Stadium Discussion

[FredMertz]

I spent most of my childhood and young adult life into my 20s watching games at Derby through cages like this......( I was at the game in the picture below)

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos...promotion-with-fans-after-picture-id468266528

I thought nothing of it at the time but once they finally got taken down I couldn't believe how much they'd obstructed my view for years.

Point is in my opinion it sucks being behind any sort of obstruction (net or fence) and I, glad I sit on the 200 level


How not? I'm just saying that watching through a fence or a mesh sucks.

Those are thick bars with thick supports and those no climbing things on top. They're talking about nets that are pretty easy to look through, with thin wire supports.

 

[Gotham Gator]

I suspect the nets will be one of those "eye of the beholder" things, where one's tolerance will vary widely. Kind of like the foul poles, which I expected would bother me, but they didn't at all.

 

[Jon]

https://twitter.com/x/status/912299903904354304

 

[NickFromAstoria]

https://twitter.com/x/status/912299903904354304

There's also what looks to be an interesting (albeit paywalled) Wall Street Journal article about it too. Anyone with a subscription want to give the TL,DR? https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-well-intentioned-city-redevelopment-plan-hits-the-skids-1506344165

 

[Gotham Gator]

The WSJ article is really about a group of auto mechanics - called the Sunrise Cooperative - that the City worked to relocate to the Bronx. There isn't much about Willets itself.

For those interested, the Sunrise Cooperative rented a warehouse in the Bronx with a view to creating an auto repair mall that would recreate the community that had been in Willets Point, but with state of the art facilities. But, there were structural issues with the warehouse that led to cost overruns, and now that situation is falling apart.

 

[LeeNYCFC]

The WSJ article is really about a group of auto mechanics - called the Sunrise Cooperative - that the City worked to relocate to the Bronx. There isn't much about Willets itself.

For those interested, the Sunrise Cooperative rented a warehouse in the Bronx with a view to creating an auto repair mall that would recreate the community that had been in Willets Point, but with state of the art facilities. But, there were structural issues with the warehouse that led to cost overruns, and now that situation is falling apart.

https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20...nt-sunrise-cooperative-evicted-eminent-domain

Can read about that situation here without the paywall

 

[The Toe]

https://www.newsday.com/sports/socc...ild-soccer-stadium-at-belmont-park-1.14271274

New York City FC, the professional soccer team that plays at Yankee Stadium and is partly owned by the Yankees, is preparing to submit a proposal to develop a soccer stadium at Belmont Park Race Track, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The potential bid would put the team in competition with the Islanders’ plans to develop their own new arena. The deadline to answer the state’s request for proposals at Belmont is 2 p.m. Thursday. A decision on a winning proposal isn’t expected to come from Empire State Development, the state’s primary business development agency, for months.

NYCFC has played the majority of its Major League Soccer home games at Yankee Stadium since it started play two years ago while searching for a New York City site on which to construct its own stadium.

Belmont is not NYCFC’s preferred choice for an arena location, the person said. The soccer club is looking at a handful of other spots within the city limits that it prefers over Belmont, which is state-run property in Elmont, just outside the Queens border.

But with a need for an arena and an open RFP specifically seeking sports and entertainment options, the person said it was still worth submitting a proposal. The person declined to identify the New York City spots that NYCFC is looking at.

The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to publicly discuss the proposal, said NYCFC is partnering with developer Related Co. on its submission. Representatives from NYCFC and Related did not return messages seeking comment.

An executive from Related Co. was among the dozens who attended the ESD-run tour of the Belmont facility last month.

The Islanders are expected to submit a bid to develop a new arena in conjunction with Sterling Project Development, which is controlled by the Wilpon family, and Oak View Group, a Madison Square Garden-backed sports arena development and investment company.

The Islanders, who are about to enter their third season playing home games at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, are engaged in negotiations over modifying their 25-year license agreement. Oak View Group is advising the Islanders on those talks.

The Belmont RFP calls for plans that include retail, entertainment, sports and hospitality options on the 43-acre vacant land surrounding the state-run horse track.

Last year ESD scrapped proposals to develop at Belmont following a long-delayed four-year process. Among those proposals was a 25,000-seat soccer stadium for the New York Cosmos. They now play their home games at Brooklyn’s MCU Park. Related also was one of the bidders then.

 

[D_RoyJenkins]

https://www.newsday.com/sports/socc...ild-soccer-stadium-at-belmont-park-1.14271274

If they build the stadium at Belmont I'm out. This should be a non starter, it's ridiculous.

 

[LionNYC]

https://www.newsday.com/sports/socc...ild-soccer-stadium-at-belmont-park-1.14271274

So...anybody have ideas for a new hobby to replace all the time and money I invest with this club?

I went from 0 to 100 in terms of MLS following when NYCFC picked up. If we move to Belmont, I'd go from 100 to 0 after our last season at Yankee Stadium.

 

[Kangaroo Jack]

i think its just going to be a BS bid. They've been pretty vocal about not wanting Belmont.

 

[brett]

belmont isn't in "nyc", a stadium there is a complete fail

 

[Shawn Ryu]

Belmont is stones throw away from Queens. Honestly this is better than not having a soccer specific stadium at all.

 

[413Blue]

The good news is that the Islanders have much more clout, and more events to market to the EDC so most likely we would not win the process.
I wonder who this "source" "speaking on the condition of anonymity" is.

Hopefully they are simply looking to develop a training ground with an small stadium for our USL club and USOC matches, but I doubt that to be the case.

 

[Mkdaman1818]

I’m hoping this is a competition bid to create leverage on Willets point/GAL. Wouldn’t make sense otherwise.

 

[Ulrich]

There's no harm in putting in an absurdly low bid to show they participated. If they win the bid, they come back later and admit they can't make the costs work and bow out before signing on the dotted line.

 

[Vallos]

 

[413Blue]

During the initial RFP, what was Related Cos. proposal? Was their's the grocery store/retail/restaurant deal? Would that incorporate into the stadium development(no idea how big the available site is)? Could the plan be: they be our partner, we win the bid together, we use it as leverage for a legitimate site, back out of Belmont, they take over and instead to more housing or other junk? How locked in are we legally if our bid is accepted?

 

[dannd23]

Belmont is stones throw away from Queens. Honestly this is better than not having a soccer specific stadium at all.

Agreed but we are in a sizable minority, at least on this board.

 

[Mkdaman1818]

Another possibility - joint bid with the islanders where nycfc helps build some public housing or something. Allows nycfc to build stadium in GAL/WP

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

I think it's a NYC Skyline or bust for the majority of supporters.