Charlotte Knights AAA Ballpark in Third Ward

[HopHead]

Some additional info on amenities for the stadium: 1,100 club seats, 24 total suites (2 of which will be available at the dugout level). Also, most importantly a 3,200 sqft and 250 person capacity restaurant that will be open year round. No word on where in the stadium it will be, but since it's expected to be open year round then I suspect it likely is at the street level.

[HopHead]

Tonight, Charlotte City Council voted 7-4 in favor of funding for the Knights uptown stadium. We're one step closer now.

[dubone]

I agree. That is a shamefully poor description of Charlotte sports. Charlotte has great sports fans. We've had pro teams for 20 years now and no championships, yet we still show up!

We do? Has a Bobcats game ever been sold out, not counting giving away a lot of tickets?

Regardless, we are not getting MLB anytime soon. We do not have the corporate backing, the public will to fund a giant stadium with moveable roof, or the fan base to survive in a sport that does not share the wealth.

So let's enjoy our new AAA baseball stadium and team and stop trying to drop a piano from the sky.

But if I'm wrong and MLB comes in 5y, then we absolutely must find another neighborhood for the stadium. Uptown is tapped out for gigantic superblocks of hulking single use structures.

AAA baseball turns out to be very neighborhood friendly, with modestly short exterior walls, and room for sidewalks and a low impact superblock (4th already handles the traffic through 3rd Ward, so why not 2 more blocks).

Kind of disappointing that baseball passed but not the capital investment plan budget.

[Guest]

We do? Has a Bobcats game ever been sold out, not counting giving away a lot of tickets?

Regardless, we are not getting MLB anytime soon. We do not have the corporate backing, the public will to fund a giant stadium with moveable roof, or the fan base to survive in a sport that does not share the wealth.

So let's enjoy our new AAA baseball stadium and team and stop trying to drop a piano from the sky.

But if I'm wrong and MLB comes in 5y, then we absolutely must find another neighborhood for the stadium. Uptown is tapped out for gigantic superblocks of hulking single use structures.

AAA baseball turns out to be very neighborhood friendly, with modestly short exterior walls, and room for sidewalks and a low impact superblock (4th already handles the traffic through 3rd Ward, so why not 2 more blocks).

Kind of disappointing that baseball passed but not the capital investment plan budget.

A good number of sell outs actually, believe it or not we weren't even in the bottom 5 in attendance. Granted most of our sell outs happen against the Lakers, Bulls, Spurs, Mavericks, Celtics and Heat. Also many of them came in our one playoff year, which actually had a great turn out turns the end of the year. Put a good product on the floor and people will come, it's hard to watch a team with a 9% winning percentage, but believe it or not attendance keeps improving slightly.

[ah59396]

Dubone, we both know using the Bobcats is unfair. I absolutely agree with you that we can't support MLB, even as much as I want it. But saying Charlotte "barely deserves the pro teams it has" is ridiculous.

The Panthers are very successful both financially and in terms of attendance and tv ratings (despite never posting consecutive winning seasons).

The Hornets led the league in attendance for years despite never making past the second round of the playoffs.

The Checkers have existed in the city for 40+ years and are top 10 in attendance in the AHL.

But yes, if you want to guage the city as a sports fan base soley on the Bobcats, a team that has no community connection, drafts busts every year and has made the playoffs once in a decade, Charlotte barely deserves them. Please tell me where that expansion team would be successful though.

[HopHead]

We do? Has a Bobcats game ever been sold out, not counting giving away a lot of tickets?

Yes, they've had plenty of sellouts and that doesn't include giving away tickets. I think even last year they had a record crowd for one game (the arena officially seats 19,000 and they had a crowd somewhere near 19,600 -- I suspect from overflow standing room only tickets). We all know how fickle of a sports town Charlotte is. If the team does well, people show up. If they don't, well we know what happens. I wouldn't judge whether or not Charlotte is worthy of it's sports teams by a team that barely made the playoffs once in eight years. In a lot of those seasons they weren't even close. Hopefully that changes in the next few seasons. If the Bobcats were to put a team on the floor like the OKC Thunder, I'd bet my house they'd become a tough ticket like the Hornets used to be. And for the record, and I've stated it numerous times, Charlotte isn't ready for MLB anytime soon.

Edited June 12, 2012 by dbull75

[Munson79]

As we are similar to Indianapolis in terms of size, and they have a highly successful downtown AAA stadium, I think the Knights moving uptown are a perfect fit for us.

[Guest]

As we are similar to Indianapolis in terms of size, and they have a highly successful downtown AAA stadium, I think the Knights moving uptown are a perfect fit for us.

Random observation but the Indiana Pacers (a Playoff team) averaged the worst attendance in the league.

[sleightofhand]

Random observation but the Indiana Pacers (a Playoff team) averaged the worst attendance in the league.

and made the playoffs and nearly advanced to the conference finals..

[HopHead]

Perhaps take it with a grain of salt, BUT there seems to be genuine interest among developers in uptown land around the future home of the Charlotte Knights. The owner of Green's Lunch has been approached by developers that want to buy her property for new developments, including a hotel which I assume is separate than the one proposed behind BB&T Ballpark.

http://www.wcnc.com/news/real-estate/Property-owners-near-new-uptown-ballpark-smiling-after-vote-158637715.html

[nonillogical]

Perhaps take it with a grain of salt, BUT there seems to be genuine interest among developers in uptown land around the future home of the Charlotte Knights. The owner of Green's Lunch has been approached by developers that want to buy her property for new developments, including a hotel which I assume is separate than the one proposed behind BB&T Ballpark.

http://www.wcnc.com/...-158637715.html

It would figure that Green's Lunch is one of the only spots in the area that I DON'T want to see redeveloped.

[Niner National]

It would figure that Green's Lunch is one of the only spots in the area that I DON'T want to see redeveloped.

No kidding. There are a plenty of empty parking lots around there. Would be nice if one of those were built on before land that has viable businesses.

[HopHead]

It would figure that Green's Lunch is one of the only spots in the area that I DON'T want to see redeveloped.

Why wouldn't a new development not involve knocking down some existing buildings? It's the Charlotte way. Agree with rworkman... plenty of other other parking lots surrounding the stadium.

[Guest]

Well she said in the article she wasn't going to sell.

Edited June 13, 2012 by Guest

[grodney]

Did you all see the video that was at the renderings link? Sorry if this was already directly posted:

Fun renderings starting at 1:23 in.

[dubone]

I agree about Greens and the building next door being good low rise retail buildings that I would like to see high or medium rise buildings around. That block does not have a single owner, so I suspect that it will be later to be developed that others. Plus I bet it was land bankers (Preferred Parking) rather than a real developer trying to buy Green's in order to own the whole block and then shop it out.

I am most interested in seeing the block at MLK between Graham and the railroad be developed because once it is, the land closer in will be even more valuable and develop densely.

It will be good to see some hotels, but I do hope some more residential buildings go in, too.

[SentioVenia]

With that left-field wall so close it's going to be a launching pad for right-handed batters.

[Skyline49er]

I hope that proposed hotel has some strong masonry and windows. Wouldn't it get constant pelting from home runs and foul balls?

[SentioVenia]

Durham Bulls: "Hit Bull Win Steak"

Charlotte Knights: "Hit Hotel Win Room"

[15895]

No kidding. There are a plenty of empty parking lots around there. Would be nice if one of those were built on before land that has viable businesses.

Well, now that the city forked over some money for the Knights, I'm assuming they were compelled with some behind the scene stuff. If I recall correctly, there was a city council member who was against the stadium but changed his mind? Hopefully that translates into the verification that these millions of dollars worth of projects that are the Knights claiming the ballpark will bring is somewhat true.

For the record, I'm so glad that this project got funding from the city. I still haven't forgot what this area looked like not too long ago... Car-lotte

Edited June 14, 2012 by AirNostrumMAD

[HopHead]

^What year is that photo? 2003?

[15895]

^What year is that photo? 2003?

Well Courtside was finished, so maybe 2006?

[NCMike1990]

I think that photo is from the fall of 2005. Probably late October or early November. You can see Trademark condos just starting construction as well as the exterior work on that office building at the corner of Tryon street & 3rd street (middle of photo).

Edited June 14, 2012 by NCMike1990

[Munson79]

Did you all see the video that was at the renderings link? Sorry if this was already directly posted:

[media=]

Fun renderings starting at 1:23 in.

That was one of the coolest video posts I've ever seen on this site. Thanks for posting it!

[Munson79]

This ballpark will definitely get my family and me uptown. We live halfway between the Intimidators and Uptown. Love going to Kannapois for games. They're cheap and fun for the kids, but this AAA ball is going to be a real treat. The tickets will be a bit more, but the setting will be extraordinary. How awesome will it be to have a brightly lit green field, the smell of hotdogs, the crack of the bat as a ball sails into the evening air, with the towers lit up in the background? With baseball, there will be something going on uptown year-round. There was never a reason to go Uptown mid-week in the late spring/summer. We're 20-25 years from MLB. In the meantime, let's enjoy a cold one and a great game in a great place.

Edited June 19, 2012 by Munson79