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Grand Rapids Sports Authority


Rizzo

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The Press is reporting that a possible authority may be in the works for promoting GR as host to major sporting events (NCAA/college type). It goes on to state that Peter Secchia and friends are spear heading this organization.

"Grand Rapids is the best kept secret in the country," he said. "We need to change that. And there are so many things out there, including Division II and Division III national championships, Division I finals in wrestling, volleyball and hockey, all kinds of AAU events.

"But they won't come knocking on our doors. It's the other way around, and we've already let too many opportunities get past us.

Sports article in The Press

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"Grand Rapids is the best kept secret in the country," he said. "We need to change that. And there are so many things out there, including Division II and Division III national championships, Division I finals in wrestling, volleyball and hockey, all kinds of AAU events.

"But they won't come knocking on our doors. It's the other way around, and we've already let too many opportunities get past us.

He obviously didn't get the memo about our new slogan.

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"Grand Rapids is the best kept secret in the country," he said. "We need to change that. And there are so many things out there, including Division II and Division III national championships, Division I finals in wrestling, volleyball and hockey, all kinds of AAU events.

"But they won't come knocking on our doors. It's the other way around, and we've already let too many opportunities get past us.

He obviously didn't get the memo about our new slogan.

haha I was just about to mention that!

Anywho, hopefully this can pave the way in the future for a major league team of some sort. Grand Rapids Red Wings... eh? eh? (I can dream!)

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Crew is something of a misnomer for the sport of Rowing, which is an amazing sport. I may be biased because I rowed on MSU's varsity squad for a few years and it totally converted me. It's the ultimate teamwork sport but is also a great workout because it works your entire body, plus its a ton harder than everyone seems to think. GR is poised to be a major rowing city for the midwest because of the Grand, which has some of the best water for rowing in North America, starting at the sixth street bridge and going upriver to Ada. I'm just disappointed that participation is generally so low in the area (although much better than most places in the state).

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The sports authority should concentrate on one thing: building a football stadium and establishing an NFL franchise. There is no single action that moves a city to the "big-time" like getting an NFL team. It's instant credibility for so many other areas: conventions, corporate HQ's and regional offices, airport expansions, and service industry jobs to name a few.

I wonder how many people think that Green Bay is larger than GR, just because of the Packers?

It seems like GR has similar population numbers to Nashville. If Nashville can support the Titans, I think GR can support a team. Plus, the time to establish a team is now, while the Lions suck. :)

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I dont know about that one... You see they said that same thing about the AFL in GR. "Oh this will finally give us some exposure." "OMG like GR is cool 'cause the championship is here! like oooh my gawd." You know the standard crap like that. The commentators chewed us up and spit us out; bashed GR. I don't mean the sports team either.

MIDude, are you from Portland MI?

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Keep in mind that IS the AFL, and we were still newcomers in the AFL at the time, fighting against the previous champs and completely STOMPING them. So I can see that happening.

With the NFL, you actually have national widespread coverage, unlike the AFL (It was national, but honestly how many people keep up with it?), is more professional in nature, and actually could give us more attention. But then, we wouldn't be keeping the secret, now would we?

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What i'm thinking, is that in order for an NFL team to work you'd need to draw crowds of about 50k avg per game. Those stadiums are massive. I know I know, over two million people within an hour radius of Grand Rapids. We don't have a stadium with a capacity for more than 15k right now. But I would wager that the Lansing folks would still be lions fans. I just don't think that our market is quite that strong yet. I know there has been all of this comparison to Nashville, but I've been to Nashville, why does it feel so much bigger than Grand Rapids? OKC and Louisville too. And If our city and metro area are of like size. Why does our skyline suck so much!

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What i'm thinking, is that in order for an NFL team to work you'd need to draw crowds of about 50k avg per game. Those stadiums are massive. I know I know, over two million people within an hour radius of Grand Rapids. We don't have a stadium with a capacity for more than 15k right now. But I would wager that the Lansing folks would still be lions fans. I just don't think that our market is quite that strong yet. I know there has been all of this comparison to Nashville, but I've been to Nashville, why does it feel so much bigger than Grand Rapids? OKC and Louisville too. And If our city and metro area are of like size. Why does our skyline suck so much!

Have you seen Jacksonville's skyline? :sick:

If East Lansing can draw 80,000 for 6-8 home games per year with a mediocre football team in a less popular sport, I don't see why GR couldn't draw 45,000-50,000 per home game in the hugely popular NFL.

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I think an NBL basketball team would be the first thing GR would try to get their hands on. GR has a leg up in accomadating an NBL team. The VanAndel Arena was designed to be expanded out to 16,000 seats, which is enough seats for such a team. Thus the infrastructure is there. From what I can see, expanding the VanAndel to house an NBL basketball team would be alot less expensive than spending half a billion dollars to build an NFL stadium. Plus, the city would get similar national exposure with the NBL as they would via the NFL. So common sence tells me lets shoot for NBL first, see what the market does, then go for NFL.

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What i'm thinking, is that in order for an NFL team to work you'd need to draw crowds of about 50k avg per game. Those stadiums are massive. I know I know, over two million people within an hour radius of Grand Rapids. We don't have a stadium with a capacity for more than 15k right now. But I would wager that the Lansing folks would still be lions fans. I just don't think that our market is quite that strong yet. I know there has been all of this comparison to Nashville, but I've been to Nashville, why does it feel so much bigger than Grand Rapids? OKC and Louisville too. And If our city and metro area are of like size. Why does our skyline suck so much!

I think we've had this discussion before. Because traditionally downtown GR has not been the hotbed for banks and insurance companies, the two largest users of tall glassy skyscrapers. Our corporations are office furniture and retail companies, who need horizontal office/manufacturing/warehousing integrated spaces. Hence, that's why they set up shop in the burbs where land was aplenty and acheap.

I agree about the NFL goal. Nothing grabs the most attention and gives more national exposure more than an NFL team. We keep bringing up Nashville, but it was a no-name Grand Ole Opry city until the Titans stadium was built. Now with the exposure it's been given, it ranks at the top for corporate relocations, and its downtown is booming. Nissan is getting ready to move its new HQ from California to Nashville (burbs), as well as the addition of 4 or 5 other new service-related company headquarters.

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While I cant see the NFL moving to GR, I could see an NBA/NHL move to GR...

And if someone could pony up the cleaning bill, the old Butterworth dump would make the perfect spot for the NBA-sized Arena. Its right by the "River Grand" proposal, that if its completed would be nice to be next to (Thus converting VAA into a Performing Arts Center)

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While I cant see the NFL moving to GR, I could see an NBA/NHL move to GR...

And if someone could pony up the cleaning bill, the old Butterworth dump would make the perfect spot for the NBA-sized Arena. Its right by the "River Grand" proposal, that if its completed would be nice to be next to (Thus converting VAA into a Performing Arts Center)

OK, everyone repeat after me: "The Butterworth Dump will never be redeveloped" " The Butterworth Dump will never be redeveloped". Wash, rinse, repeat.

I'm not aware of any landfill in this country where the contents have been removed and shipped elsewhere. Who would take it? It's full of a bunch of medical waste, in addition to your standard landfill variety.

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We've been through this before. By the numbers, the only big league we can't sustain 100% is MLB. In various market studies, the Grand Rapids metro had a supporting percentage in the low 80s for Major League Baseball. I'm sure that if somone could front 100 million to build a venue and 100-200 to fund a halfass team you would be able to sydicate. I vote that we start: GRFTBL or Grand Rapidians For The Big Leagues. Our main objective is to collect as many financial donations as possible to obtain our goal of having a big league team in Grand Rapids.

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OK, everyone repeat after me: "The Butterworth Dump will never be redeveloped" " The Butterworth Dump will never be redeveloped". Wash, rinse, repeat.

I'm not aware of any landfill in this country where the contents have been removed and shipped elsewhere. Who would take it? It's full of a bunch of medical waste, in addition to your standard landfill variety.

Ive seen landfils be redeveloped as parks and stuff, but like getting a big league team in GR, its all dream isnt it? :lol:

Is it too much to say....

Grand Rapids: Site of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games! :yahoo:

If the 2020 games are going to be held in Michigan it wont be Grand Rapids... :(

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