Chron soccer writer Glenn Davis makes his pitch for the proposed downtown Dynamo Stadium.
Let me borrow a real estate phrase: Location, location, location is what this is about, and a downtown stadium will be an unparalleled vehicle for promoting soccer. Stadiums out in the hinterlands in MLS are still trying to prove them-selves as a magnet for fans.
Fans migrating to stadiums located in the inner city can become a part of a ritual.When I was growing up in New Jersey, my father used to take me to sporting events at Madison Square Garden in the heart of New York. The ritual began as we left the house.
Take the train from the suburbs to Hoboken, N.J., then jump on the Path train (subway) under the Hudson River. As we exited the Path and scrambled up the steps to the street, a whole new world opened up.
The streets of Manhattan were alive with vendors, scalpers hawking tickets, and fans of the New York Rangers or Knicks. The air crackled with competition and excitement.
For a kid from the suburbs, this was like going into a new world. To this day, these impressions are indelible in my mind. Whether going to Madison Square Garden or to Giants Stadium to watch Pelé and the New York Cosmos, I always felt that sense of anticipation.
[Dynamo president Oliver] Luck has told me his ritual with his father was taking public transportation to go to Cleveland Indians games.
That's not nearly enough to make me change my mind about public financing for this venue, of course. And as romantic as this notion is, it won't be very practical until the light rail system is built out some more. But hey, if that I-10 rail line ever becomes a reality, maybe I'll take the girls to a game via the train some day. For what it's worth, I'd never have willingly driven to Sugar Land, which I presume was Davis' basic point. But that stadium is still gonna have to get paid for with private money.
Posted by Charles Kuffner on May 18, 2007 to Other sportsNot quite as romatic I suppose, but while in grad school in Seattle I took the #71 bus to the KingDome to watch Mariners a whole lot of times.
But soccer is not baseball and to be successful they will need to make absolutely sure they have plenty of parking. Not long ago I brought my daughters and friends up to Frisco for a game. We had 7 in the minivan. If the only decent access was public transportation then I would not have bothered.
I don't honestly know how the Frisco stadium was funded, but I do applaud the result. I was most impressed with the facility. Not a bad seat in the entire house and the amenities are absolutely top quality. They had obviously designed it to be a big summer concert venue. In the one end zone the stadium was obviously designed to be a giant stage for concerts. I haven't been there for a concert but I suspect it works fabulously for big rock concerts. I'll definitely be back to Frisco for more games over the years. It has to be the best venue in the DFW area to take kids for a game without hassles.
Posted by: Kent from Waco on May 18, 2007 9:25 AMBut that stadium is still gonna have to get paid for with private money. You mean any more stadia financing with toll road revenue has to be done further out of sight? No wonder Radack wants to eliminate the County Treasurer position.