth this much effort to quelch misinformation.

Yet, some european companies have just come up with some great new prototypes of artificial grass, which basically have almost the same chracteristics as natural grass.

I don't know for sure if Americans invented it (likely not), but we've been using Field Turf since the middle of the last decade with incredible success. Surely someone is always looking to perfect the technology, but in places like Lincoln, Nebraska, the weather is too crappy and used too forcefully to last through the fall. Thus, they use Field Turf in an open-air stadium. They are also one of the wealthiest College Football Programs in the country, and have sold out their stadium for something like 30 years in a row. On gameday, the stadium is the 2nd largest city in Nebraska ... so, cost isn't the issue, but weather.

http://www.collegegridirons.com/big12/images/memneb103.jpg

http://www.collegegridirons.com/big12/images/memneb150.jpg

http://www.collegegridirons.com/big12/images/memneb102.jpg

Again I have to disagree. Saying that domes are generally more costly than comparable alternative stadiums is a cheap statement.
Lets take the Texas stadium for example (since you have brought that up before).
There are some forumers on this board who dont like this stadium.
Personally I like it. It may not have the nicest exterior but I think that the interior still looks classy. Its nicely balanced and looks quite clean.
And I think its one of the stadiums with the highest number of exec. boxes. (correct me if Im wrong)
However, if we look at the construction costs (~36 million dollars), it has to be said that this stadium came at a very cheap price.
Of course we have to keep in mind that back in 1971? the dollar had a bigger value. Still I would say that this stadium was probably nice value for money.
Comparable stadiums nowadays are far more expensive due to rising labour and material costs etc, etc..

I'm as big a Dallas Cowboys fan as they come, but you should never use Texas Stadium as an arguement in good design. The Cowboys are the 4th most profitable sports franchise in the world, so cost isn't ever an issue. they also have a cutthroat billionaire as an owner, who is building a castle of a stadium. It will be the nicest stadium/complex in the world when it is finished.

I dont dissagree that the NFL is doing well in America. (On a global scale its a different matter though)
But the fact remains that the NFL is the only professional football league in the States. Correct?

No, its not. There are several other pro leagues in the US, though not as big. Also, College Football is for all intents and purposes PROFESSIONAL football. It is a money making giant, and probably the 2nd most popular sports league in the US. So, i'm not really getting your point here.

Sure, there are many sports leagues in the states, but the same would apply to here.
Every european state has atlest two professional football leagues.
Thats just how it is. And since we all play the same sport we obviously have european competitions.

I would say there are 9 MAJOR sports leagues in america that intersect each other throughout the year.

NCAA (college) Football
NCAA (college) Baskeball
National Basketball Association
National Football League
National Hockey League
Major League Baseball
Major League Soccer
Pro Golf Association
NASCAR Auto Racing

and various In fact, there are only TWO DAYS on the entire sports calander in the USA that does not have a major sporting event (the day before and the day after the MLB all-star game). In contrast, i think europe has less professional variance, but of course quite a large number of footy teams. Thats not really a comparison, competing with NBA playoffs vs. NHL playoffs vs. MLB regular season really isn't the same as competing with the Champions League vs. La Liga or the CL and the premeirship, especially since a lot of the teams and players are involved in both, and on different days of the week.

So why are the ends in an american stadiums just not being developed and disregarded?
Why not invest a little more and close the gap?
You could sell the seats for extra cheap prices, and those stadiums would look much better and the atmosphere would be much better too.
I respect that there are different normes in North america, yet for us it seems like a wasted opportunity to not develop these stands.
Honestly: What would you have to loose?
the worst thing that could happen is, that the stands in the ends wouldnt be booked out all the time.

Most NFL stadium have a baseline standard of around 60K-70K fans. Any more, and you are risking TV blackouts if you don't sell out your stadium, thus, it is important to A) make the views desirable to increase attendence B) Increase your marketability by insuring sell outs C) Create demand for season tickets, and thus increasing donations and seat price increases, by often selling out.

Of course, you don't see that in College Football because there is a different type of fan ... that is, bare-bones, few ammenities, "I'll sit anywhere just to be a part of the atmosphere", fan ... even though this same fan may use his or her sunday to attend an NFL game and expect the more luxurious environment. I'm that type of fan. On Saturdays in Austin, I'm sitting in the endzone, hot as shit, drunk on smuggled rum, rowdy and bare chested, etc, but on Sundays in Dallas, I expect to sit in the middle tier on the 35 yard line, drinking $8 beers, surrounded by fans wearing polo shirts, and excitable only during big plays. The NFL is a whole different animal when it comes to building stadiums and cater 100% to their fan base. This is why endzone seats are limited, and are actually parts of the stadium reserved for the so-called rowdy fans of the NFL (e.g., the Cleveland Dog Pound)

GNU

May 15th, 2006, 04:03 PM

In rantanamo's defense, he answers the exact question about 5 times a year, just by different posters. I'd be frustrated too if i had to put forth this much effort to quelch misinformation.

He might be frustrated about it, but it was him who brought the topic up in the first place in our discussion ;)

I don't know for sure if Americans invented it (likely not), but we've been using Field Turf since the middle of the last decade with incredible success. Surely someone is always looking to perfect the technology, but in places like Lincoln, Nebraska, the weather is too crappy and used too forcefully to last through the fall. Thus, they use Field Turf in an open-air stadium. They are also one of the wealthiest College Football Programs in the country, and have sold out their stadium for something like 30 years in a row. On gameday, the stadium is the 2nd largest city in Nebraska ... so, cost isn't the issue, but weather.

Im sure that Turf is a great success in the states. American football is a sport that can be played on almost any kind of soft surface. Even on a professional level.
On top of that its cheap. you wont have to worry about the pitch not getting enough air, water or sunshine. It just doesnt matter.
you can put it in the darkest dome in the world and it wouldnt change anything.
On the other hand, the pitch in a football stadium is hugely important.
The chracteristics of the pitch are very importnat.
As rantamo pointed out earlier: a turf generally increases the speed of the game.
A ball would run and bounce off much more quickly than on natural grass.
This is one of the major reasons why it isnt allowed in many football leagues.
It would change the chracteristics of the game.
Its also the reason why you dont see so many domes in Europe as in America or Japan.
Reason being is, that until a decade ago it was very difficult and costly to keep a natural grass pitch in perfect condition in a conventional dome.
The amsterdam arena was one of the first domes in the world to feature a natural pitch. Yet, until this day the club has huge problems. They have to change the pitch several times a year because the grass wont get enough air in the bowl.

I'm as big a Dallas Cowboys fan as they come, but you should never use Texas Stadium as an arguement in good design. The Cowboys are the 4th most profitable sports franchise in the world, so cost isn't ever an issue. they also have a cutthroat billionaire as an owner, who is building a castle of a stadium. It will be the nicest stadium/complex in the world when it is finished.

Well, I was just saying that I personally quite like the interior of the Texas Stadium.
Of course opinions differ here.
There are certainly more beautiful stadiums around, yet I wouldnt say that it is a bad looking stadium.

No, its not. There are several other pro leagues in the US, though not as big. Also, College Football is for all intents and purposes PROFESSIONAL football. It is a money making giant, and probably the 2nd most popular sports league in the US. So, i'm not really getting your point here.

but the players that are playing College football are students arent they?
They are therefore not professional athletes.

Most NFL stadium have a baseline standard of around 60K-70K fans. Any more, and you are risking TV blackouts if you don't sell out your stadium, thus, it is important to A) make the views desirable to increase attendence B) Increase your marketability by insuring sell outs C) Create demand for season tickets, and thus increasing donations and seat price increases, by often selling out.

Ok, fair enough. If you are telling me that the average limit in stadium constructions is 60k-70k than thats fine.
I would just imagine that it wouldnt cost much more to raise the stands in the endzone.
and on the other hand there are big stadiums without a horsehoe design that are doing just fine.
Like for example the Reliant stadium.
why does it work there and not in other places?

rantanamo

May 15th, 2006, 06:43 PM

Checker, I know you just want to battle all day and criticize everything done in America when it comes to stadiums, but you keep ignoring some obvious answers.

U.S. Stadium design = highly specialized. We're past our dome era. We're past our technology for the sake of tecnhology stage. At the same time, there is no UEFA or FIFA trying to dictate what they want from a stadium. Its all market and event driven. You ask, why does it work at Reliant or other symetrical designs. Well, you have to look at USE above all things. Reliant is not a football specific venue. It was actually built for their rodeo, and to host Final Fours and other large indoor conventions and events. Might it hamper them from charging max numbers at max prices like Qwest or Paul Brown? Yes, but it allows them to have other events. That's their choice vs designing a football specific stadium. Of course a stadium in the NFL will do fine. Its the NFL. They'd sell out a grassy hillside at $40 per ticket. We're not saying its illegal or inferior to design symetrical stands. We're saying there are other opportunities to be had from not designing symmetrically.

And yes, we understand college football players are students. If you watch college football, you understand its borderline ridiculous to argue the semantics of professional vs amateur in this case. The correct wording should be Major sport. It is competition for the NFL. Its on major television, has larger attendance number than the NFL, and there is plenty of age overlap of guys that continue to play college football, who could be in the NFL. The point is its competition and is more than a major sport. How can a sport, professional or amateur, that has higher attendance than the NFL, and has age overlap not be considered competition? The NFL is just smart enough to promote harmony between the two, unlike the NBA, who's owners seem to want college basketball dead.

Texas Stadium was designed in the 60s and its bowl still kicks the crap out of 80-90% of the world. These are its last 3 seasons though.

You argue turfs like some try to argue roofs here. Its just a different game. Surface doesn't matter as much, and difference in the NFL is celebrated from venue to venue, as long as the NFL approves the surface. You see more domes in Japan because it rains during baseball season a lot. You see more domes in America because there are more multi-use facilities. Both nations also happened to be the top two economic powers during the 'dome era', so cost was not as much of an issue.

And yes I'm frustrated. I only bring up stuff here, because I read millions of lines about the ignorance that is the American citizen, yet I read some very ignorant statements about America all the time. If I can better answer some of the charges, I'm going to. My problem is, you can usually read a few threads down, especially when an American stadium or group of stadiums, and get answers. Instead they are usually the least read threads here because its easier to say, Americans = ignorant, American sport = ignorants, American stadium design must = ignorant.

David Byrne

May 15th, 2006, 07:23 PM

My girlfriend is American. What do you think of her?

http://i1.tinypic.com/ztity9.jpg

GNU

May 15th, 2006, 09:00 PM

Checker, I know you just want to battle all day and criticize everything done in America when it comes to stadiums,

I dont. If my aim would be to criticise everything that is being done in America, well then you would probably find me in all those threads that deal with american sports.
Yet you dont.
Then again its critizism that keeps this board going. Right?
If everybody would just say: Hey, thats great, fantastic etc.. then this board would be incredibly boring and uninteresting.

U.S. Stadium design = highly specialized. We're past our dome era. We're past our technology for the sake of tecnhology stage. At the same time, there is no UEFA or FIFA trying to dictate what they want from a stadium. Its all market and event driven.

I think this is a bit harsh. The FIFA basically puts up a minimum of rules to increase the safety and comfort of a stadium.
It is not "dictating" to anyone how their stadiums are going to be constructed and how they should look like.
Im sure you know very well that you'll find all kinds of stadiums in europe.
The diversity is simply huge.
The market here dictates the design of a stadium aswell.

You ask, why does it work at Reliant or other symetrical designs. Well, you have to look at USE above all things. Reliant is not a football specific venue. It was actually built for their rodeo, and to host Final Fours and other large indoor conventions and events. Might it hamper them from charging max numbers at max prices like Qwest or Paul Brown? Yes, but it allows them to have other events. That's their choice vs designing a football specific stadium. Of course a stadium in the NFL will do fine. Its the NFL. They'd sell out a grassy hillside at $40 per ticket. We're not saying its illegal or inferior to design symetrical stands. We're saying there are other opportunities to be had from not designing symmetrically.

But there are many other venues which are "closed". Soldier Field for example.Sure the sideline stands are higher than the endzone stands, yet there are endzone stands.
Take the Gillette stadium for example. Why not put up a simple higher stand at the end of the pitch?
Whats wrong with that? Sell it for cheap prices and youll still have a full house.And you make more profit.
Honestly: It works here in Europe so I dont see any reason why it shouldnt work in the US.

And yes, we understand college football players are students. If you watch college football, you understand its borderline ridiculous to argue the semantics of professional vs amateur in this case. The correct wording should be Major sport. It is competition for the NFL. Its on major television, has larger attendance number than the NFL, and there is plenty of age overlap of guys that continue to play college football, who could be in the NFL. The point is its competition and is more than a major sport. How can a sport, professional or amateur, that has higher attendance than the NFL, and has age overlap not be considered competition? The NFL is just smart enough to promote harmony between the two, unlike the NBA, who's owners seem to want college basketball dead.

I never argued against the popularity of College Football.
Yet its not a professional sport. But thats probably also the reason why so many people want to watch it. It offers something different from the polished, franchise set-up NFL.
The fans of a College team probably know very well that their team is closely connected to tradition and history.
No billionaire can come along and snatch a team away and built it up somewhere else.
I guess thats the reason why its so popular.

Texas Stadium was designed in the 60s and its bowl still kicks the crap out of 80-90% of the world.

I doubt that it would "kick the crap out 80-90% of the world". Its just too old for that.
But as I said: Yes, its a nice stadium with a beautiful interior.

You argue turfs like some try to argue roofs here. Its just a different game. Surface doesn't matter as much, and difference in the NFL is celebrated from venue to venue, as long as the NFL approves the surface. You see more domes in Japan because it rains during baseball season a lot. You see more domes in America because there are more multi-use facilities. Both nations also happened to be the top two economic powers during the 'dome era', so cost was not as much of an issue.

Once again: Europe is no sunshine state (or continent). It often rains here, even though not as much as in Japan during the rain-season.
That said: Domes arent really popular here either.
In fact theyve never been.
One major reason was, that you couldnt grow natural grass in domes.
And as you rightly pointed out:
Yes, american football and football are two different sports.
The condition of the pitch is obviously more important in Football.
Btw: You shouldnt argue that america and Japan were the top two economic powers during the dome era and that it has much to do with stadium construction.
Economic success has not that much to do with stadium constructions.
Germany is the 3rd biggest economy in the world (and has been since Japan overtook us somewhen in the 70s) yet we used to disregard our stadiums quite a lot until the 90s.
Nowadays Im sure that Germany has better arenas and stadiums than Japan.

Another example: Italy. The worlds 6th largest economy. their stadiums are outdated and no money has been invested in the infrastructure in the last 16 years.
Portugal, the poorest country in western Europe however has magnificent venues in contrast to its small population.

And yes I'm frustrated. I only bring up stuff here, because I read millions of lines about the ignorance that is the American citizen, yet I read some very ignorant statements about America all the time. If I can better answer some of the charges, I'm going to. My problem is, you can usually read a few threads down, especially when an American stadium or group of stadiums, and get answers. Instead they are usually the least read threads here because its easier to say, Americans = ignorant, American sport = ignorants, American stadium design must = ignorant.

Again: Ive never argued in that way. Im curious and if I dont understand or like something Im going to investigate and critisize.
But to be honest: How much info would you get on an american board considering european venues.
It would be the same thing.
Ive also came across a lot of ignorance from american forumers.
In the end its all balanced out I guess :)

victory

May 16th, 2006, 04:58 AM

My girlfriend is American. What do you think of her?

http://i1.tinypic.com/ztity9.jpg

I think the sex would be painful.

LosAngelesSportsFan

May 16th, 2006, 05:51 AM

One of the best NFL games I've ever seen...

http://infohost.nmt.edu/~dsandov1/TuckRule.jpg

Probably one of the most controversial as well.
please dont remind me!!
:bash: :cry: :puke: :wallbash: :wallbash: :badnews: :mad2: :evil: :mad: :devil:

Kngkyle

May 21st, 2006, 04:20 PM

No, i havent read anything saying that they are interested. But i was thinking about how they have pretty much everything needed. (Well, they would need to improve mass transit, but thats about it).

They have:
Ford Field which holds 70,000 people which could be used for opening and closing ceremony.
http://www.msu.edu/user/msudance/images/photos%202003-2004/ford%20field%20crowd_big.gif
Then theres the Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, the largest stadium in the united states having 111,000 seats -- could also be used for the opening and closing ceremony. It was recently renovated, i think this is an old picture.
http://football.ballparks.com/NCAA/Big10/Michigan/aerial.jpg
Comerica Park for baseball if that is reinstated. It holds 40,950 people.
http://www.greatlakesnorthamerica.co.uk/michigan/images/mi11.jpg
Joe Louis Arena (Home of the Detroit Red Wings hockey), holds 20,058 people.
http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/writers/stephen_cannella/02/18/blog/p1_joelouis.jpg
Detroit is on Lake Erie which could be used for some events.

---
This could turn Detroits depression around and put it on the map.

Of course, it likely wont happen, just wanted to mention it. :p

EDIT: I should add that all of Detroit Metro Airport is being redone already.

EDIT2: Found something on a news site on the subject.
"As for the Olympics, which could be one of the first held in two different countries if Windsor were included in a bid, that's a much longer shot, said Kilpatrick.

"But it's a hell of an idea," the Mayor said"

staff

May 21st, 2006, 04:39 PM

Do they have an athletic stadium? Is there room for running tracks at the above American Football stadiums (which look really bad by the way :))?

I think many cities in the world have the same kind of institutions, that Detroit has, already actually.

DvW

May 21st, 2006, 04:53 PM

American organized events are the best, so YES for me.

crossbowman

May 21st, 2006, 06:58 PM

The point is not only having the venues but having modern and nice venues...Look at the example of Atlanta: awful venues and especially the Olympic stadium..worst in history :down:
If you want to have GREAT Olympic Games these are not enough!

cphdude

May 21st, 2006, 07:10 PM

No, i dont thinks so. Even if they have the money, they are not likely to beat another american candidate....

DrasQue

May 21st, 2006, 07:45 PM

I dont think so,too

DrasQue

May 21st, 2006, 07:46 PM

It can be New York or Istanbul or Dubai :D

matherto

May 21st, 2006, 08:16 PM

you couldn't use Ford Field as the main stadium, Michigan Stadium is too old and needs more than just a minor renovation, and the only running possible would be from the muggers and gangsters trying to rob and kill you

samsonyuen

May 21st, 2006, 08:33 PM

I think it'd be a great opportunity for Detroit to revitalize its downtown and the whole region, but it's already missed the cutoff for the USOC bid city (SF, Chicago, Philly, Houston and LA).

CrazyCanuck

May 21st, 2006, 08:34 PM

Stadiums don't mean jack if you don't have the proper infratstucture, Detroit has terrible PT, as well, do they have enough hotel rooms for the massive influx of people? Might as well hold it in Windsor.

Kampflamm

May 21st, 2006, 09:16 PM

Sorry, but how exactly do they have "everything that's needed"? Ford Field is nice but can it be used for athletic events? Apparently not. The same applies to Michigan Stadium. So fact of the matter is that they don't even have an Olympic stadium. What about all the other venues for gymnastics, swimming, wrestling, field hockey etc?

Zorba

May 21st, 2006, 10:09 PM

"Detroit 2016"

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The Boy David

May 22nd, 2006, 12:01 AM

Coventry Nutter

May 22nd, 2006, 12:53 AM

what about Cumbernauld?

http://www.reurba.org/reports4/Cumbernauld/Cumbernauld.jpg

Zaqattaq

May 22nd, 2006, 02:58 AM

Detriot would be horrible, I think the Super Bowl was a push. Having major sporting events will not save a city.

ReddAlert

May 22nd, 2006, 03:15 AM

Its not happening there. There are too many more able bidding cities--like Chicago, San Francisco, and New York. I would like to see it in Detroit, but a ton of work has to be done.

SOLOMON

May 22nd, 2006, 03:25 AM

NO,.... DETROIT NO PLEASE.....

spyguy

May 22nd, 2006, 03:26 AM

Maybe a different kind of event like Expo would be beneficial. But I would be afraid that Detroit would go seriously in debt (like Athens) for the Games.

KGB

May 22nd, 2006, 03:34 AM

Detroit doesn't need an Olympics or Expo...it needs.....a CITY!!!

Now how the hell would a three-week long sporting event possibly do anything about bringing Detroit back from the dead?

But given the wonky selection methods used by the IOC, you never know....they just might give it Detroit.

KGB

Ginza

May 22nd, 2006, 03:34 AM

With all do respect but Detroit is not ready to host the Olympics

Jack Rabbit Slim

May 22nd, 2006, 03:57 AM

No disrespect to Detroit or anything, but if New York couldn't win it, I don't think anyone in their right minds would give it to detroit, when there are quite a few bigger and more prepared cities in the US....admittedly though, New york was running against probably the stiffest Olympic competition bids ever seen...London, Paris, Madrid, Moscow.....whoever's bidding for the next olympics, they've gotta be in an easier group then that!

:cheers:

Scba

May 22nd, 2006, 04:37 AM

No. Detroit just doesn't have enough depth in its community, stadia, and fans. If it were to be in the US, I'd put it in Houston or Baltimore.

hudkina

May 22nd, 2006, 04:54 AM

Actually Detroit would be a more suitable candidate than New York because Detroit could host the event at a much smaller price tag. Also, the variety of venues as well as their location in the metro make a Detroit games more convenient than most other cities. People don't realize this but the games would have been played in Detroit had the U.S. won the bid in 1968, and that was before most of the current venues were in place. Also, if you throw in the idea of an international games jointly hosted by the U.S. and Canada, it opens up even more opportunities.

In downtown Detroit there are five arenas and stadiums with capacities over 12,000.

1. Ford Field - 65,000 (indoors)
2. Tiger Stadium - 52,416 (outdoors)
3. Comerica Park - 40,950 (outdoors)
4. Joe Louis Arena - 20,058 (indoors)
5. Cobo Arena - 12,191 (indoors)

In the surrounding cities there are even more:

1. Michigan Stadium - 107,501(outdoors) - Ann Arbor
2. Pontiac Silverdome - 80,311 (indoors) - Pontiac
3. Spartan Stadium - 75,025 (outdoors) - East Lansing
4. Palace of Auburn Hills - 22,076 (outdoors) - Auburn Hills
5. Breslin Center - 14,992 (indoors) - East Lansing
6. Crisler Arena - 13,751 (indoors) - Ann Arbor

Granted not all of these stadiums would be needed, but most could find uses in some way. Really, the only venues that would need to be built are an Olympic Stadium, a Tennis Center, and a velodrome. An upgraded Wayne State University athletic field in Midtown could easily host the field hockey competition and an upgraded Canham Natatorium at the University of Michigan could host the aquatics events.

In reality it would be better if Windsor/Ontario built the Olympic Stadium as putting it in Windsor would offer spectacular views of downtown Detroit. Also, it would offer an excuse to build the Freedom Gondola. connecting Downtown Detroit to Olympic Stadium in Windsor.

http://www.freedomgondola.com/model.jpg

As far as public transportation is concerned. The region is currently studying a commuter rail line between Ann Arbor and Detroit with a connection to Metro Airport. The line is almost certain to be greenlighted and would really be the only transit line needed. A secondary line connecting Detroit to Pontiac would be a plus, but isn't vital. Also, the People Mover in downtown would be able to transport spectators between the various venues downtown (Cobo Arena, Cobo Hall, Joe Louis Arena, Ford Field, and Comerica Park.)

The Detroit Metro Airport is one of the top airports in the country and is quickly expanding. It offers non-stop flights to Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, and if the Ann Arbor-Detroit commuter line is built it would have direct commuter access to most of the venues.

Secondly, Detroit's river as well as access to Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair allow for the sailing and rowing events to be held nearby. Other cities would have to hold their sailing events far from the host city.

BTW, all of those people who think crime is bad in Detroit... Uh Atlanta held the '96 games and Atlanta has a higher crime rate than Detroit, so...

Alexandre SP

May 22nd, 2006, 04:55 AM

SÃO PAULO 2016

middas22

May 22nd, 2006, 06:00 AM

Also another thing that an Olympic city should be about is people wanting to go there. A host city should be vibrant, a modern day metropolis bustling with life. An Olympics isnt there to revive a city that has fallen on hard times, it should add to what it already has that makes it great. Truth is Detroit just isnt a world class city or a destination people from all over the world will want to go and enjoy thier summer. It should also be somewhat aesthetically pleasing and have infrastructure.

When ever i speak to people from Detroit and say its a boring place thier reply is always, what about the RenCen, lol. Like an office building is a unique thing.

Zaqattaq

May 22nd, 2006, 06:03 AM

It is true though, Atlanta is not that great either. I do think the idea of the stadium in Windsor with a view of the skyline would be cool.

Mo Rush

May 22nd, 2006, 06:04 AM

2016 Rio

spyguy

May 22nd, 2006, 06:41 AM

admittedly though, New york was running against probably the stiffest Olympic competition bids ever seen...London, Paris, Madrid, Moscow.....whoever's bidding for the next olympics, they've gotta be in an easier group then that!

Perhaps, but also the competition is going to be even harder once South America, Africa, and Asia continue to look more attractive and able to host.

ReddAlert

May 22nd, 2006, 07:35 AM

I think that Detroit should put its money into other things than a sporting event. You dont need the Olympics to do improve a city. No sporting event can make up for the loss of blue collar factory jobs.

A U.S./Canadian games would be nice though.

nomarandlee

May 22nd, 2006, 02:40 PM

Well, the case is already decided. The five cities have already been chosen for the U.S. nominations at least. As much as I want to see Detroit have things going for it though I would have said no. It just doesn't have the top tier infrastructure, vitality, and global cache' needed to win a games (compared to better equiped American cities)

I really think it will go to a city in the America's though. Tokyo and Bangkok could pull up a surprise maybe but I think they would be dark horses.

It will either be San Fran, Chicago, or Buenos Aires with an outside chance for Rio.

hudkina

May 22nd, 2006, 06:18 PM

Blitz

May 22nd, 2006, 06:53 PM

^Very true. I'm sure some people who have bashed Detroit in this thread are only basing their opinions on tired stereotypes. Detroit would be able to pull it off (I mean even Atlanta did) but the main problem I see is not enough hotel rooms. They didn't even have enough for the Super Bowl until Windsor and Toledo were brought on board.

Jaybird

May 22nd, 2006, 07:09 PM

I could see Detroit hosting a Olympic games, but not for a long time, I think there are other issues, like the education system and transit system, among other city services, the city needs to focus on. Another thing is to try and keep the NAIAS in the city and build a new convention center or expand the Cobo Center. Hotel rooms are a necessity and Detroit needs to get more of those first if they are going to host something big as this, plus, with the potential passport laws, which IMO are still STUPID even though we now have until 2009 to get passports, for those who could stay across in Windsor, that could be a major problem. Or if Detroit doesn't still have enough hotel rooms by 2016, get a light rail or transit system built from Dearborn, which seemingly carries most of Southeastern Michigan's hotel rooms.

If Atlanta could pull it off, I could definitely see Detroit do it, too.

Once again, some Detroit bashing continues, will it ever end?

CharlieP

May 22nd, 2006, 07:53 PM

American organized events are the best, so YES for me.

Er, have you forgotten Atlanta 1996? Actually, come to think of it, I wouldn't blame you if you had...

hudkina

May 22nd, 2006, 08:04 PM

BTW, if anyone wants to see beyond the stereotypes, I posted a massive photo tour of Detroit.

Part 1 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=353087)
Part 2 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=353084)
Part 3 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=353083)

shanthemanatl

May 22nd, 2006, 08:20 PM

Er, have you forgotten Atlanta 1996? Actually, come to think of it, I wouldn't blame you if you had...

Somehow I just knew this thread would degenerate into Atlanta-bashing.

The only thing Atlanta and Detroit have in common is a large African-American population. Otherwise, there are few similarities.

I did not live in Atlanta at the time of the 1996 Games, but I did have the good fortune of attending for four days. I had a fantastic time and found the Games to be exciting, spirited, and well-organized.

Obviously, the bombing was tragic, but the international media grossly exaggerated the "problems" surrounding the '96 Games. And I suspect that many of you who are critical of the ATL Games never attended and have no first-hand knowledge of what they were like.

shanthemanatl

May 22nd, 2006, 08:30 PM

middas22

May 22nd, 2006, 09:13 PM

The more i read on this topic the more i ask why is it even a discussion. Detroit has an equal chance of getting an Olympic Winter Games as they do a Summer games. So lets just all have a nice chuckle and move on.

nomarandlee

May 22nd, 2006, 09:19 PM

The problem isn't that Detroit is lacking in infrastructure or vitality. The problem is that most people see the negative portrayal the media has on the city and assumes its completely accurate. They base their opinions of Detroit on Robocop or 8 Mile without knowing the city as well as they should.

Could Detroit put a games? Of course it is "capable". A city has to be more then theoretically "capable" though. It has to meet be able to have certain intangibles better then its peers (venues, railways, hotels, restaurants, vitality etc) and have all of these in LARGE amounts. Detroit has all these things but do they have them at or greater numbers then their peers they are going up against (just talking about nationally and not internationally yet). Unfortunately when you are competing against the best US "equipped" cities in the U.S. it is harder to break through the pack compared to other countries.

Does Detroit have (even if there was plan to build some of it) the rapid transit, hotels, business districts, and cache' San Fran or Chicago have to win an IOC bid? No, it doesn't and it is not even that close really. The U.S. has to be put up its most marketable and able cities to win an IOC bid (don't ask me how Atlanta was deemed worthy) if the U.S. expects to win again.

Do people have embarrassingly wrong conceptions of Detroit? Yes, and it makes me want to puke some of them I see in these forums. Is it worthy of the attention of the world for two weeks? Sure. But there are a dozen U.S. cities that could make a similar claim just as easily. The USOC has to pick a city that they gives them the best chance to win and not just pick randomly out of a dozen or so U.S. cities that are theoretically "capable" to host a games.

Heck, since NYC is not in the running I could easily imagine some snooty IOC members who wouldn't vote for a U.S. city like Chicago or San Fran just because it is not "NYC" and only THE showcase city in major countries should get an Olympics.

Tuscani01

May 22nd, 2006, 09:43 PM

thecityofgold

May 22nd, 2006, 10:01 PM

shanthemanatl

May 22nd, 2006, 10:09 PM

So Detroit could host the Olympics very cheaply using existing facilities..

Gosh, doesn't that sound great.

The next two Olympics will show the world what Olympics should look like. Beijing because it is costing vast amounts of money and will be ultra-modern, London because it has tradition, culture, and a harmonious multi-cultural society.

No US cities are able to compete with that. Atlanta was the worst Olympics since Montreal.

Didn't Manchester LOSE to Atlanta in its bid to host the '96 Games? Clearly you're not bitter, since you obviously decided to attend the Games in Atlanta. Otherwise, how would you have any real first-hand knowledge of what they were like?

Tuscani01

May 22nd, 2006, 10:18 PM

So Detroit could host the Olympics very cheaply using existing facilities..

Gosh, doesn't that sound great.

The next two Olympics will show the world what Olympics should look like. Beijing because it is costing vast amounts of money and will be ultra-modern, London because it has tradition, culture, and a harmonious multi-cultural society.

No US cities are able to compete with that. Atlanta was the worst Olympics since Montreal.

If Detroit teams up with windsor im sure it will impressive. It will show that 6 levels of government between 2 countries can come together and make an event like the olympics a success. (Municipal, Provincial/State, and Federal governments from both Canada and the USA)
The cash will be flowing and im sure it will be a year to remember for the Olympics.

middas22

May 22nd, 2006, 11:19 PM

I dont think Detroit teaming up with Windsor will impress the IOC. Windsor is a small city with roughly 200,000 people. IF Canada wanted to but in a bid again as they have in the past, they could do so and have a better chance without Detroit. Canada and Ontario wouldnt throw money at a joint bid for Detroit, trust me on this. With Toronto comming close at least 2 times they may be waiting and positioning themselves for a bid in the future. Possibly 2020 or 2024.

matherto

May 22nd, 2006, 11:29 PM

middas22

May 23rd, 2006, 12:19 AM

Coventry Nutter

May 23rd, 2006, 12:23 AM

No offense, but I stayed in Detroit on route from Toronto to Chicago. What a shithole!! Full of dodgy darkies and just an utter dump. What a contrast from Windsor which was just under a bridge away!! Windsor was still quite rubbish, but a million times better than Detroit!!

ASupertall4SD

May 23rd, 2006, 12:27 AM

I personally wouldnt want the olympics is a city i actually liked because the satdiums have to be able to have an athletic track, and once the olympics are done, it because a total wasted stadium, for which any other purpose, it becomes a crappy venue.

matherto

May 23rd, 2006, 12:33 AM

Matherto come on admit it after seeing those stunning photos you are ready to pick up and move to D-town, lol. Why wouldnt anyone want to get in thier car, get on a plane or buy a bus ticket and get there as fast as humanly possible? I have the great fortune of living across the river and i cant get enough of it. If these photos dont scream OLYMPICS i dont know what does.

My bags are already packed lol.......the only thing those photographs scream is 'OWWW YOU FUCKING SHOT ME YOU DICK!!!!"......"OH NOW YOU'RE ROBBING ME! BRILLIANT!!!"

ReddAlert

May 23rd, 2006, 06:19 AM

NFLeuropefan

May 23rd, 2006, 07:18 AM

Jules

May 23rd, 2006, 07:21 AM

Please.... Don't try to pretend that Detroit is not a complete shithole..... It is the worst inner-city slum in America, right next to Philadelphia... Burned out buildings, run-down ghetto homes....... The perception is really just reality...

Detroit is far from a complete shithole. There are nasty areas of the city, but Detroit has some of the best, most urban neighborhoods in the country. People use the bad reputation as a facade and label detroit as nothing but an overgrown ghetto. That's the farthest thing from the truth. There's some really good Detroit picture threads in the Cityscape photos subforum showing Detroit's beautiful architecture, downtown, housing stock, neighborhoods, etc. You people should really check those out before you make ignorant comments such as this one.

hudkina

May 23rd, 2006, 08:18 AM

Please.... Don't try to pretend that Detroit is not a complete shithole..... It is the worst inner-city slum in America, right next to Philadelphia... Burned out buildings, run-down ghetto homes....... The perception is really just reality...

And you know this because....

cause it didn't seem that different to the stereotype

Wait, so you're telling me that these are the stereotypical view of Detroit? Judging from the above moronic comment, I'd say these are the last thing people would expect from Detroit:

http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/115.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/101.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/091.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/096.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/116.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/126.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/114.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/111.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/228.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/226.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/006.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/001.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/210.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/040.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/163.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/052.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/007.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/008.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/120.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/159.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/131.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/168.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/201.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/158.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/178.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/180.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/071.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/167.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/218.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/149.jpg

Tom Ace

May 23rd, 2006, 10:30 AM

I looked for a thread on this but couldn't find one. The government money to help build the stadium was recently approved so it looks like it will be a go. It will require no state funding (a previous hold up) but will instead be built by the county and the team.

http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060521&content_id=1464452&vkey=news_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min

Here are some pics...

This is the plan
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/images/ballpark/ph_gallery08_500.jpg

The Ballpark will be built extremly close to downtown, here is a pic of what the Minneapolis skyline will look like from the stadiums site.
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/images/ballpark/ph_gallery09_690x446.jpg

Maybe the prettiest picture of all, a view from the sky looking at the ballpark toward downtown
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/images/ballpark/ph_gallery10_667x500.jpg

Outside the ballpark
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/images/ballpark/ph_gallery01_500.jpg

A view from home plate showing downtown behind the outfield
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/images/ballpark/ph_gallery05_690.jpg

From the outfield looking in, supposedly this area will be a family section
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/images/ballpark/ph_gallery04_680x289.jpg

The ballpark will have an open concourse where you can get food / beer / souveniers without being too far from the action
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/images/ballpark/ph_gallery02_690.jpg

From the sky...
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/images/ballpark/ph_gallery07_690x446.jpg

As for location and transportation
"Located in the heart of Minneapolis' Warehouse and business districts, the Rapid Park site makes the new ballpark one the most accessible venues in America. Minnesota's new ballpark will represent the convergence point for the Hiawatha Light Rail line, the proposed Northstar Commuter Rail and the Interstate 394/94 exits into downtown Minneapolis. Already existing parking facilities provide for parking needs. Additionally, land adjacent the ballpark site will be developed for future mixed uses. "
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20050425&content_id=1028208&vkey=pr_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min

Here is a comparision to the Metrodome where the Twins currently play...
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/min/ballpark/new_banter.jsp?content=comparison
Brief Highlights...
New stadium will be an open air stadium instead of a dome.
New stadium will be more intimate with 14 thousand less seats (42,000 total capacity)
There will be 8 times as many seats for people with disabilities.
The stands will be closer to the field. Their will be less foul territory meaning the distance from the stands to home or 1st / 3rd base will be shorter. Also the upper deck will be small meaning more seats will be closer.

Left Field will be shorter (328 down the line, 371 to the power ally compared to 343 and 385 in the Metrodome)
The rest of the dimensions will be similar (402 to center instead of 408, 371 to right center instead of 367, 331 down the right field line instead of 327).

The concourse will be twice as wide (40 feet compared to 20) and will be open to the field instead of closed.

Their will be 4 lounges (1 in the Metrodome)

and importantly of course there will be twice as many bathrooms for both males and females.

This looks like a great plan. The stadium looks beautiful, they aren't using alot of brick which is very characteristic of the 90s cookie cutter ball parks. The new park should be slightly more of a hitters park but still nothing crazy. The stadium is in a great location and looks to address the needs of the fans very well too. As an unbiased Mets fan I have to say I am very impressed with this proposal.

victory

May 23rd, 2006, 12:46 PM

Infinitely more suited to baseball than the dome. :)

Will the Vikings still play in the Metrodome, or are they going to build their own stadium?

middas22

May 23rd, 2006, 01:30 PM

And you know this because....Well i know because i live across the border and have gone there hundreds of times. LIsten we should all be proud of where we live and where we are from. It isnt your fault you were raised there so i take no issue with you. But it is, what it is! LIke any big city it has its good parts and its bad parts, unfortunately Detroit has bad areas that for me have stayed with me. As a downtown it doesnt even compare with cities of comparable size. As for its urban areas i geuss next time i get over the border i will pick up one of the many tourists maps that are available and seek them out. I bet when the IOC sees these photos they will be falling all over themselves to make your city part of Olympic history. But anyways, point is maybe calling Detroit a complete shithole is a bit harsh but its definately not the best place to be. It has alot of work to do if it wants to be mentioned in the same breathe as US cities of equal size.

Also Hudkina its pretty sad when Detroit has less of a waterfront than its cross border city of 200,000 dont you think. That 8 foot wide sidewalk and Hart Plaza is pretty much it isnt it?

decapitated

May 23rd, 2006, 06:19 PM

Better than the dome (though I personally like their present arena), but do they really need a new one?

skaP187

May 23rd, 2006, 06:26 PM

dave8721

May 23rd, 2006, 08:43 PM

Rain wouldn't be a problem I wouldn't think but what about snow? What about those early season March/April games or if they ever go to the world series and are playing in late October/early November (the same is true for Colorado)?

NFLeuropefan

May 23rd, 2006, 11:50 PM

Thank god we finally got the stadium..... The Metrodome is such a shithole, I couldn't stand it any more.........

BTW The Minnesota Golden Gophers football team also got a brand new stadium.........

NFLeuropefan

May 23rd, 2006, 11:59 PM

And you know this because....

Wait, so you're telling me that these are the stereotypical view of Detroit? Judging from the above moronic comment, I'd say these are the last thing people would expect from Detroit:

http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/115.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/101.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/091.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/096.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/116.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/126.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/114.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/111.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/228.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/226.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/006.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/001.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/210.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/040.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/163.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/052.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/007.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/008.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/120.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/159.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/131.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/168.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/201.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/158.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/178.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/180.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/071.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/167.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/218.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/waynecounty/detroit/2006/149.jpg

All of that beautiful architecture in downtown is located right next to a bunch of bombed out homes........ Every city has its nice parts........ The reality is, atleast a good 80% of Detroit proper is a horrible run-down ghetto.... How do I know this??? Because I've been there a number of times...

Big Jedi Knight

May 24th, 2006, 12:32 AM

Why are people on these forums terrified of admitting a city is shit. There are shit cities in the world, that's the reality of life. Let's have enough of this PC crap where we must never admit something is rubbish!!

Face facts, Detroit is a shithole, and no mickey mouse photos will change that!! You can't polish a turd!!

What next??......Come to Mogadishu.......it's great!!

ReddAlert

May 24th, 2006, 12:47 AM

Why do you have to rag on Detroit--calling it a shithole? Detroit is pretty fucked up in parts--but its still a liveable city. There are many parts of the city (as seen in hudkinas photos) that are good and beautiful with street life.

Scba

May 24th, 2006, 01:14 AM

Yeah, they do need one. The Metrodome isn't half bad for football, but has never fit baseball well at all.

And rain isn't an issue at games usually, unless you're on a coast. If the rain is hard enough, the game is halted. If you're in the stands, you either bring an umbrella or poncho, or head into the concourses.

Calvin W

May 24th, 2006, 02:35 AM

Nice looking stadium, but nothing special or unique? It is a big improvement over the Metrodome.
What is the time table for it anyone? I will be down this summer to catch a few games, but will come back in a few years if/when this is built.

asohn

May 24th, 2006, 03:02 AM

nice design. very nice. Specialy with the views to the citycentre, I like it! not to big, but far from small. Only the rooth is, is it not to small, or is it normall in the US to sit and watch the game in the rain? (I do not know a lot about the climate there to be hounest)

Baseball can't be played in the rain, so the lack of roof isn't an issue. Baseball is played in the spring/summer/early fall, so the weather is great. Excluding domed stadiums or stadiums with retractable roofs, it's unheard of to have large roofs on baseball stadiums (or any stadiums for that matter). American's simply dislike roofs, and perfer the open feeling. In situations where weather is an issue (which isn't so common), stadiums usually have retractable roofs.

Schindlers Fist

May 24th, 2006, 04:18 AM

All these Baseball stadiums look the same, as do all the cities in the background!!

and none of the big Gridiron stadiums have roofs on them!! It's a shame they can't afford to build roofs as they would look great if they had the money to finish them.

Bigmac1212

May 24th, 2006, 04:45 AM

and none of the big Gridiron stadiums have roofs on them!! It's a shame they can't afford to build roofs as they would look great if they had the money to finish them.

Geez, is it manditory to have roofs on stadiums? I may be biased, but it's nice to have football/soccer facilities without roofs.

dmg1mn

May 24th, 2006, 04:54 AM

I'm excited about it.

hudkina

May 24th, 2006, 06:54 AM

Actually, I'd say it's the opposite. About 20% of the city is rundown with the other 80% in fair, decent, or immaculate shape. The reason people seem to think that 80% of the city is "ghetto" is due to the fact that the majority of the rundown neighborhoods are in the core of the city. Most of the west side and far east side are very suburban in nature and where much of Detroit's large black middle class lives.

These are what the average Detroit neighborhoods look like from above:

http://www.downriverdetroit.net/averageneighborhood.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/averageneighborhood2.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/averageneighborhood3.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/averageneighborhood4.jpg
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/averageneighborhood5.jpg

nomarandlee

May 24th, 2006, 07:40 AM

nomarandlee

May 24th, 2006, 07:43 AM

Anyone got renderings for the Gophers new stadium? That is pretty unique. Very large football collge programs rarely get brand new stadiums this day in age. In fact I can't remember the last one to get its own new stadium off the top of my head (at least since I can remember which would be the early 80's)

Tom Ace

May 24th, 2006, 08:14 AM

the Gophers new stadium isn't offical yet. There are still 3 different designs. And actually they are going to be presented in some way at the school tommorow.

http://www1.umn.edu/stadium/index.php

40Acres

May 24th, 2006, 09:50 AM

XCRunner

May 24th, 2006, 10:22 PM

No roof in Minnesotta... they better not plan on having many fans in April and a good chunk of May.

Scba

May 24th, 2006, 10:24 PM

No roof in Minnesotta... they better not plan on having many fans in April and a good chink of May.

...chunk, you mean.

NFLeuropefan

May 24th, 2006, 11:33 PM

OK......... what the hell do those photos prove??? A lot of things look decent from the air..... Even if the homes are OK, the crime and actual neighborhoods are terrible.....

NFLeuropefan

May 24th, 2006, 11:36 PM

NFLeuropefan

May 24th, 2006, 11:40 PM

the Gophers new stadium isn't offical yet. There are still 3 different designs. And actually they are going to be presented in some way at the school tommorow.

http://www1.umn.edu/stadium/index.php

I'm pretty sure it's official.... From that link it looks like it is.......

Arttera

May 25th, 2006, 12:04 AM

...

Arttera

May 25th, 2006, 12:10 AM

:wave: Detroit it's a huge shit hole . The biggest in US and its not very pretty one , but change its on the way and city got everything ready.
whatever you looking for, gone find all in Detroit. :cheers2:

dANIEL2004

May 25th, 2006, 12:51 AM

Its an ugly city.......

XCRunner

May 25th, 2006, 03:49 AM

...chunk, you mean.
Yeah... my bad. I edited the post.

ReddAlert

May 25th, 2006, 05:46 AM

I going to see Brewers-Twins interleague rivalry games after this thing is built!

skaP187

May 25th, 2006, 10:54 AM

BaronVonChickenpants

May 25th, 2006, 11:06 AM

after the great Job they did hosting the Coomenwealth Games,i think Melbourne would be a great place to host the Olympics......the Aussies seem to put on a good show...we went form one of the worst Olympics in history(Atalanta 1996)to the best(Sydney 2000)

Maccabi

May 25th, 2006, 11:11 AM

Actually the best were Athens 2004.Much better than Sydney's.

skaP187

May 25th, 2006, 11:21 AM

Actually the best were Athens 2004.Much better than Sydney's.

:weirdo:

Durbsboi

May 25th, 2006, 11:25 AM

hehe, not this again!

urbanlover

May 25th, 2006, 11:26 AM

Baseball can't be played in the rain, so the lack of roof isn't an issue. Baseball is played in the spring/summer/early fall, so the weather is great. Excluding domed stadiums or stadiums with retractable roofs, it's unheard of to have large roofs on baseball stadiums (or any stadiums for that matter). American's simply dislike roofs, and perfer the open feeling. In situations where weather is an issue (which isn't so common), stadiums usually have retractable roofs.

Actually I find it odd that roofs aren't incorporated more into baseball stadiums, with the recent popularity of retro parks, traditionally they were look at almost all classic stadiums. It's football where open stadiums have always been the norm

Forbes Field, Pittsburgh
http://www.spdconline.org/history/Facts/images/ForbesField7.JPG

Sportman's Park, St Louis
http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/sportsmans727.jpg

Tiger Stadium, Detroit
http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/baseball/ballparks/i/tiger1.jpg

rantanamo

May 25th, 2006, 09:51 PM

the oldest parks did have them back in the day of "rich" baseball.

dael318

May 26th, 2006, 12:49 AM

The problem with the roofs is that they often meant beams were in place to hold them up. This meant obstructed view seating, which isn't a good thing today when people are paying $20+ to see a game.

The Baz

May 31st, 2006, 06:36 AM

What no pictures of Pittsburgh's Heinz Field?
Funny how this roofless field is in a chilly city like Pittsburgh but it's an amazing design imo. :eek2:

http://www.pitt.edu/AFShome/s/o/sorc/public/html/thepitt/heinz1.jpg

http://home.insight.rr.com/drugstorecowboy/Heinz%20Field.jpg

http://twoday.net/static/PapasKleine/images/heinz%20field.jpg

http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~emyers/cmufall02/life/heinzfield.jpg

Doc Halladay

June 1st, 2006, 08:21 AM

As I've said on this board a few times... I think the whole Heinz, Linc, Qwest, and Gillette era of stadiums has been the best. They are simply awesome.

invincible

June 1st, 2006, 03:22 PM

Most NFL stadium have a baseline standard of around 60K-70K fans. Any more, and you are risking TV blackouts if you don't sell out your stadium, thus, it is important to A) make the views desirable to increase attendence B) Increase your marketability by insuring sell outs C) Create demand for season tickets, and thus increasing donations and seat price increases, by often selling out.

The great thing about the AFL is that they just televise all matches against the gate. It means the MCG hardly ever fills out during the season, but there'll be plenty of matches that get 50,000 to 70,000 spectators. It's less of a problem these days because selling TV rights are just as profitable as the takings from the gate.

rantanamo

June 1st, 2006, 06:15 PM

The NFL blackout rule is more about image, selling NFL Sunday ticket and create motivation for selling tickets in weaker markets than anything. Just how those catz operate. They know that people are watching and image is everything. There's really no need financially for the blackout rule.

panamaboy9016

June 1st, 2006, 06:26 PM

Capacity 75,000
Miami Dolphins-BEST TEAM EVER!

http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/afc/pro700.jpg
http://www.a1limobus.com/pro_player_new.jpg
http://super-bowl-fans.com/images/dolphins_stadium.jpg
http://www.cooleygroup.com/webcont.nsf/Miami-dolphins-stadium.jpg
http://www.thesportsroadtrip.com/miami112.jpg
http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/nl/dolph956al.jpg
http://www.usimaging.com/images/digital3_proplayer.jpg

http://www1.whdh.com/images/news_articles/archive/miami_dolphins_logo_NFL.jpg

Miami Dolphins ex-cheerleader!
http://www.cheerleaderninjas.com/images/Renee_dolphins.jpg

panamaboy9016

June 1st, 2006, 06:26 PM

I hope no one has already done a reply of the Miami Dolphins....Or I'll beat them up! LOL...

yure323

June 3rd, 2006, 01:32 PM

Two USL first division ( a tier below MLS ) are opening today, one in Rochester,NY - capacity 13.500 and in Atlanta - capacity 3.000. It's just Phase 1 for both stadiums, Rochester already got the funding from the state approved for Phase 2 that will bring the capacity to 17.500 and Atlanta's stadium will have a capacity of 15.000 when Phase 3 is finished.
http://www.atlantasilverbacks.com/pro/stadium.php
Video of Rochester's stadium :
http://www.wroctv.com/news/story.asp?id=22965&r=l

Alle

June 3rd, 2006, 02:37 PM

Liwwadden

June 3rd, 2006, 02:51 PM

The're finally understanding the fun of football :D

Scba

June 3rd, 2006, 05:55 PM

Oh, so that's only phase one for PAETEC? It looks really, really lame right now, so I hope the next step puts a little more something in it.

And the final phase for Atlanta looks fantastic, great location!

mauritius gunner

June 3rd, 2006, 06:22 PM

this probably has been asked before but are any of these grounds designed to be expanded in years to come, should the need arise?

yure323

June 4th, 2006, 12:28 AM

Ive heard football(soccer)interest is growing in the US, is it true?

What you should do is to start a North American champions league. And get real LEAGUES. With promotion-relegation and qualifications to the champions league.

I hardly see a world wide champions league anytime soon even though it would be a dream ^^.
There is the CONCACAF champions cup, which is kinda like the North American champions league. Pro/Rel will probably never happen in the US, it might happen in 20 years maybe...

yure323

June 4th, 2006, 12:40 AM

this probably has been asked before but are any of these grounds designed to be expanded in years to come, should the need arise?
Yes, all the stadiums that have been or will be built are expandable, most of them are expandable to around 30,000.
BTW, Chicago Fire's new stadium is opening on June 11th, their stadium is going to be a real beauty.
Pics : http://chicago.fire.mlsnet.com/MLS/chf/stadium/bridgeview/

victory

June 4th, 2006, 05:57 AM

Ive heard football(soccer)interest is growing in the US, is it true?

What you should do is to start a North American champions league. And get real LEAGUES. With promotion-relegation and qualifications to the champions league.

They do have real leagues, just not in European format, but the USA is not Europe.

Promotion and relegation would never work out in North America, for many reasons.

jeicow

June 4th, 2006, 06:20 AM

Toronto's looks very...half-assed. Doesn't seem like they put much effort into designing it. Hopefully it changes, but I won't hold my breath.

I doubt it will change either. All politics. There was suppose to be a larger, probably nicer stadium built at York University but that fell through. Then I believe there was another proposal for one at The University of Toronto but it went no where too. The city needed the stadium to be built by 2007 b/c of the U-23 World Soccer Championship said they'd relocate the final matches to Edmonton if TO didn't get a stadium done.

The owner's of it are MLSE (Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment) already owns the prime concert venue in the city ACC (Air Canada Centre), so a covered stadium would probably not see any use during the winter so we get our craptacular open air SSS which will likely end up getting into financial difficulties if the MLS team doesn't work out. I hope that they do something to it to make it more "nice" but I seriously doubt it. Except for people who are interested in this project, not many people in TO actually know it's u/c which sucks. A UFT location would have made it more central to downtown but we end up with this one on the exhibition grouns. Go figure.

yure323

June 4th, 2006, 03:02 PM

I really hope they build a soccer specific stadium here in Boston/New England. The Revolution are a good team (by MLS standards anyways) and hopefully the following around here will grow to where Bob Kraft (owner of the Revolution and Patriots) will build a stadium adjacent to Gillette. It would really help the MLS IMO--to have one of their better teams have a soccer specific stadium.

I really like Vancouver's stadium, not only for the stadium itself but for the backdrop. Toronto's looks very...half-assed. Doesn't seem like they put much effort into designing it. Hopefully it changes, but I won't hold my breath.
The owner of the NE Revs said that they will build a soccer stadium in the future, it's probably going to be adjacent to Gillette, but they're going to look at Boston first, but i doubt they could build a stadium there, and besides Kraft already ownes land around in Foxboro.

Breakwood

June 4th, 2006, 06:29 PM

Rochester's PAETEC Park opened up last night. For the USL-1 game between Rochester and Virginia Beach. USL-1 is a level below MLS, but is not affiliated.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j215/drew_brown/PTPInteractive.jpg

nomarandlee

June 4th, 2006, 06:33 PM

Yes, all the stadiums that have been or will be built are expandable, most of them are expandable to around 30,000.
BTW, Chicago Fire's new stadium is opening on June 11th, their stadium is going to be a real beauty.
Pics : http://chicago.fire.mlsnet.com/MLS/chf/stadium/bridgeview/

It looks nice I just wish it was closer to downtown and central city. Even though its close to the city limits it has a suburban based orientation.

yure323

June 4th, 2006, 06:42 PM

It looks nice I just wish it was closer to downtown and central city. Even though its close to the city limits it has a suburban based orientation.
Bridgeview will pay 100% of the stadium cost, i doubt Chicago would give any money for a stadium.

nomarandlee

June 4th, 2006, 06:57 PM

True, also they want big car lots for suburban families instead of a more mass transit city but still would have liked to see it closer to downtown.

Just from a personal standpoint it would have been nice to see them build on one of those UC lots (with possiable future Pink line service) and have it become the start of a real close to downtown sports complex.

But hopefully Brideview will be a good base to receive as much of their fan base as possible. Having a town fit the bill for a stadium is no small incentive I just hope that long term it is best for the club.

mrtocsin

June 5th, 2006, 01:59 AM

ReddAlert

June 5th, 2006, 06:26 AM

There is some interest to build an urban soccer stadium in downtown Milwaukee. While not a huge fan, I would love to see it. I already have a perfect team name, colors, and logo if we get one.

spyguy

June 5th, 2006, 06:29 AM

If Americans finally get the football bug and it will take a long time, they will be able to get players that will truely dominate the international scene. I don't expect a good USA football team until around 2024, but by then look out Brazil.

Well I know there are a few like Beckham and Ronaldo who want to build a career in the US, so that might help.

Wezza

June 5th, 2006, 06:33 AM

Some nice little stadiums there. But i have to admit, these sponsorship deals with large corporations are getting out of hand........Pizza Hut Park???? LMAO What next?

ReddAlert

June 5th, 2006, 06:47 AM

Some nice little stadiums there. But i have to admit, these sponsorship deals with large corporations are getting out of hand........Pizza Hut Park???? LMAO What next?

thats nothing. Ever heard of Taco Bell Arena? How about Petco Park?

nomarandlee

June 5th, 2006, 09:45 AM

There is some interest to build an urban soccer stadium in downtown Milwaukee. While not a huge fan, I would love to see it. I already have a perfect team name, colors, and logo if we get one.

That could make a good rivalry for the Fire if that ever happened. If KC, SLC, or Columbus can handle a team Milwaukee sure as heck could. What downtown locations have been thrown around?

Throw out the ideas for your Milwaukee team Redd. I want to hear em'.

nomarandlee

June 5th, 2006, 09:55 AM

Some nice little stadiums there. But i have to admit, these sponsorship deals with large corporations are getting out of hand........Pizza Hut Park???? LMAO What next?

As long as U.S. sports teams never go the way of the way of big corporate logo's on uniforms for its soccer teams (or any pro sports team for that matter) I'll make due. I find it odd that people rip on U.S. sports and leagues for being over commercialized (which they are) for me that is by far the biggest sell out to commercialism in sports one can have. With how anti-corporate some Europeans can be I am surprised more don't show indignation over it.

The day that the United, Allstate, or Motorola logo goes on instead of the Bears, Bulls, or Cubs is the day I very likely will refuse to keep watching pro sports.

I do have a dope old Newcastle United jersey though that has the Newcastle Brown Ale logo which is one of my favorite beers.

BaronVonChickenpants

June 5th, 2006, 11:06 AM

Some nice little stadiums there. But i have to admit, these sponsorship deals with large corporations are getting out of hand........Pizza Hut Park???? LMAO What next?

what,like the Dairy Farmers Staduim?

BaronVonChickenpants

June 5th, 2006, 11:09 AM

As long as U.S. sports teams never go the way of the way of big corporate logo's on uniforms for its soccer teams (or any pro sports team for that matter) I'll make due. I find it odd that people rip on U.S. sports and leagues for being over commercialized (which they are) for me that is by far the biggest sell out to commercialism in sports one can have. With how anti-corporate some Europeans can be I am surprised more don't show indignation over it.

The day that the United, Allstate, or Motorola logo goes on instead of the Bears, Bulls, or Cubs is the day I very likely will refuse to keep watching pro sports.

I do have a dope old Newcastle United jersey though that has the Newcastle Brown Ale logo which is one of my favorite beers.

i'd rather have adverstising on my teams shirt,than it being called a "franchise",and the team being upped and moved hundreds of miles to a differant part of the country when the owner felt like it

nomarandlee

June 5th, 2006, 12:30 PM

i'd rather have adverstising on my teams shirt,than it being called a "franchise",and the team being upped and moved hundreds of miles to a differant part of the country when the owner felt like it

None of my favorite teams are likely to go anywhere anytime soon if ever so I am not really concerned about it.

Regardless, no matter what the defensive throwback jabs the idea of commercialized jerseys is dreadful.

victory

June 5th, 2006, 12:36 PM

what,like the Dairy Farmers Staduim?

Subiaco was nearly re-named 'Crazy Johns Stadium' in an advertising deal, now that is ridiculous.

i'd rather have adverstising on my teams shirt,than it being called a "franchise",and the team being upped and moved hundreds of miles to a differant part of the country when the owner felt like it

I agree.

And I dony see any problem with advetising on jerseys.

BaronVonChickenpants

June 5th, 2006, 12:59 PM

Subiaco was nearly re-named 'Crazy Johns Stadium' in an advertising deal, now that is ridiculous.

I agree.

And I dony see any problem with advetising on jerseys.

i think its all dependant on what sponsor you get,as long as its a well known brand,with a good name

unfortunaltey in the UK,we have succumbed to the naming of grounds.York City's ground,formerly Bootham Crescent,is now KIT-KAT Crescent!!!!!!

BaronVonChickenpants

June 5th, 2006, 01:04 PM

None of my favorite teams are likely to go anywhere anytime soon if ever so I am not really concerned about it.

Regardless, no matter what the defensive throwback jabs the idea of commercialized jerseys is dreadful.

"are likely to"?????? ...............aren't you sure???
this shouldn't happen full stop.In the UK,a team is part of the local community.Football teams founded in the late 1800's we made up of boy's/men from the local factories/mines/mills,or boys clubs formed in the local area.They are as much a part of community as anything else

Wezza

June 5th, 2006, 01:24 PM

what,like the Dairy Farmers Staduim?
Yeah exactly!! I think it's ridiculous! I'm the first to admit that Dairy Farmers Stadium is a stupid name, probably on par with Pizza Hut Park, Taco Bell Arena & Home Depot Centre.

yure323

June 5th, 2006, 01:58 PM

There is some interest to build an urban soccer stadium in downtown Milwaukee. While not a huge fan, I would love to see it. I already have a perfect team name, colors, and logo if we get one.
Peter Wilt, former GM of the Chicago Fire is trying to get a soccer stadium built in Milwaukee, he was the guy that got Bridgeview stadium approved, the big difference now is that Milwaukee's stadium is going ( if it gets built ) to be 100% privately funded.

yure323

June 5th, 2006, 01:59 PM

Yeah exactly!! I think it's ridiculous! I'm the first to admit that Dairy Farmers Stadium is a stupid name, probably on par with Pizza Hut Park, Taco Bell Arena & Home Depot Centre.
BTW, Bridgeview stadium will probably be called Toyota stadium, which is way better than the ones above.

yure323

June 5th, 2006, 02:04 PM

If Americans finally get the football bug and it will take a long time, they will be able to get players that will truely dominate the international scene. I don't expect a good USA football team until around 2024, but by then look out Brazil.
Presently about half of MLS clubs have youth acadamies, but they're hoping that in 1 or 2 years every team will have one. I think that will be great for developing talent.
More : http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/special_packages/world_cup/14732286.htm

Wezza

June 5th, 2006, 03:24 PM

BTW, Bridgeview stadium will probably be called Toyota stadium, which is way better than the ones above.
Yeah thats not too bad, but i still don't agree with it. Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane used to be Lang Park, it still basically is to everyone, Suncorp Stadium just it's corporate nickname. Gotta move with the times i suppose.

P.S. Sorry for going O/T.

40Acres

June 5th, 2006, 07:26 PM

i'd rather have adverstising on my teams shirt,than it being called a "franchise",and the team being upped and moved hundreds of miles to a differant part of the country when the owner felt like it

I don't think you know how the system works in the US, although you like to pretend that you do. The term "franchise" only means that it is a franchise of the NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL/MLS office. These teams can only move locations with something like 75% approval from the other owners and 100% of the league office, and only under extenuating circumstances like abismal attendence, lack of funding from the host cities (arenas, stadiums), or general apathy. Either way, its basically the fault of the city if a franchise moves (Cleveland and Baltimore aside) ... its not like franchises in any of the sports move year to year. You'll never see entrenched teams like the Red Sox or Cubs move to Key West or something like that. Plus, with the country being so huge, and the constant influx of talent into the country from Europe (NBA/NHL) and Aisa/Latin America (MLB), expansion of the league is more likely than relocation. Hell, the league won't even let the saints or hornets move from New Orleans.

Oh, and the US DOES have a club-style system ... its called college athletics, which have been playing sanctioned sports since the mid 1800s.

I can't wait to see more MLS expansion in the near future. Soccer is huge in certain pockets of the USA, like the southwest (Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix), the Midwest (St. Louis, Chicago, Milwuakee, K.C., Cleveland, Cincy, Columbus), Southern Cal (LA, San Diego), the Northwest (Seattle, Portland), the South (Miami, Orlando, Birmingham, Atlanta, Charlotte, Charlottesville, Memphis), and the northeast (D.C., Boston, NY, Albany, Pittsburg, Philly).

I would love to see a SSS in Phoenix, with a retractable roof, somewhere in the lakefront of Tempe, downtown Scottsdale, or downtown Phoenix near the US Airways Center.

yure323

June 5th, 2006, 10:55 PM

^^ MLS expansion :
Toronto 2007 100%
Cleveland, St.Louis and Philadelphia are the most likely candidates for 2007 or 2008, with Cleveland being the most likely IMO. San Jose's return also seems likely, because Wolff ( owner of the Oakland A's ) already bought rights for a MLS franchise. Vancouver will probably go to MLS in 2010 or later.
Cities with an outside chance : Millwaukee, Rochester, Atlanta, San Diego.
Or maybe come city is going to come out of left field like Salt Lake in 2005.

ReddAlert

June 6th, 2006, 05:38 AM

That could make a good rivalry for the Fire if that ever happened. If KC, SLC, or Columbus can handle a team Milwaukee sure as heck could. What downtown locations have been thrown around?

Throw out the ideas for your Milwaukee team Redd. I want to hear em'.

Yeah, I also think it would be a pretty nice rivalry. Milwaukee has a large Latino community with connections to Chicago--that could make for some interesting games.

The locations I heard of are in the Park East corridor, the near Southside, and the Third Ward--in the Italian Community Center lot. The last one would be the best in my opinion. It is already a dense area with alot of life...which could help for ticket sales. Plus, it would be right next to Summerfest and Lake Michigan. The views from the stands would be incredible--views of L. Michigan, the Art Museum, and the downtown skyline. Retail and condos I believe were apart of this project--which could help this along. Oh and many Third Ward condos are being bought up by people down in Chicagoland--which could also add a little bit to a rivalry.

here is a picture of the area..
http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/1746/0602189os.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

and for the logo and colors....I whipped this up. The logo is actually from Sprecher, a local brewery...but I think the logo should be similar to theirs--a Griffin like creature.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/9845/soccer7fl.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

ReddAlert

June 6th, 2006, 05:44 AM

Peter Wilt, former GM of the Chicago Fire is trying to get a soccer stadium built in Milwaukee, he was the guy that got Bridgeview stadium approved, the big difference now is that Milwaukee's stadium is going ( if it gets built ) to be 100% privately funded.

yeah, that would be the kicker. Getting the taxpayers to pay for Miller Park was a hassle and a new arena for the Bucks is facing an uphill battle. A soccer stadium would most likely be shot down faster than an X-Wing in the Death Star trench.

I have read a bit about this Wilt and he seems very committed to this. I hope we see something done.

datilguy

June 6th, 2006, 06:38 AM

Albuquerque and other southwestern citie might get teams. Soccer is very popular here (not just among the Hispanic population but also among everyone). The UNM soccer team did very well and is extremely popular...and Albuquerque has the ABQ Asylum and used to have a pro womens team.

Albuquerque, Phoenix and El Paso could all support teams I'm sure.

BaronVonChickenpants

June 6th, 2006, 11:21 AM

I don't think you know how the system works in the US, although you like to pretend that you do. The term "franchise" only means that it is a franchise of the NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL/MLS office. These teams can only move locations with something like 75% approval from the other owners and 100% of the league office, and only under extenuating circumstances like abismal attendence, lack of funding from the host cities (arenas, stadiums), or general apathy. Either way, its basically the fault of the city if a franchise moves (Cleveland and Baltimore aside) ... its not like franchises in any of the sports move year to year. You'll never see entrenched teams like the Red Sox or Cubs move to Key West or something like that. Plus, with the country being so huge, and the constant influx of talent into the country from Europe (NBA/NHL) and Aisa/Latin America (MLB), expansion of the league is more likely than relocation. Hell, the league won't even let the saints or hornets move from New Orleans.

Oh, and the US DOES have a club-style system ... its called college athletics, which have been playing sanctioned sports since the mid 1800s.

I can't wait to see more MLS expansion in the near future. Soccer is huge in certain pockets of the USA, like the southwest (Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix), the Midwest (St. Louis, Chicago, Milwuakee, K.C., Cleveland, Cincy, Columbus), Southern Cal (LA, San Diego), the Northwest (Seattle, Portland), the South (Miami, Orlando, Birmingham, Atlanta, Charlotte, Charlottesville, Memphis), and the northeast (D.C., Boston, NY, Albany, Pittsburg, Philly).

I would love to see a SSS in Phoenix, with a retractable roof, somewhere in the lakefront of Tempe, downtown Scottsdale, or downtown Phoenix near the US Airways Center.

i didn't say i knew how things worked,did i?but fact,teams have been moved to other cities.Yes or no?doesn't matter about the circumstances,how agrees to it,etc etc......teams get moved....full stop.

Telfordboy

June 6th, 2006, 03:00 PM

Yeah teams shouldn't be allowed to move its wrong wrong wrong. When Wimbledon moved they became one of the most hated teams in England and they don't even get good attendence at their new home. The worst case of the naming rights to a stadium has to be The Emirates Stadium, i couuldn't believe it when i heard that Arsenal with some of the most famous history and tradition in England had done it. I think i'll just call it The Grove or something.

victory

June 6th, 2006, 03:15 PM

Yeah thats not too bad, but i still don't agree with it. Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane used to be Lang Park, it still basically is to everyone, Suncorp Stadium just it's corporate nickname. Gotta move with the times i suppose.

P.S. Sorry for going O/T.

And sorry for continuing this Ot trip...

My solution would be to name it "Suncorp Stadium at Lang Park".

CharlieA

June 6th, 2006, 03:35 PM

Telfordboy

June 6th, 2006, 03:41 PM

I'll gonna call it Ashburton, no way am I referring to it as "The Emirates"!
Good lad.
One thing i don't like about a lot of these US stadiums is that the stands behind the goals are really small but in England this is traditionally where much of the atmosphere is generated as its where most of the hardcore home support sit/stand and the away fans usually sit in the stand facing them

rantanamo

June 6th, 2006, 09:06 PM

^That's starting to happen the world over with the 'saddleroofs'

spyguy

June 6th, 2006, 09:20 PM

BTW, Bridgeview stadium will probably be called Toyota stadium, which is way better than the ones above.

Toyota Park I thought

yure323

June 6th, 2006, 09:38 PM

Toyota Park I thought
Yeah it's actually Toyota Park. Sorry, my bad.

NovaWolverine

June 7th, 2006, 03:00 AM

The DC United has some nice plans for a 27k soccer stadium, it'll most likely be along the river in a gentrifying part of the city. I think when finished, it ought to be a pretty nice place to play. The avg. over the United's history is 17k and was 21k in 2001, so with the continued success and growth of the sport I think this stadium when packed could be great. Nearby schools Maryland and Virginia are pretty good in collegiate soccer too along with the high schools, the northeast and mid-atlantic down to VA Beach are soccer rich areas.

EDBTZ

June 11th, 2006, 11:57 AM

Ummm..... hello?

http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/images/san_francisco/SBC_Park.jpg

http://www.fbcsf.org/events/fellowship04/aerial_wm.jpg

http://www.small-parks.com/SBC4.JPG

http://www.small-parks.com/SBC5.JPG

http://playballx.com/HOPE/CHIN-FENG%20CHEN/SBC-1.jpg

http://www.sportsvenue-technology.com/contractor_images/merritt/merrit1.jpg

http://www.math.unm.edu/~salter/pictures/sf_pac_bell2.jpg

Scba

June 11th, 2006, 05:38 PM

-delete-

guerreritoboy

June 11th, 2006, 07:41 PM

1.-Dodger Stadium - Dodgers™
2.-New Busch Stadium - Cardinals™
3.-At&t Park - Giants™
4.-Orioles Stadium - Orioles™
5.-Minute Maid Park - Astros™

Canadian Chocho

June 11th, 2006, 09:39 PM

Rogers Centre sucks, the atmosphere is terrible, and the staium itself is ugly.....

your face is ugly

NFLeuropefan

June 11th, 2006, 09:50 PM

Your mom's pussy is ugly.

Bigmac1212

June 13th, 2006, 04:32 AM

Here's the link:

Put a video board at Wrigley (http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-0606120109jun12,1,6383209.story?vote23870103=1&coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true)

What are your thoughts?

spyguy

June 13th, 2006, 04:37 AM

Foolish person. As their own unscientific poll reveals, a clear majority oppose any change.

Of course the guy selling the board is going to want the change! Should we be listening to him? No.

If you want a more modern baseball park, head down to the Cell. The whole reason Wrigley is so intimate and friendly is because it is rather simple, and a huge blaring screen filled with corporate ads isn't going to help an already perfect setting.

BTW, this is the scoreboard in case you've never seen it:
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/711/wrigleyscoreboard6oj.jpg
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/3227/800pxwrigleyroof4on.jpg

nomarandlee

June 13th, 2006, 08:09 AM

i think such a charlatan should get such unscrupulous poisonous ideas out of his filthy mind and be air dropped into North Korea and never be heard from again as a measure to block the dissemination of such bad ideas in the future.

No doubt it is the Tribunes way of putting out a feeler and see exactly how hostile the response would be on yet another tawdry money making scheme of theirs. Hopefully they will not be shocked by an overwhelming hostile response and chose to end the nonsense of the idea pronto. In fact, the Tribune should sell the team to an owner who will respect the fans and park more and get some quick money for their ailing company.

Nikom

June 13th, 2006, 09:56 PM

PETCO Park,San Diego Padres :)

http://www.skylinepictures.com/San_Diego_Petco_Park_sd6_large.jpg

http://www.skylinepictures.com/Smith_San_Diego_sd1_large.jpg

StuckInOklahoma

June 13th, 2006, 10:07 PM

PETCO Park,San Diego Padres :)

http://www.skylinepictures.com/San_Diego_Petco_Park_sd6_large.jpg

http://www.skylinepictures.com/Smith_San_Diego_sd1_large.jpg

That last pic isn't Petco Park, that's Qualcomm. PETCO is amazing though.

Toronto06

June 13th, 2006, 10:18 PM

Rogers Centre sucks, the atmosphere is terrible, and the staium itself is ugly.....

another opinion.......

but the rogers centre is my favourite
second being Yankees Staduim

BostonSkyGuy

June 15th, 2006, 08:58 PM

another opinion.......

but the rogers centre is my favourite
second being Yankees Staduim

I'm sorry but you Toronto homers are ridiculous. There's no way that the Rogers Center is even a top 10 MLB Stadium much less the best stadium.

When you create a topic like this a general rule should be "What is the best stadium outside your own" because the boosterism/homerism on these threads is a joke. Turner Field as the best MLB Stadium? It's one of the worst atmosphere's in the game, the fans could care less about the Braves and the park itself lacks any imagination.

My list, and I'm not going to include Fenway because I'm biased.

1- Camden Yards, Baltimore

By far the best of the newer stadium even though it's more than 10 years old now. It feels like it was built 50 years ago and yet it has plenty of modern amenities. Out of all the places I go to see the Sox play, this is the best.

2- PNC Park, Pittsburgh
3- AT&T Park, San Francisco
4- Wrigley Field, Chicago
5-Jacobs Field, Cleveland
5B- Safeco Field, Seattle

The WORST?

1- Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay
2- Dolphin Stadium, Miami
3- The Metrodome, Minneapolis
4- Shea Stadium, New York
5- RFK Stadium, D.C.

hngcm

June 16th, 2006, 04:27 AM

PETCO Park,San Diego Padres :)

http://www.skylinepictures.com/San_Diego_Petco_Park_sd6_large.jpg

And it will be A LOT BETTER once all those buildings get completed around the stadium.:)

StuckInOklahoma

June 16th, 2006, 04:31 AM

I stayed in the Omni Hotel next to PETCO. That area is booming with development. I attended the 2005 Holiday Bowl and downtown San Diego is happening. I just wish that Qualcomm was near downtown. Are there any plans to bring an NFL stadium to downtown?

rantanamo

June 16th, 2006, 07:59 AM

They'll probably end up at the LA Coliseum.

Longhorn Al

June 16th, 2006, 09:27 AM

No Ameriquest (Ballpark in Arlington) love?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/bpkarl70.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/IMGP1684_med.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/ameriquest.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/Amer-field.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/arlington1a.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/cfiles5516.jpg

Longhorn Al

June 16th, 2006, 10:53 AM

The big part of the Texas/OU game is the atmosphere of the Fair. The food is great. The games, rides, expos, music, etc. The weekend of the game around 250,000 people pass through the Fairgrounds.

And don't forget your Fletcher's corny dogs. It's the original corndog, made in 1942.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/corny_dog.jpg

The Red River Shootout is the one time in a year you let it all hang out. There is more fried food at the Fair than anywhere else.

Fried Oreo cookies
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/fried_oreos.jpg
Fried Snickers
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/fried_snickers.jpg
Fried ice cream
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/fried_ice_cream.jpg
Fried twinkie
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/fried_twinkie.jpg
Fried cheesecake
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/fried_cheesecake.jpg
Fried cheese curd
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/fried_cheese_curds.jpg
Fried alligator
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/lzppjb/fried_alligator.jpg

Ok, now I've gone and made myself hungry! :D

Scba

June 16th, 2006, 06:15 PM

^^

I love the rat race that breaks out whenever someone pops a homer onto the berm in center field.

Nikom

June 16th, 2006, 06:17 PM

That last pic isn't Petco Park, that's Qualcomm. PETCO is amazing though.

I know but it's too amazing :)

StuckInOklahoma

June 17th, 2006, 01:43 AM

oh man, that food looks GROSS but everyone who has been to the Texas State Fair knows it's the BEST damn tasting food ever... also the unhealthiest.

OU/Texas weekend is the best weekend ever.

There were talks about having ABC broadcast the RRS during its primetime slot. Both schools declined. Lord knows how dangerous it would be trying to walk around the fairgrounds around midnight. There would be riots and casualties. Props to whoever made this work. This is definitely the most unique setting in all of College Football!

BOOMER SOONER ;)

ncvegas

June 18th, 2006, 08:53 AM

Macca-GC

June 18th, 2006, 09:52 AM

Problem is, the capacity of these stadiums are so small, what do you do for big games????

I can't find any pictures of this in Soccer configuration, but it is the home of the Queensland Roar FC in Australia's A-League:

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, AUSTRALIA, Capacity:52,500, Built 2001

http://www.srq.qld.gov.au/images/facilities/installations/Suncorp%20Stadium.jpg
http://www.thestoryofus.com/2004/images/2504.jpg

The really good thing about rectangular stadiums is that it's quite easy to upgrade them. Like Suncorp Stadium was rebuilt from 1999-2001 for AU$270million, but one stand is actually part of the original stadium. But you can easily compare that with a circular stadium(like the MCG for example) which took 4 years to rebuild half the stadium at a cost of AU$480million

Irish Blood English Heart

June 18th, 2006, 11:44 AM

I love that stadium, the best in Oz, hopefully it will be part of a strong WC bid (in 2022 perhaps).

mikeyraw

June 19th, 2006, 01:43 PM

I love that stadium, the best in Oz, hopefully it will be part of a strong WC bid (in 2022 perhaps).

2014 looks the go, as the PM endorsed a state petition last week. Even if we lose, it will be great for the game in Australia.

hngcm

June 21st, 2006, 09:32 AM

With all these projects being completed/starting construction.:)

All pics are from KCgridlock from SSP.

http://photos.***************/kcgridlock/sandiego/img_5339_sized.jpg
http://photos.***************/kcgridlock/sandiego/img_5343_sized.jpg
http://photos.***************/kcgridlock/sandiego/img_5347_sized.jpg
http://photos.***************/kcgridlock/sandiego/IMG_5386_sized.jpg
http://photos.***************/kcgridlock/sandiego/IMG_5392_sized.jpg
http://photos.***************/kcgridlock/sandiego/img_5394_sized.jpg
http://photos.***************/kcgridlock/sandiego/IMG_5568_sized.jpg
http://photos.***************/kcgridlock/sandiego/IMG_5574_sized.jpg
http://photos.***************/kcgridlock/sandiego/IMG_5580_sized.jpg
http://photos.***************/kcgridlock/sandiego/IMG_5601_sized.jpg
http://photos.***************/kcgridlock/sandiego/IMG_5615_sized.jpg
http://photos.***************/kcgridlock/sandiego/IMG_5620_sized.jpg

Irish Blood English Heart

June 21st, 2006, 10:17 AM

Great stadium and location

ASupertall4SD

June 21st, 2006, 10:31 AM

im hoping for an all star game around 2011 or so. By then there will be a ton more buildings in that area. That would give us about 20 or more extra buildings or so of niceout nice sightlines looking from the seats. People are gonna be amazed at the location in a few years. Think about what is not even showing in these amazing pics. A library with a huge glowing dome, i think 5 towers to the south, a library tower, another close to 500 footer in direct center that will look great. Damn it, its gonna keep getting better and better.

SoulvisionQ1

June 21st, 2006, 11:22 AM

Good on San Diego! i see it has no parking! thats a very good thing!

Nikom

June 21st, 2006, 11:35 AM

My favourite baseball stadium :okay:

ratoronto

June 21st, 2006, 06:35 PM

http://images6.theimagehosting.com/TorontoFC.jpg (http://www.theimagehosting.com)

A rendering of the interior of Toronto FC's new stadium (Exhibition place, downtown Toronto) with the 5000 extra 2007 u-21 FIFA World Cup seats installed:
http://images6.theimagehosting.com/torontofcstadiumconst3.jpg (http://www.theimagehosting.com)

Construction photo as 20/05/2006:
http://images6.theimagehosting.com/torontofcstadiumconst.jpg (http://www.theimagehosting.com)

NovaWolverine

June 21st, 2006, 06:46 PM

what about RFK Stadium? I thought that was a SSS?
Virginia does have great soccer programs. I plan on going to college in Williamsburg, VA. Great soccer at the school and the area.
Can't wait for Toyota Park to open. GO CHICAGO!

RFK was the home of the Redskins before Fex Ex Field was built. It's legendary for football b/c of the bouncing stands. Right now it's home to the Nationals MLB team along with the United. Some are hoping, and really is the best word to describe it, that RFK would be torn down for another Redskin, maybe for the olympics someday) stadium since Fed Ex Field was rushed and built b/c Jack Kent Cooke was tired of dealing with the DC gov't. Dan Snyder has the money to do it, but the question is if it is worth it.

The new SSS stadium at Poplar Point is going to be with mixed use development, and should do pretty well. The United has got a lot of support. UMD and UVA are both great, and the high schools are good. William and Mary is good too. I hope it turns out good.

dewback

June 21st, 2006, 09:23 PM

Great pictures, I was able to see the new developments around PETCO and East Village when I went to a game a few weeks ago. Let's hope that the Ballpark Village can be approved to increase the density in the area.

Bigmac1212

June 22nd, 2006, 01:20 AM

Looks like the highest Canaidian Minor League Baseball team, the Ottawa Lynx, will be moving to Allentown, PA. Here's the design:
http://www.ballparkdigest.com/images/new_allentown/Aerial-Perspective-June-81.jpg
http://www.ballparkdigest.com/images/new_allentown/Elevation-Board-June-91.jpg

I have two complaints:
1. 7,000 seats is extremely low for AAA baseball, the highest of the American minor leagues.
2. That video board is placed at a very hard to see location.

Thoughts?

Bigmac1212

June 22nd, 2006, 03:59 AM

Here's the outfield picture with dimentions (in feet):
http://www.ballparkdigest.com/images/new_allentown/Concourse-Level-June-91.jpg

Calvin W

June 22nd, 2006, 04:15 AM

Nice stadium, like you said a bit on the small side. Maybe if the add an upper deck it would be more suitable. Hate to see another Canadian team move to the states, but Ottawa can only survive if Toronto makes it its farm team. I guess us Canucks should stick to hockey. Doh! Congrats to the Hurricanes they deserved it.
Who will be the parent team for this franchise?

Bigmac1212

June 22nd, 2006, 04:19 AM

Not sure. Currently, Ottawa is Baltimore's AAA team. Philly might, and I stress, might move their top team away from Scranton Wilkes-Barre to Allentown if Ottawa moves.

Scba

June 22nd, 2006, 05:32 AM

Could have sworn that the International League had made 10,000 seats the mandatory minimum for their parks. Other than that, looks pretty...average. Obligatory brick and steel, skybox city, party zone, picnic decks, berm...

What would make sense is for Philly to take this place, switch it to give Reading a AAA team, and have Baltimore take the Barons.

By the way, what happened to the park around Allentown that they started building years ago?

Jayayess1190

June 22nd, 2006, 05:48 AM

Where else could the video board be?

hngcm

June 24th, 2006, 08:33 AM

I just can imagine how it would look with BV!!:D

StuckInOklahoma

June 24th, 2006, 09:05 AM

I LOVE Petco! I saw a game there last April and this past December I stayed in the Omni Hotel - the hotel adjacent to Petco. Amazing area!

Zaqattaq

June 25th, 2006, 05:57 AM

State College, PA's first professional sports franchise has kicked off. The State College Spikes minor league baseball team play in the the NY-PENN league. This is a sports crazy town, home to the second largest stadium in the nation and a host of other top notch sporting facilities.

The Spikes play at the brand new $30+million Medlar Field at Lubrano Park

http://statecollegespikes.com.ismmedia.com/ISM2/NewRendering.jpg

http://www.statecollegespikes.com/images/top.jpg

http://statecollegespikes.com.ismmedia.com/ISM2/1024WP2.jpg

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2006/06/20/8FN6GuSs.jpg

Seating Capacity: 5,406 + 20 Luxury Boxes
I went inside the stadium the other day and it is fantastic; a quality you would not expect in a minor league park.

Scba

June 25th, 2006, 05:54 PM

Do you have any pictures of it with the field completed?

Zaqattaq

June 25th, 2006, 07:02 PM

http://statecollegespikes.com.ismmedia.com/ISM2/MultimediaManager/533.jpeg

http://statecollegespikes.com.ismmedia.com/ISM2/MultimediaManager/573.jpeg

http://statecollegespikes.com.ismmedia.com/ISM2/MultimediaManager/574.jpeg

http://statecollegespikes.com.ismmedia.com/ISM2/MultimediaManager/720.jpeg

http://statecollegespikes.com.ismmedia.com/ISM2/MultimediaManager/731.jpeg

http://statecollegespikes.com.ismmedia.com/ISM2/MultimediaManager/732.jpeg

http://statecollegespikes.com.ismmedia.com/ISM2//SeatingChart/659.jpeg.450.jpeg

edsg25

June 30th, 2006, 09:46 AM

It was easy identifying the cookie cutter stadiums: Busch, Riverfront, 3 Rivers, Veterans, Atlanta, Shea (except outfield).

It may harder to identify which parks are truly "retro".

Camden Yards, obviously. It started the trend. it was "throwback" in so many ways. The Jake followed as is clearly retro. PNP is classically retro....small, intimate, double decked. But where does it stop? When did the retro parks "peter out" and perhaps end?

AT&T may have some retro elements, but in many ways it is a straight forward ball park whose assymetrical layout is dictated by its tight site and the locaton of the bay in the outfield.

Petco, First Citizens, and the new Busch seem to be breaking new ground and don't appear to be retro.

The following are the new parks that came on line after the new Comsikey when Camden Yards started the retro trend:

Baltimore
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Detroit
Milwaukee
St. Louis
Atlanta
Houston
Texas
Colorado
Arizona
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle

If you accept retro as being "a throwback to key elements of pre-WWII era ball parks, which of the above are retro.....and why?

hngcm

June 30th, 2006, 01:16 PM

Please do not call Petco retro.

Please.

Scba

June 30th, 2006, 05:16 PM

edsg25

June 30th, 2006, 05:56 PM

Please do not call Petco retro.

Please.

I DIDN'T!!!

edsg25

June 30th, 2006, 06:03 PM

Definitely not Retro:

San Diego
Cincinatti
Milwaukee
Arizona
Philly

Definitely 'yes' Retro:

Baltimore
Cleveland
Texas
Indianapolis
Portland (OR)

Indy (cap. 15,000)

http://indymotorspeedway.com/cityguide/pics/vfield.jpg

Remodeled Portland (cap. 23,000)

http://oregonbaseballcampaign.com/images/stadium/pge/pge_big.jpg

SCBA, I'm in full agreement with you on all the major league parks (I'm not familiar with the minor league ones you've included, so I'll avoid comment.

As for the rest (ones you didn't include)...

RETRO
Comerica
PNP
Coors
Great American
Turner

ON THE FENCE
AT&T: leaning towards "non-retro" because its quirky dimensions are dictated by site, not a desire to get cute

NON-RETRO
new Busch

DOMES: JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE TO PUT THEM
Houston
Seattle

samsonyuen

July 1st, 2006, 10:35 PM

How about the last stadium built pre-retro: Rogers Centre (né SkyDome)?

Zorba

July 2nd, 2006, 12:12 AM

How about the last stadium built pre-retro: Rogers Centre (né SkyDome)?
Actually the last stadium built pre-retro is RFK Stadium(Washington Nationals). :cheers:

rantanamo

July 2nd, 2006, 08:24 AM

I think its best to look at the intentions of the ballpark as well as what about each could make them retro or not retro.

RETRO: To me, this means the architect is trying to mimic older stadiums or is trying to emote certain feelings of the golden era of baseball with the ballpark. This can include brick, fancy ironwork, local materials, classic monuments, certain seating elements and integration of surroundings. For this list I would include

Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Urban, Brick facade, monuments, warehouse, iron work. Not to mention the architects stated 'retro' as the goal. One of the ultimate examples.

PNC Park - Monuments, 2 tier stands, classic stone facade, fancy ironwork, very intimate.

Busch Stadium - Great exterior work, soaring lines, fancy ironwork, very very urban, standing monuments

Ameriquest Field - Perhaps the ultimate example. Old brickwork, very fancy ironwork, and actual stacked and covered stand(classic), monuments. Too bad its in such a bad location. Definitely attempted retro.

Colorado - Brickwork, ironwork, classic square stadium. Perhaps it should be considered "regional" though.

San Francisco - All of the above down to unique shape. Best executed retro along with Baltimore

Not Retro: I think many confuse the modern shape of new baseball stadiums with trying to be reto, which some have. Others don't resemble retro at all. Some are brick, but brick doesn't = retro. Some are simply in a regional style

Philadelphia - I put this in the same categorie as Lincoln Financial Field. Modern design with a brick facade. Nothing really retro about the structure.

Arizona - Very modern with retractable roof and walls, and an example of a regional style.

Cincinnati - Ultra modern with a regional style. Steamboats are classic, but the park went for them and not classic baseball.

Cleveland - Victim of its company since it opened in the era of Camden, Ameriquest, and Coors. Has nothing to do with retro though except its setting. Very ultra modern design that is unique. Great iron work outside and in. A bolder Cincinnati if you will.

Houston - Bricks yes, classic idea? yes, but modelled after a train station, not old baseball.

Milwaukee - Simply unique and ultra modern. Great roof. Happens to have roof, though those arches are almost retro. Just not retro as a whole though.

San Diego - Unique and ultra modern. Very regional stone give it a San Diego Feel, though there is a little interior retro cheese in the outfield.

Safeco Field - I think this one is confused the most. Urban, fancy iron work, brick facade. To me, the brick is all about the warehouse district it sits in. Would you call Qwest Field retro? I think not. Neither is Safeco. Safeco has the most extensive iron work anywhere. Its to emote the feeling of the nearby cranes on the nearby docks. Very not retro to me. The roof further demonstrates this.

Hard to Tell:
Atlanta - No real retro elements besides brick and monuments. Modern bowl, but a rounded outfield. Just doesn't emote the way the retros do. Just a new ballpark with brick if you ask me.

Detroit - Its brick, but it has the split type stands you see in Petco or Great American. Has some "disney" to the exterior as well. I think its setting is the most retro thing about it.

i_am_hydrogen

July 2nd, 2006, 08:50 AM

Miller Park is definitely retro. While it may have modern amenities (what new park doesn't?) and a retractable roof, the design was based on Ebbets Field. The facade has that olde-tyme look so characteristic of other retro stadiums.

http://www.soulofamerica.com/images/photoswi/milwaukee/photos/Mil_Miller_Park_baseball.jpg

http://imagesource.art.com/images/-/Ebbets-Field---Outside-2---Photofile-Photograph-C10107004.jpeg

asohn

July 2nd, 2006, 09:23 AM

Actually the last stadium built pre-retro is RFK Stadium(Washington Nationals). :cheers:

RFK was built in the 60s...not even close.

The last pre-retro stadium was New Comiskey Park (now US Cellular Field).

DrJoe

July 2nd, 2006, 04:56 PM

I wonder how people will look upon these retro stadiums in 15-20 years. There is a good chance that they will fall out of favour pretty quickly.

Scba

July 2nd, 2006, 05:18 PM

Milwaukee might have a retro exterior, but the inside is definitely not. How many decks are there, 12? :jk:

rantanamo

July 2nd, 2006, 09:45 PM

RFK was built in the 60s...not even close.

The last pre-retro stadium was New Comiskey Park (now US Cellular Field).

You could argue that US Cellular is retro. The facade was built to mimic Old Comiskey. The interior wasn't retro at all originially though, except for the scoreboard. Since the renovation though, it has taken on a retro feel.

http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/4435/501100821bdruvaph5np.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

asohn

July 2nd, 2006, 11:32 PM

You could argue that US Cellular is retro. The facade was built to mimic Old Comiskey. The interior wasn't retro at all originially though, except for the scoreboard. Since the renovation though, it has taken on a retro feel. The whole reason they're investing millions into renovating is because it was so out-of-style. While the exterior was made to somewhat mimic old Comiskey, it's made out of very tacky pre-cast concrete panels. New Comiskey was definately the last of the pre-retro parks.

rantanamo

July 3rd, 2006, 02:03 AM

no doubt it was. I'm talking about the renovation. Its very subtle upon first inspection, but very classy upon a closer look. The shortening of the upper deck and small overhand with iron work is very nice. Not to mention going to the black for the existing metal work. So yes, built "pre-retro", definitely retro now. One could almost call it the pre-cursor to the retros(which still aren't as prevalent as people think)

Mr. Fusion

July 6th, 2006, 02:18 AM

It's an exciting time for sports franchises in the New York City area, as every one of them has either a new or renovated venue approved or under serious consideration! I'm certain most of these projects have been discussed before individually, but here's everything consolidated into a single thread... An ÜBERTHREAD!

:grouphug:

Mr. Fusion

July 6th, 2006, 02:19 AM

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/YS2.jpg
New York Yankees

Facts & Figures:
Completion - Opening Day 2009
Location - North Of Existing Stadium, Bronx
Capacity - 51,800
Cost - $1,020,000,000

Background: Both this and the Mets new ballpark were proposed several years ago with radically different designs, both featuring a retractible roof. This finalized design was unveiled in June 2005, and almost every financial and political issue has been resolved. Groundbreaking is expected later this summer.

Source: Ballparks.com (http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/american/nyybpk.htm)

Mr. Fusion

July 6th, 2006, 02:19 AM

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/NMB.jpg
HOK Sport

Facts & Figures:
Completion - Opening Day 2009
Location - East Of Existing Stadium, Flushing
Capacity - 45,000
Cost - $715,000,000

Background: The finalized design, unveiled in April, retains the exterior look resembling Ebbets Field, while dropping plans for a retractible roof and adjacent parking structure. The Mets hope to break ground later this summer.

Source: New York Mets / MLB.com (http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060406&content_id=1386865&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym)

Mr. Fusion

July 6th, 2006, 02:20 AM

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/NMS1.jpg
Unknown Source / StadiumsofNFL.com

Facts & Figures:
Completion - Scheduled Fall 2010
Location - Meadowlands Sports Complex / Xanadu
Capacity - 82,500
Cost - $1,000,000,000

Background: Being built to replace the current Giants Stadium, and will house both the Giants and Jets due to the failed West Side Stadium proposal. It'll be tied into Project Xanadu, a $1.3 billion shopping and entertainment complex built around Continental Airlines Arena. The naming rights to this new venue are currently being sought.

Source: Stadiums of the NFL (http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/future/NYStadium.htm)

---------------------------------------------

Additional Images:

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/NMS2.jpg
Unknown Source / StadiumsofNFL.com

Mr. Fusion

July 6th, 2006, 02:22 AM

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/NCL.jpg
The Lighthouse

Facts & Figures:
Completion - Projected 2009
Location - Nassau County, Long Island
Capacity - 17,500
Cost - Coliseum Renovation $320,000,000 / Overall Project $1,600,000,000

Background: Anyone who's familiar with Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum knows it is in dire need of money. The plan calls for lowering the arena floor five feet, creating a new row of luxury suites. The rest of the seating bowl, concourses, sound and video system, will also be modernized. The master plan for the site includes a convention center, five-star hotel, commercial and residential structures, and sports training facilities. Currently, plans are moving ahead without difficulty.

Source: The Lighthouse at Long Island (http://lighthouseli.com/)

---------------------------------------------

Additional Images:

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/TL3.jpg
Convention Center & Hotel / The Lighthouse

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/TL2.jpg
Commercial / The Lighthouse

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/TL4.jpg
Residential / The Lighthouse

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/TL1.jpg
Coliseum & Sports Facilities / The Lighthouse

Mr. Fusion

July 6th, 2006, 02:23 AM

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/NA1.jpg
New Jersey Devils / Morris Adjmi Architects

Facts & Figures:
Completion - Fall 2007
Location - Downtown Newark
Capacity - 17,500
Cost - $310,000,000

Background: Broke ground on October 3rd of last year. Designed by HOK Sport, the arena will replace Continental Airlines Arena, which will either be renovated as part of Project Xanadu or demolished. Within walking distance of Newark Penn Station, the arena will become a centerpiece of urban renewal in the city. The New Jersey Nets may use the arena as a temporary or permanent home, depending on the future of their current home and their proposed arena in Brooklyn. A construction webcam has been set up here (http://www.newjerseydevils.com/2005/html/fanzone/video/newarkarena/camindex.php).

Source: New Jersey Devils (http://www.newjerseydevils.com/2005/html/theteam/teamnews/newarkarena040705.php)

pompeyfan

July 6th, 2006, 02:24 AM

wow

Mr. Fusion

July 6th, 2006, 02:24 AM

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/BA1.jpg
Atlantic Yards

Facts & Figures:
Completion - Planned Fall 2009
Location - Atlantic Yards area, Brooklyn
Capacity - 18,000
Cost - Unknown / Entire Atlantic Yards Project $3,500,000,000

Background: It's difficult to find information on this project. From what I can make out, the Atlantic Yards project is spearheaded by Brooklyn developer and New Jersey Nets owner Bruce Ratner. The 22-acre site, 17 mixed-use buildings and the arena itself are primarily designed by Frank Gehry. There appears to be some public opposition to the project, as eminent domain will be used to confiscate some property from private owners. Groundbreaking is planned for late 2006.

Source: Atlantic Yards (http://www.atlanticyards.com/)

---------------------------------------------

Additional Images:

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/BA2.jpg
Atlantic Yards

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/BA3.jpg
Atlantic Yards

pompeyfan

July 6th, 2006, 02:25 AM

thanks homie

Mr. Fusion

July 6th, 2006, 02:25 AM

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g231/mrfusion1/MSG.jpg
Curbed.com

Facts & Figures:
Completion - Beyond 2012
Location - One block West of present location, Manhattan
Capacity - Unknown
Cost - Unknown

Background: Very little is known about this project, other than that Cablevision, the owner of MSG IV, has signed a memorandum of understanding to build the next Garden. The future project is thought to be tied to the replacement of the James Farley Post Office and new LIRR Penn Station [Thread here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=368708).]

Source: New York Business.com (http://www.newyorkbusiness.com/news.cms?id=13092)

Mr. Fusion

July 6th, 2006, 02:29 AM

wow
thanks homie
Don't mention it. ;)

I just thought it was really awesome how huge of renewal this is for the "big four" sports in the New York City area, which makes sense since all the venues they're replacing went up [or in the case of Yankee Stadium, heavily renovated] in the 1960s and 70s. Time to do it all again!

I personally can't wait to see what the next MSG will look like! I think it'd be really neat if they tied it into the architecture of the retro Penn Station they're building adjacent to it.

:grouphug:

pompeyfan

July 6th, 2006, 02:32 AM

Don't mention it. ;)

I just thought it was really awesome how huge of renewal this is for the "big four" sports in the New York City area, which makes sense since all the venues they're replacing went up [or in the case of Yankee Stadium, heavily renovated] in the 1960s and 70s. Time to do it all again!

I personally can't wait to see what the next MSG will look like! I think it'd be really neat if they tied it into the architecture of the retro Penn Station they're building adjacent to it.

:grouphug:

I can't either

Dallas star

July 6th, 2006, 06:09 AM

Ive heard alot about it being constructed in Arlington but I have no i dea how It will look like how big it will be ect. plz tell me what you know about it.

Mr. Fusion

July 6th, 2006, 07:09 AM

What I know:

- It will be ready for the 2009 NFL season.
- Construction has already started, they were about halfway done digging the hole for it a month ago.
- It'll hold enough people to host a Super Bowl [Minimum capacity required by the NFL for that event: 72,000.]

There's a couple different renderings out there that came out a long time ago, but the chosen/finalized design has yet to be unveiled to the public.

:grouphug:

harsh1802

July 6th, 2006, 07:26 AM

^^ The ground work is going on at present......that is it.

pompeyfan

July 6th, 2006, 08:16 AM

http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/future/cowmain.jpg

http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/future/cow850.jpg

http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/future/cow851.jpg]

http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/future/cowboys701.jpg

Cowboys Stadium (http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/future/CowboysStadium.htm)

There is some info there

soup or man

July 6th, 2006, 08:26 AM

It sure has sheer walls. I'd be scared to be on the top. Imagine falling...

TexasBoi

July 6th, 2006, 09:32 AM

I think thats the old rendering. That would have been the stadium if it was built in Fair Park in Southeast Dallas.

rantanamo

July 6th, 2006, 09:58 AM

The design won't be revealed until late fall. Facts we know:

- Ground work is underway for the below bowl structure in Arlington
- Located Southeast of Ameriquest Field across Johnson Creek(yes, traffic won't be fun)
- permanent capacity of 75,000 with expandability to ~100,000 for larger sporting events
- FIFA sized field tray and desire to host World Cup matches
- retractable roof
- ~300 enclosed luxury suites( would retain the world title currently owned by Texas Stadium)
- Will reflect the Cowboys brand familiarty(Texas Stadium clone perhaps??)
- Exterior will have concrete, steel and glass(mentioned in article comparing it to Arizona and Indianapolis' new stadiums)
- Wise choice of infill turf rather than wasting it on a retractable field tray or just grass. Grass is hard to grow in the tough North Texas summers. Especially grass that will take NFL abuse
- There will be significant club seating
- Retractable walls have been wanted, but no confirmation.

The renderings are the concept for the South Industrial Blvd proposal south of downtown Dallas that would sit on the Trinity River and have an urban village connecting it to DART Rail and the Cedars neighborhood. It is very conceptual in incorporating the ideas Jerry has thrown out there. Unique retractable roof, retractable walls, open walking plaza that allows an expandable capacity, Non-brick exterior, lots of suites, etc. Should be interesting what the final design looks like.