DJ V Lawrence

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4335699.html Houston Dynamo's no longer for sale. Is AEG the long-term owner then?

What I'm saying is this: What if there were a stadium deal where the city made more out of it then it spent, and we were able to use that revenue for our public services vua police, education, etc.? We could have both and not have to substitute one for the other. Why does the sports team have to get 100% of the stadium profit? And why does the team have to get 100% of the stadium naming rights revenue, too? Houston could use that money, yo.

That would be REALLY cool! I could see high attendance there. Only question is where Uptown? Is there a lot there with enough space for a stadium? It already looks developed to the brink... Los Angeles and Green Bay also have good deals. L.A.'s future football team's stadium is being paid for by the NFL, with the city of Los Angeles paying for the roads and developments around it. Green Bay BOUGHT their team, and paid for the improvement to the stadium that their city also owns. Of course, the city gets the revenue the owner would probably get. Imagine how much more they would recieve if their stadium sold it's naming rights? Not saying they should, but instead of that money going to another person, that money would go right back to the city...

Where in those last stadium deals did we get profit? How did those stadium deals make money back for the city which the city could use to pay for more police? We both agree that the answer is n/a. Now, what if there were a way to use this new stadium for MLS to profit the city of Houston? There's no rich owners here threatening us. Why do we have to assume that all stadium deals have to be ones where the city has to lose? It doesn't have to be that way.

I disagree: the homeless ordinance has made a difference. You can tell because of the area I'm talking about. After an Astros game this past season, it looked like Homeless'R'Us was all across 59 from MMP. Yea, you'd still see a few scattered around, but I'd still see police pulling over to talk to them and lead them to the legal areas. The homeless population in Midtown and Downtown doesn't seem as dominant as it was when I left. When I mentioned wishful thinking, I was referring to the MMP voting referendum back in the day. y'all remember how you saw renderings of what the area OUTSIDE MMP may look like after the stadium would be complete? (Bars, Inn at the Ballpark, revamped bridges to coincide with the park, etc.) THAT was all wishful thinking; that wasn't actually part of the same masterplan as the ballpark. Some has happened, some hasn't. All I know is that not as much is directly surrounding the ballpark as we once heard would be developed. What I'm saying is that instead of having the new MLS ballpark be the stand-alone jewel in an area, have it be part of a masterplan with other developments around it. Have it become part of a major urban development project instead of having it becoming just an MLS stadium project. Other cities used the land around their stadiums strictly for practice fields. We could use our for residential and retail instead, and have the practice fields accomodate a school at a different location. What's so wrong about that? Last time I was in that area, all I saw were abandoned buildings, warehouses, and the largest homeless gathering I've ever seen in Houston. That may have changed, but I wasn't aware of it. And if designed today, our MLS stadium would look just like everyone elses. not sure why anyone would want to live next to it, with the exception of die-hard sports fans. But if they take time to develop their fan base more, they could have the revenue to spearhead something Houston-like (best-in-the-U.S. type facility). One year in Houston is just too soon to close a stadium deal that's worth building.

I'm just saying that it could be an investment for the city if we bought the land in that area (the warehouses and abandoned buildings) hired a development team to come up with plans on a project (similar to Hardy Rail, which would also be a good MLS location), and leased it to a number of developers, including MLS. It wouldn't be just a gimme. We'd be getting the money back via lease, and the land value would rise with the developments coming into play. As other developers saw that the land is becoming another Midtown, perhaps they'd want to buy the land lots instead of leasing. By that time, the appreciation of the land would have risen, and our city would have profitted. And ban the homeless from living anywhere on Houston's streets (like we have Downtown and Midtown) so the population doesn't spill into 3rd Ward. We have the homeless shelters in the area to help. The only reason why that land is worth anything is because it's across from Downtown. That's it. There's nothing there. It's a sitting duck. Anything done on that land could only make that property value rise, yo. Do something you didn't do with Toyota or Minute Maid; have this stadium be a part of a masterplan instead of wishful thinking.

Gotcha on #1 and #3 Wuth #2: Are they just turning the former residency towers into office space, or are the towers be completely eliminated from the design? I thought it mentioned in the article that the office and retail-available space would remain the same. Something would have to give, right?

Why not have the City of Houston purchase the land across 59 from GRB, and donate enough of that land to Dynamo. Then we have Dynamo pay 100% of the stadium's building and material costs, with Houston giving the team tax breaks. Have the City of Houston use the other lots around it for other crazy developments with investors and new businesses (like Houston Pavilions), and we get money back from the taxes and lease of the land. We'd make the money back, the stadium would be worth a lot, and Dynamo/soccer would have a better chance to grow. When the time was right, Dynamo could move back to Robertson while construction of their bigger stadium was done...on the same space as the one already built. Stadium expansion, yo. It would save so much for the team, and Houston would win more than any other city in MLS.

Abosolite farthest away should be the Astroworld plot. If not, they should just stay at Robertson permanantly, 'cause a stadium outside Houston just isn't worth supporting. And if they move to Woodlands, Sugarland, etc., might as well name the team after the city (Woodlands Dynamo, Sugarland Dynamo, etc.). If they're willing to pay for the stadium, they deserve the naming rights.

3 questions: 1) Why exactly would Houston Pavilions not want to include the residential developments into the project if the market in downtown's in high-demand? I know it'd be expensive, but wouldn't it be worth the investment for the developers? 2) How much will the design change for Pavilions without the residential towers? 3) With the high demand for residential in downtown, and the announcement that residency will not be included in Pavilions, how much will that change the buildings around it? Could we expect that at least one of the buildings across from Pavilions could be converted into an exclusive residential high-rise?

Cocaine's a hell of a drug...

From today's Chronicle: It will not include the residential units, as earlier planned. The retail and offices will remain the same... http://www.houstonchronicle.com/disp/story...nt/4332530.html

I think the City of Houston would find a way to fund millions into the stadium if the project were worth it. I just don't think it's worth it yet. They'll build a small-ass stadium in the boondocks in order to keep up with the trend of high-school/MLS stadiums out there, when our Dynamo fans at the MLS Cup proved that we're the trend-SETTERS, not trend-followers. As I've said before, the area across 59 from GRB needs a redevelopment in the baddest. Let the MLS stadium be part of a redevelopment there...but after you get a better assessment on Dynamo fan support. Houston shouldn't have to put any money into a stadium if it's not worth it. But in a couple years, it will be. Someone tell Luck not to rush it.

Oliver Luck needs to realize that talks for a new stadium that's classy and worth building is just premature. They've only been in Houston for one season. We don't have any idea how much more popular or unpopular the team will be in 5 years. Maybe 25,000 seats won't be enough for Dynamo then. Maybe the team's interest will dwendle before the new stadium is built, and Dynamo would have to pursue strong advertisement campaigns and/or invest in a high-profile player to get fans back in the stands. They need at least another 2 years in Robertson to have an idea of how far they can go with the stadium (location, capacity, suites, corporate sponsorship, naming rights, funding from Houston, etc.)

Perfect for practice fields, but the stadium itself needs to be across from Downtown or across from Reliant Park to be most successful. Our NFL, MLB, or NBA stadiums are there for a reason: Reliant and Downtown are a better conveniance for our fans than a fan in Pearland having to drive to Webster or vise-versa. Why would anyone think MLS would be successful if the stadium were not in a central location like our other professional teams? That's just nuts.

(you forgot to mention octopus (Detroit Red Wings))

I'm refering to professional sports. But go Coogs! I gotta agree with you there; throwing the smoke bomb on the field wasn't cool or safe. But while in the stands, that bomb looked pretty cool on tv It almost looked like Europe! I can't remember the last time I've seen a smoke bomb in an American stadium other than this season in MLS. Good stuff!

According to Fox, the Dynamo championship party has just been announced and is being planned for City Hall at 5pm Tuesday

The fan base is still growing, and people are starting to understand that MLS's growth may improve our talent and fan-enthusiasm, and as a result improve the talent on our national team. I'd LOVE to see a 50,000 seat soccer-specific stadium in Houston like many other soccer teams in the world, but at this time, that's just unrealistic. MLS CAN claim that it's finally making stadiums specifically for them, and they're capable of selling out. Look at the NFL for example. When you look at most stadiums of the older franchises, the seating capacity was lower then than it is now. Reason being is that as the league grew, more money would be generated, and the teams could buy new stadiums with more seating and/or more suites and luxuries to go along with 'em. Same goes with MLS, except this is the first stadium for all these teams (soccer-specific). As the league/fan base grows, the stadiums will eventually have much greater capacity. That's why I think Dynamo needs to hold off on getting a stadium now for a couple more years. This next season, there's no telling what the attendance will be like. Maybe they have what it takes to sell out the 32,000 seat Robertson Stadium. Maybe it will have the same average as this year. We just don't know. But if that local fanbase does blow up, maybe it won't look so minor-league to non-traditional soccer fans. I'll rephrase the question. When was the last time you've seen 10,000 Houstonians fill-up ANY away stadium for any of our professional teams for any game? Location for MLSCup was a MAJOR advantage for Dynamo, no doubt. I just can't recall the last time I've seen 10,000 fans trek to Dallas or San Antonio for an NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL game that counted. Regular or playoff season. That's still a major accomplishment for any team in any league, especially one that's been in that city for only one year. I think we should wait till next year to see just how big soccer in Houston (and America) is about to become. The true soccer fans were watching, and that's all that matter. And that fanbase has grown since last year (especially in Houston, since we didn't have a team last year.) I think sometime in the future, we will see a prime-time MLS Cup, and we'll see a better halftime show (man, that band SUCKED!!! We need Shakira like in the World Cup final or something). But a lot of bars here in Houston were packed with Dynamo fans. People were watching and twitching with every move. Non-sports fans can keep shopping or napping. I don't think soccer will be considered an All-American Sport just with MLS. Only way that could ever happen is if the U.S. win the World Cup. The most coveted title in all sports. I do think MLS has grown tremendously, and many cities are making bids for teams, like Philly, Seattle, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, the Bay Area (who's already making plans for a baseball/MLS stadium), San Antonio (though the current mayor is screwing that up), Mexico City, and quite a few others. Think about the amount of professional leagues in America that are less than 20 years old that are as successful as MLS has been. There's none. WNBA's probably the one that comes close. XFL, WUSA, Arena soccer, tons of others have failed. MLS is now the 5th most marketable league in American sports, and that may change to 3rd or 4th in the next ten years.

Soccer's the biggest sport in the world. You've been e-mailed. Are you saying that the MLS and/or the Dynamo coming to Houston was a marketing failure? It looks to me like the sport's still growing in Houston, and enough that over half the stadium in Dallas were Houstonians. Tell me the last time you've seen Houston do that in ANY professional sport, regardless of stadium size. I won't debate how exciting the match was, because every person on HAIF has a different opinion on what exciting is (to me and the viewing party I was at, the game was an adrenaline-rush from beginning to end. Great shots and tackles throughout). But what IS debatable is where professional soccer in America is now compared to 10 years ago. Soccer in America wasn't as popular as baseball and football when the "World" Series or Super Bowl came about. But you can't deny that MLS has done a pretty good job of expanding it's market and popularity since it began. It's the most successful soccer league in American history, and unfortunately for U, it's still gonna grow. There's gonna be a new team in Toronto next year, plus the Oakland Athletics are making a baseball/MLS stadium with hopes to land an expansion team there. My ultimate sports dream is to see America's Team win the World Cup someday. If MLS keeps improving, and America's players get more talent, experience, and attitude, that may not be so far-fetched...

Kudos once again to the Texans, Dynamo, and Rockets this Sunday!! In terms of the Texans, they've already bettered their record from last season with today's win. You can see them improving each week on both sides of the ball. They'll need a few more seasons to develop into a "dominant" team, but that coaching staff deserves a lot of credit. Next thing though: they need to pull off some wins against a .500+ team or two. We'll take any W we can get, but to be the best, you gotta beat the best. We're SUPPOSED to beat teams like the ones we have, but let's beat someone outside of Florida this season

This is the biggest night in Houston sports in a LONG time!! I'm still happy over the Dynamo win, but yea, I think the Rockets have a championship team on them. YAO IS A MONSTER!!! And yea Trae, he DEFINATELY deserves MVP if he stays as dominant as he has!

Wow, since when has Rice Owls baseball counted as a professional team? And asking why a game would be decided by penalty kicks is like asking why an MLS, NBA, NFL, MLB, or NHL game would end up going into overtime/extra innings, and why even bothering playing in regulation. Perhaps if they could have predicted the future, they wouldn't have to. What, did you want a championship to end in a tie? Now THAT'S pointless. Show some love to the champs, yo! I LOVE the Texans too, but it only took a season for Dynamo to get the job done. Texans haven't have a .500 season yet, and the Astros still haven't gotten the title. It took the Rockets over 15 years to pull off the NBA title. It's not easy winning a professional championship, but it's ours. Let's hope this is just one of many for ALL our teams in the coming season's yo!

WHAT A GAME!!!! That Ching goal came out of nowhere, didn't it?! Though the whole game was world-class, the best part of the game was the fans. It was beautiful watching ABC and seeing at least 10,000 of the 20,000 at that sold-out stadium wearing orange. And the orange smoke bombs were funny as hell When's the last time you've EVER seen more than 10,000 fans from Houston travel to another major city one of our teams? And when was the last time you've ever seen a stadium over 200 miles away dominated by Houston fans on international television? During the game, it was mentioned that the game was being broadcasted in over 100 countries. I'm pround of my team. 1st stop- Dynamo. Next stop - Dynasty!!!

I asked this question a month ago, and don't think I've heard any new news from the media since. Cause 4 concern that it's not going up?