Shell Energy Stadium

[musicman]

they just had a story on ch 13 where residents complained bout the stadium and mayor responded it will not go where residents don't want it. so it looks like wortham golf course will remain

[ricco67]

Looks like that is the case.

So now hopefully they will take DT seriously as far as a location goes because lord knows I hope it's not Pearland or any of the other 'burbs.

[musicman]

Looks like that is the case.

So now hopefully they will take DT seriously as far as a location goes because lord knows I hope it's not Pearland or any of the other 'burbs.

well since the city owned gus wortham no money would ahve to be spent acquiring land....now other houston locales they may not be as fortunate.

[Guest danax]

they just had a story on ch 13 where residents complained bout the stadium and mayor responded it will not go where residents don't want it. so it looks like wortham golf course will remain

White's whiny quote.

"If people on the east side don't want youth soccer facilities on the east side, there's plenty of places that do, and I'm not going to shove anything down the throat of a neighborhood."

No one said they don't want youth soccer facilities on the east side.

I know he's got a lot to keep up with, but he's forgetting a few things; 1) The mega-buck soccer complex going in at Mason Park, paid for with our taxes, and 2) I've heard that the City's Park Master Plan (I heard this second-hand, I haven't read it) states that the East End is the only area in Houston with enough soccer fields already.

[nmainguy]

Quite frankly, I can't locate an east of dt site that can accommodate a soccer stadium and practice fields without closing some major thoughrouhfares. If their goal is a stadium with practice fields, many of you have your hearts in the right place but reality dictates a different location. A large chunk of land east of downtown is too valuable to be given up for my favorite sport. I still contend their original Delmar location is a win-win for the Dynamo and HISD.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Looks like that is the case.

So now hopefully they will take DT seriously as far as a location goes because lord knows I hope it's not Pearland or any of the other 'burbs.

I'm with U on that one...

About Gus Wortham, if it stays as a 18-hole golf course, will it be profitable for Houston?

Also, why couldn't Dynamo and Houston purchase land in the Warehouse District for a stadium, while a suburb like Pearland or Sugarland build the practice fields and main field with stands for the team? Then, that main field could be used for Pearland or Fort Bend's high-school soccer home games, Houston would have one of the best soccer stadiums and locations in America, Dynamo would be taping into two markets, and Houston wouldn't have to look for locations for so much land to purchase.

Houston's a big-league town. I just can't see Houstonians supporting a suburb-located team in any sport.

[Ethanra]

Gus Wortham will stay a golf course. I forget his name this morining, but the UofH alumni pro golfer and other alumni are gathering funds to completely redo the course. Instructors will be added as well as plenty of other upgrades. UofH wants this to be the cougars golf team home course. Also their has been more out-cry from the community then the AO crowd has about rail. This golf course has so much history and has a beautiful natural terain that runs along the bayou. It needs to have a facelift and a good reminder to the public of what a hidden jem the city has. This course was the top place in Texas to play for many decades.

As far as the Dynamo new stadium, I truly beleive something will be work out with the city some where, some how. Their is open space around the city. I truly hope the stadium could be just east of MMP. I have always heard HISD will get involved to build a multi-use stadium just like FriscoISD did for the Dallas team.

[HtownWxBoy]

From KHOU.com....

Kicking around the idea of a new stadium for the Dynamo

http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/kho...m.265958f9.html

[Trae]

From the article:

Houston Councilmember Adrian Garcia helped bring the team to town and is trying to put the brakes on their possible move.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Late April? Not too far away. Can't wait.

Me either If it were next to MMP, it'd be a smash for Dynamo and Downtown. I hope they get the parking situation handled with the Astros.

[Trae]

Build a garage, that should solve it.

[ricco67]

Build a garage, that should solve it.

I agree, I think a it would justify a good sized garage, have the first two levels (or whatever) for season pass holders, and the rest for everyone else. I'm sure they can figure out a cost/profit sharing agreement. Especially if it can be used by the surrounding homes or saturday nights during non event nights. Especially if they build a light rail station nearby.

Which leads me to a question on another thread right here!

[Subdude]

Originally a garage was planned next to MMP, but it was dropped because there was enough local parking available. With the garages at Toyota Center and under construction at Discovery Green, and the space freed up by the demolition of the Willliam Penn hotel, I wonder if a new parking garage would even be necessary if the Dynamo were to build downtown.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Originally a garage was planned next to MMP, but it was dropped because there was enough local parking available. With the garages at Toyota Center and under construction at Discovery Green, and the space freed up by the demolition of the Willliam Penn hotel, I wonder if a new parking garage would even be necessary if the Dynamo were to build downtown.

Why not have some of the underground parking at Discovery Green become parking for some Astros Season Ticket holders, and build a parking garage by MMP for Astros VIP and Dynamo season ticket holders?

[RedScare]

Discovery Green parking will actually be closer than the far reaches of the surface lot. It will hold 630 vehicles. Add that to the Harris County parking garage, a block northwest of MMP, currently being expanded to 2,000 capacity from 1,200, and you have 1,430 new parking spaces within 3 blocks of MMP. That is probably close to or exceeding the capacity of the surface lots east of 59. A 2 or 3 story garage between MMP and 59 could easily handle the lost parking east of MMP, as well as serve a soccer stadium on the surface lots.

As a bonus, the City of Houston apparently owns those 6 blocks.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Discovery Green parking will actually be closer than the far reaches of the surface lot. It will hold 630 vehicles. Add that to the Harris County parking garage, a block northwest of MMP, currently being expanded to 2,000 capacity from 1,200, and you have 1,430 new parking spaces within 3 blocks of MMP. That is probably close to or exceeding the capacity of the surface lots east of 59. A 2 or 3 story garage between MMP and 59 could easily handle the lost parking east of MMP, as well as serve a soccer stadium on the surface lots.

As a bonus, the City of Houston apparently owns those 6 blocks.

That'd be better for Downtown too, seeing that there would be much more pedestrian activity within that condensed area. Traffic would be high there, but that's part of the reason why they built two stadiums downtown anyway.

[houstonsemipro]

If they do build a soccer stadium in downtown. How many seats would it be? 21,000- 25,000?

[RedScare]

If they do build a soccer stadium in downtown. How many seats would it be? 21,000- 25,000?

Hmm...let me look at the plans here on my desk. Says here, 22,565.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Hmm...let me look at the plans here on my desk. Says here, 22,565.

All jokes aside, it's really a toss-up. There's no stadium in MLS smaller than 20K for sure, and the largest SSS (Soccer Specific Stadium) will be for DC United and will be an expandable 27,000. San Jose's about to get a team again, and it will be either 25-34,000 seats depending on the size of the soccer or football match there (they'll share with San Jose State.) Toronto is also around 20,000 seats, but they already expect to expand because their season tickets are already sold out.

Houston's a different case from everyone because we'd have the best central location in MLS, directly across from Downtown. That, mixed with the amount of fans that would go to a quality stadium, the fact that our team is so good, and the high attendances expected, means the stadium could be anywhere from 25-35,000 seats reasonably to start off with.

Also keep in mind that the team is owned by AEG Entertainment, who's music tours primarily go to Toyota Center. Should an NHL team go there, perhaps the stadium would double up as the primary Downtown major concert venue, and wouldn't have to double up as a high school field as it would in the suburbs.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Did I hear something about Sugar Land last night on the news or did I dream it?

Edited April 3, 2007 by KimberlySayWhat

[skwatra]

sugar land and pearland are both putting in bids.

brerrabbit i'm assuming you can't divulge your source. can you give us any more details of where this info came from?

[Trae]

The stadium should not go as far west as Highway 6, or as far south as Beltway 8. They need to keep it close to Downtown.

[skwatra]

yeah, the warehouse district would have been perfect. lets keep our fingers crossed, other then the post above i haven't heard anywhere else that location is off the table.

what happened to Delmar? is that still an option?

[TheNiche]

The stadium should not go as far west as Highway 6, or as far south as Beltway 8. They need to keep it close to Downtown.

Why? Soccer gets smaller and generally less affluent crowds, and downtown land is expensive.

Delmar seems ideal.

[skwatra]

agreed Delmar is ideal.

why should it not be as far out as highway 6 or the beltway? because they do get smaller crowds, and attendance will get even smaller if the stadium is that far out. i know i'll go to less games, as well as people in clear lake, the woodlands, east end, etc. Dynamo games get a wide variety of spectators from all over the city, so its needs to be accessible.

[RedScare]

Despite stereotypical assertions to the contrary, soccer's demographics are squarely in the suburbs. Among youth demographics, soccer is played by more kids than baseball, football and basketball combined. These youth are primarily located in the suburbs. Though many of us would like to see a centrally located stadium, a suburban location would be closer to the fanbase.

[WesternGulf]

Though many of us would like to see a centrally located stadium, a suburban location would be closer to the fanbase.

I agree, but maybe I am bias since I believe stadiums are the worse "infill" ever. The stadiums and convention center do just as much damage as 59 sitting there in my opinion as far as the community being cut off.

[skwatra]

These youth are primarily located in the suburbs. Though many of us would like to see a centrally located stadium, a suburban location would be closer to the fanbase.

so which suburb has the biggest fanbase? doesn't it make sense to have it centrally located from all of the supposed fan-filled suburbs so parents don't have to drive from the woodlands all the way to sugar land? growing up in clear lake, i can tell you that i would have been to about 1/10th as many Astros games if the Dome were in Katy.

have you been to any games? i understand and agree with your statistic on who plays soccer, but looking at the demographic at Robertson last year from what i saw, there were as many adults without children as families - probably more. and they didn't look like they were from the burbs to me, but i can't back that up.

[TheNiche]

Despite stereotypical assertions to the contrary, soccer's demographics are squarely in the suburbs. Among youth demographics, soccer is played by more kids than baseball, football and basketball combined. These youth are primarily located in the suburbs.

Playing soccer doesn't necessarily translate into an audience for soccer. Anyone here have demographics on Dynamo game attendees? Anecdotes?

Though many of us would like to see a centrally located stadium, a suburban location would be closer to the fanbase.

What are the cartesian coordinates derived from the mean of all suburban residents of the Houston area by latitude and longitude?

[Trae]

Despite stereotypical assertions to the contrary, soccer's demographics are squarely in the suburbs. Among youth demographics, soccer is played by more kids than baseball, football and basketball combined. These youth are primarily located in the suburbs. Though many of us would like to see a centrally located stadium, a suburban location would be closer to the fanbase.

Amazing that soccer isn't the most popular sport in America, then. I guess since it is so cheap to build soccer fields and supplies, that it is more popular. Also, it costs less for parents. I use to play in FFPS when I was little. I think I have a photo of me in my uniform somewhere.