Stadium Discussion

[mgarbowski]

Bloomberg reporter (Scott Soshnick) interview is done.

• Rattner said if he knew what he knows now he never would have started Barclays project.
• Islanders have design proposal for WP but it does not necessarily mean very much.
• More likely to happen in parking lot than chop shop area. Environmental review problems in chop shop area.
• Current Islanders owners paid a premium of $150mm for a NYC team with expected move to Brooklyn.
• Nassau County is making a play to bring them back but owners want no part of it because of that premium price paid.
• Leaving metro area also a possibility but last resort.
• Sports teams a way to get things done for bigger real estate projects.
• If you draw likely spots for Islanders on a map, most of them are n Queens. Belmont Racetrack, Citi Field area.

NYCFC never came up once. Kind of amazing that the team is not even an afterthought in relation to the Islanders, but there is still some relevant info there.

 

[LionNYC]

Rattner said if he knew what he knows now he never would have started Barclays project.

 

[mgarbowski]

Because of how hard it was to get it done, and the fact that after all they put into it they eventually built only a small portion of what they originally planned. In addition to all the reductions in shopping, entertainment, etc., they also scaled down the arena itself. The original design was dual-use for basketball and hockey and would not have had so many seats with poor sight lines and obstructed views. Also, the current arena lacks the dehumidifiers necessary for an ice rink. But the hockey stuff is all secondary to the more fundamental problems of trying to build a big project in NYC.

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

Bloomberg reporter (Scott Soshnick) interview is done.

• Rattner said if he knew what he knows now he never would have started Barclays project.
• Islanders have design proposal for WP but it does not necessarily mean very much.
• More likely to happen in parking lot than chop shop area. Environmental review problems in chop shop area.
• Current Islanders owners paid a premium of $150mm for a NYC team with expected move to Brooklyn.
• Nassau County is making a play to bring them back but owners want no part of it because of that premium price paid.
• Leaving metro area also a possibility but last resort.
• Sports teams a way to get things done for bigger real estate projects.
• If you draw likely spots for Islanders on a map, most of them are n Queens. Belmont Racetrack, Citi Field area.

NYCFC never came up once. Kind of amazing that the team is not even an afterthought in relation to the Islanders, but there is still some relevant info there.

Could it be that we didn't come up because we've already selected a location? Take that other representative whose come out and said NYCFC isn't interested in any locations on LI.
Could be the same thing here.

 

[Ulrich]

Because of how hard it was to get it done, and the fact that after all they put into it they eventually built only a small portion of what they originally planned. In addition to all the reductions in shopping, entertainment, etc., they also scaled down the arena itself. The original design was dual-use for basketball and hockey and would not have had so many seats with poor sight lines and obstructed views. Also, the current arena lacks the dehumidifiers necessary for an ice rink. But the hockey stuff is all secondary to the more fundamental problems of trying to build a big project in NYC.

Everybody in Brooklyn thought his grandplan was idiotic and poorly thought out, and it was and he's proven it, but he went through with it as a pure land-grab $$ opportunity and didn't care about the logistics of getting it done. He knew it then but getting shovels in the ground was too important compared to listening to the experts and community recommending "no."

 

[mgarbowski]

Could it be that we didn't come up because we've already selected a location? Take that other representative whose come out and said NYCFC isn't interested in any locations on LI.
Could be the same thing here.

Possibly, yes? But I doubt it. I'm pretty sure NYCFC is just not on their radar. The Bloomberg guy especially is a reporter whose reputation is made by breaking news. If he cared about NYCFC and had info about NYCFC having a stadium site selected he would report it, with the only possible exception being that he promised to delay in return for exclusivity to break the news when the club is ready. But those types of deals usually last days, or even hours, not months.

I really was disappointed NYCFC never came up. I expected as much from the WFAN guys, but I figured the Bloomberg reporter would at least mention the team, even if only as a factor that could have some impact on the main topic which was the Islanders.

 

[joe]

f.cosmos stadium announcement this week

 

[413Blue]

f.cosmos stadium announcement this week

Looks like it's going to be MCU park in Brooklyn. That was expected, but there was some speculation that they may have chosen Columbia U, considering the new owner has very close ties.

Even though the Cosmos kind of salted the environment over the last couple years, I would not be totally opposed to getting behind them now. It would be cool to make a weekend out of a NYCFC match and head over to the theme park and catch a Cosmos game.

 

[JGarrettLieb]

Looks like it's going to be MCU park in Brooklyn. That was expected, but there was some speculation that they may have chosen Columbia U, considering the new owner has very close ties.

Even though the Cosmos kind of salted the environment over the last couple years, I would not be totally opposed to getting behind them now. It would be cool to make a weekend out of a NYCFC match and head over to the theme park and catch a Cosmos game.

They salted that possible relationship far too much with me for me to ever consider supporting that team in any manner.

When your fans make Eagles fans look good, ya might have a problem.

 

[adam]

Looks like it's going to be MCU park in Brooklyn. That was expected, but there was some speculation that they may have chosen Columbia U, considering the new owner has very close ties.

Even though the Cosmos kind of salted the environment over the last couple years, I would not be totally opposed to getting behind them now. It would be cool to make a weekend out of a NYCFC match and head over to the theme park and catch a Cosmos game.

Had to unlike after your edit. Their fans will be POSs no matter where they play. And I wished them success as long as it didn't interfere w NYCFC because of the LI connection. Just took 2 USOC matches to thank god I never bothered to see a match of theirs and regret any good will I ever sent their way. It's not just the fans, their managment has a hand in allowing that type of behavior to continue.

I've been to a few games at MCU, pretty tight security there. Hopefully, beefed up security along with new ownership can keep those animals in line.

 

[sbrylski]

Looks like it's going to be MCU park in Brooklyn. That was expected, but there was some speculation that they may have chosen Columbia U, considering the new owner has very close ties.

Even though the Cosmos kind of salted the environment over the last couple years, I would not be totally opposed to getting behind them now. It would be cool to make a weekend out of a NYCFC match and head over to the theme park and catch a Cosmos game.

I think they'll do well there. By summer they could be getting 5k+, which is a HUGE improvement. If the NASL ends up surviving, it's a great short-to-medium term home that should give them some stability.

I wouldn't mind playing them again in the Open Cup. I would make an effort to attend this time. <-- Good anecdotal evidence right there that this is a good move for them.

 

[BxLio91]

My soul throws up a little when I remember they're not back in a file cabinet

 

[JayH]

Take this for what it's worth, which is likely nothing, but am posting this article about the prospects of the Fish Sticks moving because it references a soccer stadium.

"A possible stadium in Willets Point, Queens, seems unlikely, as City Hall sources believe a more likely scenario is that a soccer stadium would go there should anything sports-related get built."

http://nypost.com/2017/01/31/how-islanders-players-are-reacting-to-franchise-move-talk/

 

[mgarbowski]

Take this for what it's worth, which is likely nothing, but am posting this article about the prospects of the Fish Sticks moving because it references a soccer stadium.

"A possible stadium in Willets Point, Queens, seems unlikely, as City Hall sources believe a more likely scenario is that a soccer stadium would go there should anything sports-related get built."

http://nypost.com/2017/01/31/how-islanders-players-are-reacting-to-franchise-move-talk/

That's actually the most direct news we've had for months at least.

 

[NickFromAstoria]

That's actually the most direct news we've had for months at least.

Between this and Melinda's statement, there's suddenly real smoke here for the first time in ages. Maybe they finally realized that central Queens is overmalled and that no one is going to want to live in a former ash dump ringed in by highways on all sides?

 

[Kjbert]

Take this for what it's worth, which is likely nothing, but am posting this article about the prospects of the Fish Sticks moving because it references a soccer stadium.

"A possible stadium in Willets Point, Queens, seems unlikely, as City Hall sources believe a more likely scenario is that a soccer stadium would go there should anything sports-related get built."

http://nypost.com/2017/01/31/how-islanders-players-are-reacting-to-franchise-move-talk/

{Insert Ron Paul "It's Happening" Gif}

 

[Gotham Gator]

Between this and Melinda's statement, there's suddenly real smoke here for the first time in ages. Maybe they finally realized that central Queens is overmalled and that no one is going to want to live in a former ash dump ringed in by highways on all sides?

 

[NickFromAstoria]

Dibs on being the first member of the Old Sports SG!

 

[SoupInNYC]

Take this for what it's worth, which is likely nothing, but am posting this article about the prospects of the Fish Sticks moving because it references a soccer stadium.

"A possible stadium in Willets Point, Queens, seems unlikely, as City Hall sources believe a more likely scenario is that a soccer stadium would go there should anything sports-related get built."

http://nypost.com/2017/01/31/how-islanders-players-are-reacting-to-franchise-move-talk/

 

[mgarbowski]

Between this and Melinda's statement, there's suddenly real smoke here for the first time in ages. Maybe they finally realized that central Queens is overmalled and that no one is going to want to live in a former ash dump ringed in by highways on all sides?

I think what we can realistically take from this is

• confirmation of actual talks between the club and city officials, including at city hall and at least the Queens boro prez
• Willets Point is on the table
• Willets Point is not necessarily likely -- "should anything sports-related get built"
• whether somewhere else is more likely is completely unknown
• The CitiField parking lot area is on the table for the Islanders, as is Belmont. I have to think they are for us as well, at least from city officials POV, even if the club is likely to reject the Belmont option as much as it can.