kyle Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 All the more reason to remodel Robertson. I think it should be a smaller version of the Westfalenstadion. (Or even the same size, if the Cougars really think they can bring in that many fans.)great idea. doesn't seem like one they're willing to consider though, for whatever reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N Judah Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 (edited) I haven't heard much about the downtown plan lately. I wonder if it has something to do with the economy. If that's the case and the Dynamo move, where will they go? What municipality can afford a new stadium at this point in time? Edited October 25, 2008 by N Judah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 I'm confused. First you pronounce that the "stadium site is poorly planned", implying you know the plans; then you ask if anyone knows anything about the plans.Sorry. I'm looking for more sources to verify what I have heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newtex Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Their games don't start until 9:00 or 9:30 PM!!That's a slight exaggeration. Most Dynamo home games start at around 7:30 on Saturday or in the afternoon on Sunday. The Dynamo have had a few mid-week games scheduled to start at 9 pm this year but that's not the Dynamo's fault. It's just one more reason why Robertson is not good for the Dynamo. The U of H forces those late game starts for mid-week games because they claim all the parking at Robertson is needed for students.If the Dynamo control their own venue they wouldn't have to have those late starts on Tuesday or Wednesday nights.Which is why the Dynamo, who are offering to put up almost all the money for a new stadium, would not want to put that money into Robertson. The Dynamo would not control revenue or scheduling. They would remain at the mercy of the U of H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatesdisastr Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 man im really starting to feel impatient about this project. more so than any other project that is either proposed or going up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscarbor Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 Dynamo Stadium is a stupid move by the city. To start off they paid nearly $50 a foot for property that would probably not sell for $25 per foot today. They paid that price not knowing if they were going to get a stadium deal done or not. It was never discussed in the community either. It was Mayor White's baby, and if he wants something done or not done then he makes it happen no matter what the rules or consequences. This guy is a bully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newtex Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 Dynamo Stadium is a stupid move by the city. To start off they paid nearly $50 a foot for property that would probably not sell for $25 per foot today. They paid that price not knowing if they were going to get a stadium deal done or not. It was never discussed in the community either. It was Mayor White's baby, and if he wants something done or not done then he makes it happen no matter what the rules or consequences. This guy is a bully.There was public discussion of the city buying the land. They had at least two city council meeting where it was discussed before the city voted to buy the land. There were speakers both for and against the city buying the land. I know, I watched the city council meetings online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscarbor Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 I missed those meetings. Still, there was no way the city was not going to buy the property no matter what any opposition said. Even Bill White said that the city would buy the land and figure something out if the stadium deal could not get done. It was stupid and they paid too much for the land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Join in on the chron's poll:The Dynamo will play their first game in their new stadium...2011201220132014 or laterIt won't be builtI chose the last answer.http://www.chron.com/sports/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deut28Thirteen Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 NEW STADIUM NOW!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscarbor Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 (edited) I heard a little snipet on the radio of who I believe was Oliver Luck(Dynamo Gm or President?) saying that the stadium was not looking good at the time.Nice job Bill White, pay double for some land and have no use for it! Kind of pisses me off like when I drive by a stranded car on the road while driving 60mph and seeing the driver waiting for the free tow off the side of the road because it slows traffic so much. Edited October 31, 2008 by jscarbor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinkaidAlum Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 UH is planning a new end zone facility for the North end zone after this year. It will add a few more seats but really be an upgrade to the stadium because it will include luxury suites, a club room, new locker room facilities, team meeting space, classroom space, and a Cougar Hall of Fame. Construction is due to start at the end of this football season.After that, look for an effort to either renovate/rebuild the press box side of the stadium. Due to ADA regulations, it might be cheaper to just rebuild that one structure. If they choose rebuilding, look for a 15,000 seat structure (an addition of about 4,000 seats) with a multi-level press box that will include a press box level, luxury suite levels, and a few more bells and whistles. If they choose to renovate, look for the current "luxury boxes" to be removed as well as the current press box and then replaced by a new multi-level box that doesn't actually rest on top of the existing structure as a way to avoid costly ADA rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
102IAHexpress Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 So what exactly is the hold up on this stadium? From todays chronicle article it seems like the Dynamo are 10million dollars short. Reletivly speaking 10million dollars seems like a small amount to kill a deal this big. Or am I missing something?http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6097170.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 So what exactly is the hold up on this stadium? From todays chronicle article it seems like the Dynamo are 10million dollars short. Reletivly speaking 10million dollars seems like a small amount to kill a deal this big. Or am I missing something?http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6097170.html$10 mil. is plenty enough to kill a deal of this size.Make it so that your equity partners cover a huge chunk of your equity and don't demand any returns. (I wish I could do that.) Then borrow as much as you possibly can, essentially levering yourself up (cash-on-cash) by some ridiculous amount, and you're set. If the equity partners balk...no big deal. Pearland or Sugar Land will meet your terms, no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddavenport Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 WHO CARES? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 WHO CARES?A lot of us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Collins Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 WHO CARES? Now is the time when we all gawk at the oblivious jerk who would ask this after ONE THOUSAND POSTS in the thread!Good work Captain Oblivious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJVilla Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 An important update (not affiliated with this group but support idea):PLEASE READ THIS VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO THE END AND RESPOND! THIS IS OF PRIME IMPORTANCE TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE EAST END! The final funding for the Houston Dynamo stadium to be built east of downtown surrounding the intersections of Dowling and Rusk depends on Harris County Commissioners voting to participate in TIRZ 15. (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone) The proposal is that the first $10 million of additional economic dollars generated by the stadium for Harris County taxes would be invested in the stadium. After that all the tax dollars generated for the County by the new development would remain with Harris County. Harris County Commissioners want public support to encourage them to vote to participate in the TIRZ. (The County is presently participating in six TIRZ so this is not a unique request.) The negotiations to build the Dynamo stadium have been ongoing since January, 2007, and if WE DO NOT HAVE THIS FINAL FINANCIAL INCENTIVE APPROVED BY DECEMBER 31st, the Dynamo will be forced to consider alternatives offer outside of the city! A Press Conference to show the County Commissioners that the public supports their participation in the TIRZ will be held THIS THURSDAY, November 13th from 10 - 10:30 AM on the stadium site at the corner of Dowling and Rusk Streets. PLEASE attend this short but VERY important conference and please encourage EVERYONE from your business or neighborhood to attend! WE NEED TO PACK the city block so we can make the County Commissioners comfortable to vote FOR the TIRZ! I cannot stress the importance of numbers at this event enough--PLEASE help us!!! ALSO, we have a petition online that we ask you and ALL your staff, friends and neighbors to sign. Just click the link below and fill in the short form. It will take only a minute and it will directly impact the future of the East End! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/k...amoinhouston?e PLEASE pass this note on to your mailing lists, and everyone you know and ask them to sign the petition and attend the press conference! Help us give the County Commissioners the support they need to give us the stadium we need! Thank you--YOU ARE A TRUE EAST END FRIEND! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJVilla Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 Latest:Press ReleaseHouston, Texas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJVilla Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 Latest:Press ReleaseHouston, Texas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ V Lawrence Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Here's an article on the press conference from Dynamo Planet Also, here's some pics from the conference: And here's a few of the proposed stadium area: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Two warehouses in the proposed stadium area have been demolished. A third warehouse has had all the siding removed and looks ready to be torn down also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 A fourth building is being demolished today. They haven't started tearing down the building that has had the siding removed yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 When were the first two demolished? Last week? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Yes, they finished up tearing down the first two warehouses last friday or saturday morning.The building they're tearing down today I think was a city building that was boarded up in September. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Yes, they finished up tearing down the first two warehouses last friday or saturday morning.The building they're tearing down today I think was a city building that was boarded up in September.Yall think it's too early to make any assumptions? I know I'm not holding my breath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Yall think it's too early to make any assumptions?Yes, absolutely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Yes, absolutely.So what gives? City of Houston just waisting money with the demos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 So what gives? City of Houston just waisting money with the demos?Not sure. It might be that by demolishing the warehouses, it reduces the taxable value of the property were it to be sold back to a private owner, and that that is somehow being reflected in the County's underwriting (if the County is so diligent as to bother with proper feasibility analysis). Or it might be part of the effort to get peoples' attention and force the issue to be more visible to Harris County.The timing is a little suspect, but one way or the other it does make sense to demolish. Whether it is just because the City doesn't want to take on general liability for anything that happens there, or if it is related to insurance, or if it is just an effort to clean things up to that the site is more marketable--whether to the Dynamo, their financiers, to the County, or to a prospective buyer from the private sector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatesdisastr Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 New Developments:it looks like its up to Larry Catuzzi and Gene Locke for their recommendations on the proposal"The Dynamo want to know if the stadium project is going to go forward by the end of the year."Article from Fox Newsi dont know guys, we'll see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 New Developments:it looks like its up to Larry Catuzzi and Gene Locke for their recommendations on the proposal"The Dynamo want to know if the stadium project is going to go forward by the end of the year."Article from Fox Newsi dont know guys, we'll seeSo really we'll know by mid-December? Does anyone work past the 20th? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Not sure. It might be that by demolishing the warehouses, it reduces the taxable value of the property were it to be sold back to a private owner, and that that is somehow being reflected in the County's underwriting (if the County is so diligent as to bother with proper feasibility analysis). Or it might be part of the effort to get peoples' attention and force the issue to be more visible to Harris County.The timing is a little suspect, but one way or the other it does make sense to demolish. Whether it is just because the City doesn't want to take on general liability for anything that happens there, or if it is related to insurance, or if it is just an effort to clean things up to that the site is more marketable--whether to the Dynamo, their financiers, to the County, or to a prospective buyer from the private sector.I'm guessing that tearing down the warehouses might actually increase the taxable value of the property, rather than reduce it (and your suggestion that tearing them down will make the site more marketable supports that conclusion) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 I'm guessing that tearing down the warehouses might actually increase the taxable value of the property, rather than reduce it (and your suggestion that tearing them down will make the site more marketable supports that conclusion)I agree with you in principle.However HCAD does not make an effort to adjust land value downward when there are functionally obsolete improvements on a property. By taking the value of those improvements off the books, the effect that I described can and does occur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorAggie Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 (edited) New Developments:it looks like its up to Larry Catuzzi and Gene Locke for their recommendations on the proposal "The Dynamo want to know if the stadium project is going to go forward by the end of the year." Article from Fox News i dont know guys, we'll see I don't understand what's so hard about this. Not one but TWO county commisioners passing the buck. Worthless. Garcia wants to know how her constituents feel? Hello! Many of your constituents are represented by the organizations at the press conference. And Lee's getting people to look at the project in order to tell him whether or not its a good deal? Is he afraid to make a decision? This makes me wonder again why we have the county commissioners (other than the whole state law thing ). Make a decision already! These negotiations have gone on for almost 3 years! Reading the above quote again brings about a sheer irony. Garcia wants "the constituents" to tell her what they want (seems that they already have). On the other hand, Lee wants 2 people to decide for him. Am I reading this right? Two people (who we have no idea where and what they're connected to) could decide this project? Edited November 19, 2008 by GovernorAggie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 My main concern is if they do move forward with the stadium, they take into consideration the homes in the surrounding area and try to make community oriented improvements with the stadium so everyone benefits by it. If they do move forward with it, they need to put significant thought into the parking arrangements. Where would people park - is there enough space in the land the city purchased to build both the stadium and adequate parking for 25,000 fans? Who would purchase additional land for parking if it was necessary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatesdisastr Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 If they do move forward with it, they need to put significant thought into the parking arrangements. Where would people park - is there enough space in the land the city purchased to build both the stadium and adequate parking for 25,000 fans? Who would purchase additional land for parking if it was necessary?Isn't there still at least an idea if not a plan to put in a light rail going down where the location of the new dynamo stadium will be? i could have swore i saw a plan that had that idea somewhere. I'm sure you could use the minute maid parking for the dynamo games when the astros are out of town or when they fail to make the playoffs like they did this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ V Lawrence Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 So really we'll know by mid-December? Does anyone work past the 20th?Hopefully, we'll know on December 9th. One thing I do know as well is the fact that a new light rail is in the plans for the area (stadium or not). Also, the Minute Maid parking lot on the Dynamo stadium side would be used for Dynamo parking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 As I was leaving this morning it looked like they would finish tearing down the third warehouse completely today. There were also a large number of vehicles and a 5th warehouse and it looked like they might be prepping it for something today or next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 They've been stripping the windows and wiring and whatnot from the largest warehouse in the proposed area. There's only 2 warehouses remaining in the area now. They're cleaning off the site of the last warehouse that got torn down last week. All that remains are the slabs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newtex Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 My main concern is if they do move forward with the stadium, they take into consideration the homes in the surrounding area and try to make community oriented improvements with the stadium so everyone benefits by it. If they do move forward with it, they need to put significant thought into the parking arrangements. Where would people park - is there enough space in the land the city purchased to build both the stadium and adequate parking for 25,000 fans? Who would purchase additional land for parking if it was necessary?There would not be enough room on the site for parking. The stadium would take up almost all of the six blocks. But there is already plenty of parking in the area already. MinuteMaid Park holds 40,000 and this stadium would require much less parking. The existing parking lots north of Texas would hold a lot of the required parking.Also, as others have said, the East End and Southeast light rail lines will run right past the stadium at the north end. That should reduce some of the parking demand for both MMP and the soccer stadium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brerrabbit Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 I don't keep up with the soccer stadium all that much but I will throw an interesting note out there about something I heard concerning the soccer franchise in Houston. A current project is moving forward to build their training complex on the southwest corner of SH288 and Airport. Money will come from the City of Houston, the Houston Parks Board (who is coordinating the project) and the Dynamo. Monies are tight these days from the City and from the Houston Parks Board who solicites donations from foundations and Corporate sponsors. In a meeting several weeks ago to discuss the project everyone showed up with some money towards it except the Dynamo. Mayor White was alittle PO'ed that Oliver and the boys want so much but bring so little to the table. Parks Board is involved because the final project will have something like 18 fields for playing soccer and lacrosse. My question is if they can't kick anything in for the practice facility, what the heck are they going to do when it's time to put up the real money? (for stadium construction) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 I just noticed this 3D model up on google's sketchup site for Google Earth.Do you think this is somebody's attempt at predicting what the stadium will look like, or is there a rendering out there that we haven't seen?http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/det...amp;prevstart=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 There would not be enough room on the site for parking. The stadium would take up almost all of the six blocks. But there is already plenty of parking in the area already. MinuteMaid Park holds 40,000 and this stadium would require much less parking. The existing parking lots north of Texas would hold a lot of the required parking.Also, as others have said, the East End and Southeast light rail lines will run right past the stadium at the north end. That should reduce some of the parking demand for both MMP and the soccer stadium.I realize Minute Maid has a lot of parking, but what they have doesn't begin to cover the overflow parking that comes into the streets in the proposed soccer stadium area. People go out of their way to save a few buck and park and walk from those streets. Unless parking is planned well every street surrounding the new complex will become a parking lot. Maybe they could do something like Midtown and have residential only parking in front of the homes. That would at least simplify things for the residents in the surrounding area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 I just noticed this 3D model up on google's sketchup site for Google Earth.Do you think this is somebody's attempt at predicting what the stadium will look like, or is there a rendering out there that we haven't seen?http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/det...amp;prevstart=0Wow, thanks Jax. If that's it, I like what I see so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Chenevert Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 Ollie is about to take another job. I have a feeling he isnt 100% behind this stadium deal anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 The 3D model is pretty detailed. If you open it up in SketchUp and look around there are some details, like a "Budweiser Gate" with a big beer bottle over it, and some street level retail (in the rendering there is a storefront that says "Aveo Home" but it is probably just a placeholder. Anyways, very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 The 3D model is pretty detailed. If you open it up in SketchUp and look around there are some details, like a "Budweiser Gate" with a big beer bottle over it, and some street level retail (in the rendering there is a storefront that says "Aveo Home" but it is probably just a placeholder. Anyways, very interesting.Nice, thanks. I doubt someone who was just bored made those renderings. But I guess anything is possible. Maybe we should forward that to swamplot and see if anyone can confirm if they're real.I really like the dark brick, which I think will blend in nicely with the urbanish/downtown-east end area. Are there other US soccer stadiums in urban areas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corbusier Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 (edited) not real. I downloaded it and looked at in GoogleEarth. stadium has too many seats with too much additional offices/mixed-use. The Upper deck seats face the west/setting sun. there was a lot of time spent designing this plus the little pieces of advertising. probably a UH design project.the real stadium will be 24-27,000 seats with shed roofs. the field will be depressed to take advantage of sight-lines.and Ollie is not going anywhere. Edited December 3, 2008 by Corbusier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Chenevert Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 not real. I downloaded it and looked at in GoogleEarth. stadium has too many seats with too much additional offices/mixed-use. The Upper deck seats face the west/setting sun. there was a lot of time spent designing this plus the little pieces of advertising. probably a UH design project.the real stadium will be 24-27,000 seats with shed roofs. the field will be depressed to take advantage of sight-lines.and Ollie is not going anywhere.I'll bet you a case of beer he isnt the president of the Dynamo's 12 months from today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corbusier Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 I'll bet you a case of beer he isnt the president of the Dynamo's 12 months from today.I probably know more than you do, so I won't take your bet. I see him here until the completion of the stadium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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