want to ask you some direct questions. If you don’t want to answer, I respect that.
1) When do you think the club will acknowledge a site has been agreed?
2) When do you think shovels will go in the ground
3) Share the date NYCFC plays its first home game in the stadium
4) Should be 1 but I’m too lazy to change my formatting. Do you think a stadium will be built at the GAL site?
First, in response to your other post, my "general rule' included both post-filing and pre-filing factors. Applications filed were on hold with staff out of the office, and some applications ready to file were on hold since agencies were not accepting new filings. Further, certain City Planning actions require pre-application meetings with staff before they are actually filed. Basically, whatever timing was expected for an application, adding 9-12 months to that estimate was necessary.
Without details of the project, I can only speculate, but:
1) If I were advising the club, I wouldn't acknowledge the site until A) there was confirmation as to the City and State actions that were required, B) there was local Council support, and C) air rights deals were secured (if necessary). One thing that is often overlooked in the project is the private component. Legal and political paths can be cleared, only to have one private party hold out, seeking a large payment and killing a project. As fans we want information - understandably - but some times sharing too much information early can be costly.
2) 2023? For me, the key date has always been June 2026. The benefits of a new stadium opening concurrent with a World Cup in this country would be incalculable. Hopefully sooner, but 2023 would allow an announcement end of 2021, 2022 for approvals, 2023 for permits.
3) My best guess is the first game after the World Cup - let's say Sunday, July 26, 2026. If that is correct, someone from the forum can buy me a beer before the game.
4) Yes. There is enough smoke for there to be a fire. The Bronx was always the best option for political and economic reasons, and the neighborhood has stadium experience.
As a fan, I hope I am miserably wrong and that it opens sooner - or at worst there is an announcement earlier than expected. But, my guess is still 2026.
