Shell Energy Stadium

[NotYetYuppie]

Not so fast...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6339016.html

[lockmat]

Not so fast...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6339016.html

EXACTLY!!

LOL!!!

Why don't they just stop announcing anything? Announce it when it's going up or it's dead. They're not very trustworthy.

[musicman]

EXACTLY!!

LOL!!!

Why don't they just stop announcing anything? Announce it when it's going up or it's dead. They're not very trustworthy.

looks like someone here is the culprit

New Dynamo stadium is nearly a done deal

New Dynamo stadium is a done deal

Edited March 25, 2009 by musicman

[Ducky]

Now it will be interesting to see if they stick to some of the mentioned conditions and make community development a focus. They are going to have a serious challenge to plan out efficient and successful parking that doesn't encroach on the home owners immediately around the proposed site.

[Ducky]

Just an fyi - the proposed stadium areas where they have cleared out old warehouses is now overflow parking for the Astros. A number of the empty fields have been packed with cars the last few days. If they don't have enough parking for the baseball games, where are they going to put parking for soccer and football games?

I took a couple of pictures, I'll try and upload them tonight.

[lockmat]

Just an fyi - the proposed stadium areas where they have cleared out old warehouses is now overflow parking for the Astros. A number of the empty fields have been packed with cars the last few days. If they don't have enough parking for the baseball games, where are they going to put parking for soccer and football games?

I took a couple of pictures, I'll try and upload them tonight.

I would the think city of Houston is simply utilizing the space to it

[Ducky]

I would the think city of Houston is simply utilizing the space to it's advantage while it's still empty. The Astros have gotten by without these few lots for the past nine years. I don't think parking is an issue.

Looking forward to the pics

I think that's a good way to phrase it - but the people parking in the neighborhoods on the other side of 59 is growing and it's pretty often I'll see broken glass where someone's car was broken into.

[Mr. Chenevert]

I have never had to pay more than $5 to pay for parking at any Astros game I have ever attended.

If a big flat lot opened up closer to the stadium, dont you think it should be used for parking? Its not overflow, its just another option...

[Ducky]

I'm not sure if there's any significance to it, but they've removed the TCEQ SWPP permit sign that was posted.

[Houston19514]

Was at a lunch with Oliver Luck earlier this week. He said the stadium deal is with the attorneys and he expects it will be final in about 3 weeks. Also repeated the 21,000 capacity and "nothing fancy".

[lockmat]

this is a joke

[houstonranger]

this is a joke

what is a joke??? What do you mean?

As I keen soccer and DT dev fan I await this stadium keenly.

If you imply that the negotiations have been dragging i concur.

Hopefully this will get sorted soon.

[WestUdweller]

"nothing fancy"... geez, typical Houston. You would think with such a big soccer market in this city, they would have build the biggest, "fanciest" stadium in the MLS

[roadrunner]

It's amusing that a lot of us got worked up over this stadium, and the owner is touting it as "nothing fancy". I mean, then why even do it? Just keep negotiating with U of H to play at Robertson.

[Houston19514]

It's amusing that a lot of us got worked up over this stadium, and the owner is touting it as "nothing fancy". I mean, then why even do it? Just keep negotiating with U of H to play at Robertson.

Well, actually, he (Oliver Luck) also addressed that very issue. He said the Dynamo was very willing to negotiate a deal with UH to stay at Robertson Stadium. They had two requirements. (1) UH must address the stadium and arena parking issue (there is very little parking available in the evenings); and (2) the Dynamo wanted to manage the stadium because the current management, well, doesn't do a very good job. The stadium is in bad condition, especially considering it was fairly recently refurbished and apparently the concessions suck. UH was not interested in addressing either of those very basic requirements.

He also said that they never had any interest in moving to the suburbs. They want to be in the central city.

Edited May 2, 2009 by Houston19514

[Urbannizer]

It's amusing that a lot of us got worked up over this stadium, and the owner is touting it as "nothing fancy". I mean, then why even do it? Just keep negotiating with U of H to play at Robertson.

Like someone said before 'typical Houston'.

[roadrunner]

Like someone said before 'typical Houston'.

Minute Maid and Reliant are both world class sports facilities. Toyota Center isn't bad, either (although it is inferior to other new arenas I've been in). I guess the city is spoiled with its stadiums. Either way, I've significantly lost interest in the Dynamo Stadium. I guess it will be good for the East End.

Edited May 2, 2009 by roadrunner

[KinkaidAlum]

Sorry, but Robertson Stadium is a really nice little college FOOTBALL stadium. Why in the world should UH turn over control of the stadium to the Dynamo?

I like the Dynamo, but they need to shut the hell up with their constant complaints about UH. What is UH supposed to do, cancel night classes so Dynamo fans can have more room to tailgate? Hand over the keys to the campus to Oliver Luck? Get rid of the American football lines on the field?

Robertson has everything a TRUE fan needs; nice site lines (all seats are close to the action) and beer sales!

[Houston19514]

Sorry, but Robertson Stadium is a really nice little college FOOTBALL stadium. Why in the world should UH turn over control of the stadium to the Dynamo?

I like the Dynamo, but they need to shut the hell up with their constant complaints about UH. What is UH supposed to do, cancel night classes so Dynamo fans can have more room to tailgate? Hand over the keys to the campus to Oliver Luck? Get rid of the American football lines on the field?

Robertson has everything a TRUE fan needs; nice site lines (all seats are close to the action) and beer sales!

Calm down, man, and enough with the strawmen. Nobody has proposed anything like your ridiculous, over-wrought list of actions.

And Mr. Luck did not even present it in a negative manner. He was very matter-of-fact about it. Very simple. They would have liked to have stayed at Robertson Stadium but, obviously, they need to have parking available for their fans. They had hoped some kind of structured parking could be worked out. But the then-AD at UH was not interested.

They also wanted to be able to manage the stadium (and he's not the first one to point out that the stadium has been allowed to deteriorate... others on this board have said the same thing); and they could also bring in better service and higher-quality concessions. He's not the first person to notice that state-run facilities do no necessarily provide the best product. ;-) For whatever reason, UH wasn't interested in even discussing those issues. No complaint in that regard from the Dynamo; just a statement of fact; the result of which is: Robertson Stadium won't work, so they went elsewhere. No complaints; no hard feelings.

[KinkaidAlum]

Sorry, but there are hard feelings here. I am not the biggest fan of Dave Maggard, but at least he hasn't spent the last two years bad mouthing the Dynamo leadership. I wish I could say the same thing about Oliver Luck.

Additionally, I hope you realize that it's in the UH masterplan to build a structured parking garage between Hofheinz and Robertson. The first garage went up near the Moody Towers. The second one is being built near the Calhoun Lofts. Once that is completed, a garage will be built near Calhoun @ Scott.

I am sure the Dynamo would have preferred to have had that garage built first, but UH is a UNIVERSITY. They have other needs that are way more important than meeting the needs of an MLS team. And, if the Dynamo wanted a garage so badly, then why didn't they offer to build and pay for it? I know for a fact that they offered to "help" with the construction costs but that they also demanded to RUN THE GARAGE. Of course that's not going to fly. The net result of that would have been that the thousands of night students would have LOST parking.

[RedScare]

I think y'all are putting words in Oliver Luck's mouth. There was never any intention to stay at Robertson, regardless what the stadium looks like. The only way for these teams to make it financially is to control the stadium. That is impossible to do at Robertson, since it is owned by UH. Suggestions that the Dynamo are moving because of parking or stadium conditions, or that the Dynamo might stay if only a parking garage were built are simply making up stories. The Dynamo are moving because they need their own stadium to produce adequate revenue. Period. They left San Jose because they could not get one built. They did not change their minds upon arriving in Houston.

Now, you two kiss and make up and admit that you both are mistaken.

[Ducky]

I'm not sure comparing the stadiums around Houston is going to accomplish anything.

I don't think the assumption that there will be adequate parking for the Dynamo is accurate. Do they think they the Astros parking is going to be adequate and fans are going to really enjoy walking under 59 for each game? Are they going to put in a parking garage? How are they going to manage the traffic when there are homes not even one block away from the proposed site? Are fans going to enjoy having their cars towed when they park in front of peoples' homes?

I have yet to hear anyone say they ever think driving to an Astros game is an easy or convenient trip.

It's not a lot of space for a stadium in the grand scheme of things. Where are the parks and space that would make it fun for all fans?

[TheNiche]

I'm not sure comparing the stadiums around Houston is going to accomplish anything.

I don't think the assumption that there will be adequate parking for the Dynamo is accurate. Do they think they the Astros parking is going to be adequate and fans are going to really enjoy walking under 59 for each game? Are they going to put in a parking garage? How are they going to manage the traffic when there are homes not even one block away from the proposed site? Are fans going to enjoy having their cars towed when they park in front of peoples' homes?

I have yet to hear anyone say they ever think driving to an Astros game is an easy or convenient trip.

It's not a lot of space for a stadium in the grand scheme of things. Where are the parks and space that would make it fun for all fans?

There are no plans for a parking garage. The Astros and Dynamo will share parking, a large portion of which is located east of US 59. There is other parking on the opposite of US 59, and no doubt many Dynamo fans will do exactly like Astros fans do and walk under the freeway to their respective stadium. In many other cases, the owners of vacant lots will operate those lots as parking lots.

The number of seats at the Dynamo stadium is many fewer than that at Minute Maid Park, so the increase of vehicular traffic on game days should reflect that. Any member of the public is permitted to park in front of a place of residence, as long as it is not too close to the corner or blocking a driveway. Fans that violate the law will no doubt be towed by the time the game is out, as well they should be. This is the case if they block the driveway to a place of business as well, however, and Astros fans don't seem to have a problem with that law.

Driving to an Astros game is an easy and convenient trip. I always drive when I go, park near the County Courthouse for free, and walk to the ballpark.

The six blocks that will be used are adequate to support the Dynamo's stadium, which will have a smaller footprint than MMP. If Union Station had been demolished and MMP had been brought right up along Crawford, it could've fit within an area the size of six blocks.

EDIT: You have every right to be a vigilant neighbor and to petition the City for improvements to help with the management of traffic and parking violations, however if you live close enough to the stadium, you might actually be able to rent out your driveway to some tailgaters for $20 per game. Consider yourself compensated.

Edited May 4, 2009 by TheNiche

[RedScare]

I wanted to be first, but Niche beat me to it. Driving to an Astros game is an easy and convenient trip. I have never paid to park, and have gotten as close as 1 block away with the free parking. I also used to office a couple of blocks from the stadium, and despite being so close, the gameday traffic was rarely a problem. Dynamo Stadium, with a seating capacity of one-half Minute Maid Park, will be even less of a problem.

Sorry, having been there and done that, I cannot muster any sympathy for you, as it isn't that big a deal. I suggest that you embrace your new neighbors. It is far less stressful. And they win more than the Astros.

[crunchtastic]

Compared to what I've paid to park at other major sporting venues around the country, relative to walking distance, Houston is a bargain. There is abundant close, cheap parking to MMP.

If Dynamo fans need parks and space and fun stuff to distract them on the walk from the car to the game, then the Dynamo could buy and rehabilitate any number of old lots in the area. With their own money.

[Houston19514]

I think y'all are putting words in Oliver Luck's mouth. There was never any intention to stay at Robertson, regardless what the stadium looks like. The only way for these teams to make it financially is to control the stadium. That is impossible to do at Robertson, since it is owned by UH. Suggestions that the Dynamo are moving because of parking or stadium conditions, or that the Dynamo might stay if only a parking garage were built are simply making up stories. The Dynamo are moving because they need their own stadium to produce adequate revenue. Period. They left San Jose because they could not get one built. They did not change their minds upon arriving in Houston.

Now, you two kiss and make up and admit that you both are mistaken.

I assure you I am NOT putting words in Oliver Luck's mouth. They need to have operational control over the stadium, yes. But that could have been accomplished at UH.

[Houston19514]

Sorry, but there are hard feelings here. I am not the biggest fan of Dave Maggard, but at least he hasn't spent the last two years bad mouthing the Dynamo leadership. I wish I could say the same thing about Oliver Luck.

Additionally, I hope you realize that it's in the UH masterplan to build a structured parking garage between Hofheinz and Robertson. The first garage went up near the Moody Towers. The second one is being built near the Calhoun Lofts. Once that is completed, a garage will be built near Calhoun @ Scott.

I am sure the Dynamo would have preferred to have had that garage built first, but UH is a UNIVERSITY. They have other needs that are way more important than meeting the needs of an MLS team. And, if the Dynamo wanted a garage so badly, then why didn't they offer to build and pay for it? I know for a fact that they offered to "help" with the construction costs but that they also demanded to RUN THE GARAGE. Of course that's not going to fly. The net result of that would have been that the thousands of night students would have LOST parking.

It's obvious you have hard feelings. What is hard to figure out is why. Stating the facts (which is all Oliver Luck is doing, at least at the lunch in question) is not bad-mouthing. You seem a bit confused about the parking garage issue, first demanding to know why the Dynamo didn't just offer to pay for it and then telling us that you know for a fact that they did offer to share in the costs. Why is it so that "OF COURSE" the Dynamo would not be able to run the garage. And why would the net result necessarily be that "thousands of night students would have LOST parking?" You are making several unwarranted leaps of "logic".

You say the University has other needs that need to be met before Dynamo parking. That's fair enough and I think the Dynamo understands that. That is why they just state the facts of why Robertson Stadium is not going to work for them and move along. No hard feelings, no bad-mouthing. Just the facts.

We needed X. The University is unable to do X. So we have to go elsewhere. That's really all there is to it.

[Ducky]

EDIT: You have every right to be a vigilant neighbor and to petition the City for improvements to help with the management of traffic and parking violations, however if you live close enough to the stadium, you might actually be able to rent out your driveway to some tailgaters for $20 per game. Consider yourself compensated.

I'm sorry, no one ever mentioned anything about compensation. I'm just talking about the expectation that if they do put the stadium in they keep in mind the surrounding properties. All the surrounding properties will probably petition the city for residential parking (by tag only) and make sure our street side parking is for homeowners and their visitors considering it is mostly complexes (town home and apartment).

Its amazing though, this drama has been going on for about 3 years now?

[TheNiche]

All the surrounding properties will probably petition the city for residential parking (by tag only) and make sure our street side parking is for homeowners and their visitors considering it is mostly complexes (town home and apartment).

Good luck with the petition.

I don't support it, personally, however. You live in a redeveloping urban area--not Kingwood--and on-street parking is going to be crucial to luring businesses in that will help to fill in some of the nearby vacant lots and contribute to the urban fabric.

[Ducky]

Good luck with the petition.

I don't support it, personally, however. You live in a redeveloping urban area--not Kingwood--and on-street parking is going to be crucial to luring businesses in that will help to fill in some of the nearby vacant lots and contribute to the urban fabric.

Those types of petitions have nothing to do with vacant lots or other streets, they're geared to a residence requesting the space in front of their house be residential parking only.