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Subdude

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Central location, yes. But, why does it have to be covered and air conditioned? I'd like to see a cutting edge design that makes it comfortable without AC. Fans? Misters? Trees surrounding the stadium with a covered, but open seating area?

AC is old news. Anyone can spend thousands of dollars per game to air condition a domed stadium. Let's see some energy saving comfort technology that tells the world that Houston isn't living in 1965. Same thing with the NASA nicknames.

I have only done research on how to cool my house efficiently, so I am no expert on how to do this, but I would be willing to bet that it can be done. Besides, Cynthia Woods Pavillion runs its entire season from April to October. Restaurants fill their patios all summer in the evenings. MLS can do it, too.

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Central location, yes. But, why does it have to be covered and air conditioned? I'd like to see a cutting edge design that makes it comfortable without AC. Fans? Misters? Trees surrounding the stadium with a covered, but open seating area?

AC is old news. Anyone can spend thousands of dollars per game to air condition a domed stadium. Let's see some energy saving comfort technology that tells the world that Houston isn't living in 1965. Same thing with the NASA nicknames.

I have only done research on how to cool my house efficiently, so I am no expert on how to do this, but I would be willing to bet that it can be done. Besides, Cynthia Woods Pavillion runs its entire season from April to October. Restaurants fill their patios all summer in the evenings. MLS can do it, too.

Not saying open-air is bad per-se, but soccer does have delays and canceled games during thunderstorms. Rain is okay, but lightning is the threat. Secondly, if you're a fan, would you rather watch a game indoors, or outdoors during a storm? That's a huge reason why Minute Maid Park has a retractable roof. Fan comfort. Trees would be nice around the park too though.

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So, is that a team's way of saying they're too cool to have a mascot, or do FC/AC teams still have mascots?

You mean those people dressed up like cartoon characters? I hope our team is too cool for that.

A retractable roof would be nice, but I can't see anyone shelling out for one for a 20,000 capacity venue. I do like the idea of looking at ways to keep it relatively cool without AC. Misters, large canopies or awnings over the stands are ideas. It would also help not to surround it with acres of parking, to reduce the "heat island" effect.

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Here's another reason I don't want a roof. I got a survey email from the Texans yesterday, asking if the roof should be open or closed Suday, and at what temperature should it close.

The forecast is for a high of 69 degrees!!!

The team is friggin' 2-12, and McNair is over at Reliant fiddling with the thermostat! No wonder this team sucks. An open air stadium will allow soccer fans to brag that they don't CARE if the roof is open. I would go just to show off to the pretty people that this is how you watch sports.

BTW, anyone watch the crowd in Chicago roar when the wind chill was announced at 7 below on Monday night? Those are REAL football fans, watching a real football team.

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Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that watching a sport should be some kind of endurance contest to prove you are a "real" fan. Most people appreciate reasonable comfort, and when they go to a game they're not trying to make some kind of statement about how tough they are. It's just that the economics of a retractable roof probably won't work here.

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You mean those people dressed up like cartoon characters? I hope our team is too cool for that.

A retractable roof would be nice, but I can't see anyone shelling out for one for a 20,000 capacity venue. I do like the idea of looking at ways to keep it relatively cool without AC. Misters, large canopies or awnings over the stands are ideas. It would also help not to surround it with acres of parking, to reduce the "heat island" effect.

No. I mean a mascot, like Rockets, Texans, Astros, Longhorns, Owls, Aggies, etc. So would a team be AC Houston Hurricanes or only AC Houston?

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Just AC Houston. Kind of dignified if you ask me.

Thinking more about the East End, it makes sense in a way, but this team is going to have to draw fans from all over a huge metro area. My concern is that a location on the East End might tend to scare off some potential attendees from the far suburbs. I know it sounds silly, but I have spoken to people whose parents are even afraid of going downtown, so you just know the East End will be out of bounds. Downtown doesn't have a good residential base like the East End, but at least it's centrally located and sports fans are used to driving there now.

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The forecast is for a high of 69 degrees!!!

My sentiments exactly. I thought the issue was when it was too hot, like 85 and above. This past weekend the roof was closed and I know they've done the same thing in cold weather over the previous 3 years also. Football is meant to be played outdoors, hell even Bob McNair wanted an open air stadium. He only added the roof for the Rodeo. Why would they ever close it when it's cold?

Rant over. As for the futbol stadium, I think a retractable roof for summertime is fine but also something like Qwest Field in Seattle on a smaller scale would be cool. Cover the fans but leave the roof open.

qwestfield3.jpg

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McNair is listening to the Club Level crowd too much. I've had season tickets for the entire 4 years. It gets worse each year. He is so worried about the "perfect fan experience", that he's forgotten that we come to watch football.

McLane is a PR slave also, but he doesn't have quite as many gimmicks on the field. He also tries to put a competitive team on the field, within his relatively tight purse strings.

McNair, on the other hand, is acting like a politician, worried that anything or everything might offend a right winger. A few weeks ago, he had the cheerleaders in long pants. Everything is aimed at "families". Half-time looks like a USO show. Enough already! Where's Al Davis when you need him? Or the Tampa Bay Bucs?

I know other teams, like the Carolina Panthers, are as bad or worse, but at least the team is good.

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Well, if you're going to dream, dream big. How about a smaller-scale version of the incredible Allianz Arena which was built for next year's World Cup. The outside shell of the stadium is covered in ETFE and can be lit up with a number of different colors. An architectural masterpiece designed by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron.

01_c.jpg

allianz-arena.jpg

113710-allianz-arena-15606.jpg

munichstadium_large.jpg

Edited by HeightsGuy
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McNair is listening to the Club Level crowd too much. I've had season tickets for the entire 4 years. It gets worse each year. He is so worried about the "perfect fan experience", that he's forgotten that we come to watch football.

McLane is a PR slave also, but he doesn't have quite as many gimmicks on the field. He also tries to put a competitive team on the field, within his relatively tight purse strings.

McNair, on the other hand, is acting like a politician, worried that anything or everything might offend a right winger. A few weeks ago, he had the cheerleaders in long pants. Everything is aimed at "families". Half-time looks like a USO show. Enough already! Where's Al Davis when you need him? Or the Tampa Bay Bucs?

I know other teams, like the Carolina Panthers, are as bad or worse, but at least the team is good.

Umm, I think you're in the wrong topic here. :unsure:

Than Allianz arena is awesome.

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I think people are missing the point here. First, you need to get real. Do you think a retractable roof is going to happen?? No way. No one is going to spend crazy money for an MLS soccer team when we already have 3 great stadiums. Keep is simple, but amazing and useful.

You keep mentioning downtown, but someone is going to pony up some serious cash for the ever increasing prices. In my opinion, something like should be built with plenty of space. The only positive thing about having all the parks in one central location is for the Olympics. And I really don't think we will be seeing those on US soil for some time.

I grew up playing soccer from 1st grade until I graduated from college. I really must admit that I was jealous that there was nothing like what Frisco has to offer when I was a kid. It is more than a place to see professional soccer, it is a learning experience. Field after field for kids to meet and square off with each other every Saturday morning. I sincerely hope that Houston takes a look at what Frisco created.

Well, if you're going to dream, dream big. How about a smaller-scale version of the incredible Allianz Arena which was built for next year's World Cup. The outside shell of the stadium is covered in ETFE and can be lit up with a number of different colors. An architectural masterpiece designed by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron.

01_c.jpg

allianz-arena.jpg

113710-allianz-arena-15606.jpg

munichstadium_large.jpg

This is pretty cool. I was reading about this in a recent magazine.

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You are right about the retractable roof, and also that Frisco is a model of what MLS would like in terms of providing training facilities for kids. Still, I don't see any advantage in building in the deep suburbs. The point about downtown isn't the Olympics, it is a central location and perhaps the ability leverage some of the existing parking facilities etc.

Will the Harris County sports authority be able to provide any funding for this? So far it has been very hazy, other than MLS saying they want to fund the stadium with a "public-private partnership".

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The East End perhaps, up near I-10 where there's a real need for re-development, but Subdude's comment about the area being potentially scary is valid.

I would lean towards the southeast sector of DT, near Toyota, as that area still lies in wait of better things. And, if we could get all sports venues in a semi concentrated area, along with the GRB, we might be able to attract a permanent restaurant/bar zone, as the various seasons would overlap.

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I think we should build a stadium on the superblock in Midtown. Camden obviously isn't going to do anything with this location and the area definitely needs something to anchor it. You could build a parking garage on the site and still incorporate some retail facing main. The best part is that you have a rail stop right in front of it. It's still centrally located, but it will be cheaper than having to buy up land downtown.

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Well, if you're going to dream, dream big. How about a smaller-scale version of the incredible Allianz Arena which was built for next year's World Cup. The outside shell of the stadium is covered in ETFE and can be lit up with a number of different colors. An architectural masterpiece designed by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron.

01_c.jpg

allianz-arena.jpg

113710-allianz-arena-15606.jpg

munichstadium_large.jpg

Would LOVE to see Houston have the balls to do something like that and make it fill up. We'd be the soccer capital of America automatically.

I'm telling ya...an MLS stadium/retail project would be more profitable though

Edited by DJ V Lawrence
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I think we should build a stadium on the superblock in Midtown. Camden obviously isn't going to do anything with this location and the area definitely needs something to anchor it. You could build a parking garage on the site and still incorporate some retail facing main. The best part is that you have a rail stop right in front of it. It's still centrally located, but it will be cheaper than having to buy up land downtown.

I thought of that, but would it be wide enough?

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Why not continue to use UH's Robertson Stadium indefinitely?

Personally I love the stadium as it is. It's a WPA project from the 40's, so of course it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of Reliant Stadium, but it's a great place to see a game. The stadium is in wonderful condition. There is not a bad seat in the house, and it's the perfect size for MLS (32,000 capacity).

I'm not saying that there aren't improvements that could be made, but it's a great place as is. New concessions and restroom facilities were added in the corners of the stadium a couple years ago, but the restrooms and concessions below the stands could stand some improvement.

The MLS team is already going to pay for Field Turf, and possibly some upgrades to the press boxes and stadium lighting. Why not just continue to make improvements to the already existing stadium? It would be much cheaper than starting from scratch.

What are the downsides of Robertson? Outside of the parking situation, I don't see many. The stadium is in a great location, two blocks off of I-45. It's a central location...not to mention, the next phase of Metrorail will bring two light rail lines up to the stadium (Scott St/SE Line and the Wheeler/Universities Line).

The parking situation at UH may be tricky. The parking lots around Robertson Stadium serves thousands of students every day, from 7:30 am until 10:00 pm and later. This is going to make game nights pretty interesting. However, I believe UH has plans to add a parking garage at the corner of Scott and Holman, which would improve the situation.

Want retail with your MLS stadium? Scott Street has seen a lot of retail growth in the last year, especially right in front of the stadium. Several restaurants and a coffee shop have opened, and there is room for more retail in that stretch as well.

Edited by Original Timmy Chan's
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Yep, the superblock is one block wide and four long. Great location though.

OTC I hear you on Robertson, but I can guarantee that won't be an option. No team nowadays is going to relocate without a solid promise for a new sport-specific facility. Pro sports consider that the minimum required down payment on having a franchise. The 32,000 capaity is 10,000 more than they need. It's a shame in a way, but that's how it works now. We in Houston ought to know that better than anyone.

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not if you want seats. the san jose field is 70 yards wide, which is the mimimum to meet FIFA regs according to there site (i thought it was 75 yards). the "superblock' is between main and travis right?

That's too bad. I guess the superblock ain't that super after all.

Another option is to do something on the west side of town similar to the Westside Tennis club. The land would be cheaper so they go a little more spectacular on the stadium design. Something in the Westchase area perhaps?

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is the astrodome completely out of the question? what if they kept the existing infrastructure, gutted the inside to create a more intimate properly sized stadium using half the dome which could be against one side, and went forward with retail/hotel or whatever on the other side?

yeah i'm dreaming...

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I still think downtown is the way to go. It's gotta be centrally located, the closer to rail and buses the better. If we put this in Sugar Land or Katy you greatly reduce your potential fan base. Especially without mass transit out to these locations. It doesn't seem to be working in Frisco anyhow, only 11,000 attendence in the first year.

I say either just north and west of Minute Maid or just south of the Toyota Center. There's gotta be some affordable city land in one of these area's.

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I still think downtown is the way to go. It's gotta be centrally located, the closer to rail and buses the better. If we put this in Sugar Land or Katy you greatly reduce your potential fan base. Especially without mass transit out to these locations. It doesn't seem to be working in Frisco anyhow, only 11,000 attendence in the first year.

I say either just north and west of Minute Maid or just south of the Toyota Center. There's gotta be some affordable city land in one of these area's.

Here's that land by Toyota Center we've been discussing

from http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...topic=1659&st=0 ...

100_0069.jpg

Check out the land across from Root Memorial Park, and behind the Toyota Center parking garage. There was talk in the previous thread that we thought that area was an eyesore as a whole and needed to be renevated to accomodate the arena, hotel, and parks.

My only issue with a soccer stadium now is that if that happened in that area of downtown, we may have to get rid of a road or two that we just upgraded.

Best place to me is in Chinatown/east end directly across the freeway from Toyota Center/GRB Convention Center/Minute Maid. There could be multiple soccer practice facilities for the MLS and youth there as well (a soccer complex), the land would be much cheaper than downtown, it's a perfect central location, and that area town NEEDS to be revitalized anyway; might as well start with a great stadium, then work on the roads and developments surrounding it.

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