Charlotte Knights AAA Ballpark in Third Ward

[dubone]

I freaked out for a sec at the headline that Reese wanted to buy the Knight's land thinking it was the land in 3rd Ward.

I am perfectly content with the idea that this land stays put for a bit as long as the Park gets built finally in the superior location. It would have been nice for the street changes to be done that were going to be fronted by the Knights, and at some levels it would have been nice to have the Knights bringing people uptown. But at the end of the day, this was always the weakest part of the 'land swap' compared to the 2 parks and the Brooklyn Village project.

[HopHead]

I freaked out for a sec at the headline that Reese wanted to buy the Knight's land thinking it was the land in 3rd Ward.

I am perfectly content with the idea that this land stays put for a bit as long as the Park gets built finally in the superior location. It would have been nice for the street changes to be done that were going to be fronted by the Knights, and at some levels it would have been nice to have the Knights bringing people uptown. But at the end of the day, this was always the weakest part of the 'land swap' compared to the 2 parks and the Brooklyn Village project.

Agreed. I definitely want to see the Park built more than the ballpark itself. Hopefully down the road some more infill type development can be built around the Park.

[krazeeboi]

The way you guys were capitalizing "Park," I thought y'all were talking about the unfinished condo project for a second.

[HopHead]

The way you guys were capitalizing "Park," I thought y'all were talking about the unfinished condo project for a second.

To be clear, we want all "Park" developments that bare the name to be completed

[New Name]

Well, I guess I'll have to wait at least another 4 years before I go to a Knights game.

::York County, Knights 'close' to new deal

By Matt Garfield

[email protected]

Posted: Tuesday, Sep. 22, 2009

The Charlotte Knights and York County are close to a deal to stick with each other for four more years.::

[JayGee]

Well, I guess I'll have to wait at least another 4 years before I go to a Knights game.

::York County, Knights 'close' to new deal

By Matt Garfield

[email protected]

Posted: Tuesday, Sep. 22, 2009

The Charlotte Knights and York County are close to a deal to stick with each other for four more years.::

Thank Mr. Reese.

[New Name]

Thank Mr. Reese.

A couple years ago there was a great plan to relocate the Atlanta Braves AAA Richmond Braves from an old facility into a downtown location. It never happened. Atlanta pulled their team from Richmond and now Richmond has no team.

I'm just sayin.

[hokiehigh]

A couple years ago there was a great plan to relocate the Atlanta Braves AAA Richmond Braves from an old facility into a downtown location. It never happened. Atlanta pulled their team from Richmond and now Richmond has no team.

I'm just sayin.

I've been thinking the same thing! Richmond had an old stadium and was at the bottom in attendance too. The city said no to a stadium deal and the Braves found someone who said yes. Now Richmond will probably build the same stadium in the Shokhoe Slip for a AA or A team. It's all about who will dish out the $$$.

[JayGee]

I've been thinking the same thing! Richmond had an old stadium and was at the bottom in attendance too. The city said no to a stadium deal and the Braves found someone who said yes. Now Richmond will probably build the same stadium in the Shokhoe Slip for a AA or A team. It's all about who will dish out the $$.

I'd rather see them commit to another 4 years in FM than blow away, but I just hate that the deal is falling through due to one man's greed, if you want to call it that. If he was doing it 'for the taxpayers' it would be one thing (still wouldn't agree), but he openly admits he is blocking it because he wants major league BB in Charlotte, which few people in their right mind believe is viable for at least another 10 or 15 years minimum.

[HopHead]

I've been thinking the same thing! Richmond had an old stadium and was at the bottom in attendance too. The city said no to a stadium deal and the Braves found someone who said yes. Now Richmond will probably build the same stadium in the Shokhoe Slip for a AA or A team. It's all about who will dish out the $$$.

I would be shocked if they built a stadium in Shockoe bottom. I lived there before long enough to know city leaders and the dinosaur herd that kills every decent project there won't let it happen. If anything, the Blvd will be where a new, probably renovated stadium will be for the AA team. That's about as sure of a thing as a Tiger Woods clutch birdie putt...

I'd rather see them commit to another 4 years in FM than blow away, but I just hate that the deal is falling through due to one man's greed, if you want to call it that. If he was doing it 'for the taxpayers' it would be one thing (still wouldn't agree), but he openly admits he is blocking it because he wants major league BB in Charlotte, which few people in their right mind believe is viable for at least another 10 or 15 years minimum.

I'd rather see that land used for the park and some midrise infill retail/residential developments. The ballpark there has just become a lost cause at this point, IMO. Now that they will be 4 years away from a new stadium at the earliest, I'd like to see the Knights build on some land off one of the proposed NE Light Rail extension stops... Put it on a lot big enough to accomodate an MLB stadium expansion down the road. Maybe even put an MLS stadium next to it if we could get an expansion team one day. I think you will see MLS really explode over the next 5-10 years.

Edited September 23, 2009 by dbull75

[JayGee]

I would be shocked if they built a stadium in Shockoe bottom. I lived there before long enough to know city leaders and the dinosaur herd that kills every decent project there won't let it happen. If anything, the Blvd will be where a new, probably renovated stadium will be for the AA team. That's about as sure of a thing as a Tiger Woods clutch birdie putt...

I'd rather see that land used for the park and some midrise infill retail/residential developments. The ballpark there has just become a lost cause at this point, IMO. Now that they will be 4 years away from a new stadium at the earliest, I'd like to see the Knights build on some land off one of the proposed NE Light Rail extension stops... Put it on a lot big enough to accomodate an MLB stadium expansion down the road. Maybe even put an MLS stadium next to it if we could get an expansion team one day. I think you will see MLS really explode over the next 5-10 years.

With 50,000+ people working uptown, it just seems like a natural that an uptown stadium would be a great destination for people getting off of work on those weekday games. But just about anything would be better than Fort Mill for attendance. LR access is a big plus.

[JayGee]

Jerry Reese is a whack-job.

He's proposing a big overhaul of Knights Stadium, but:

In an outline of his proposal, Reese cites "the confidential nature of the matters," noting "no questions will be entertained relating to (1) any prospective tenants or operators in the Project ... (2) any potential investors or participants in the Project, or (3) any economic development issues requiring private discussion."

Story Here

Edited October 5, 2009 by JayGee

[HopHead]

Jerry Reese is a whack-job.

He's proposing a big overhaul of Knights Stadium, but:

Story Here

OK.... What the **** is he doing? So is he kicking out the Knights to make room for MLS? An 8,000 seat arena for minor league hockey??? What's wrong with TWCA for the Checkers??? This plan makes ZERO sense to me.

[InitialD]

OK.... What the **** is he doing? So is he kicking out the Knights to make room for MLS? An 8,000 seat arena for minor league hockey??? What's wrong with TWCA for the Checkers??? This plan makes ZERO sense to me.

So someone has finally filled the vacuum left by George Shinn and his ego.

[Guest]

So someone has finally filled the vacuum left by George Shinn and his ego.

At least George Shinn turned us into a Major League town, George was a dreamer and he had the means to back it up. What the hell has Mr. Reese done, he continues with these ridiculous pipedreams, and has not shown us "the money". Not to mention MLS! This town can't even support our minor league soccer team, that plays at a high school! I doubt anyone is going to drive to fort mill for it.

[Spartan]

Wow, MLS? I didn't even know we had a minor league team. Though now that I know this, I think they should be playing at Memorial Stadium.

[AlmaPinnix]

If Charlotte got a MLS team and played at memorial or something(maybe even a new stadium) I would definitely go to games..

I'm a big AC Milan fan and i love me some professional soccer!

[cltheel.sdl]

If we got an MLS team in Charlotte, Memorial Stadium would definitely be the best choice (obviously it would need an extensive makeover). I think Charlotte could probably support an MLS team, but would be in the bottom half of league attendance. MLS is in expansion mode with the addition of Seattle this year, Philadelphia next year, and Portland and Vancouver in 2011. That will bring the total number of teams to 18. While I think MLS could be successful in Charlotte, there are other untapped markets out there that would be more to MLS's liking. Off the top of my head, San Diego, Phoenix, San Antonio (or Austin), a major Florida market (most likely Orlando, since MLS has failed in Miami and TB already), St. Louis, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Montreal, to name a few.

In conclusion, Reese has no idea what he's doing. Stop Reese, just stop.

[JayGee]

Knights' Fort Mill deal finalized.

From CBJ

[uptownliving]

I'm glad the powers that be turned Reese down.

[rooster8]

So is Reese going to sue York County now?

[JayGee]

I'm glad the powers that be turned Reese down.

I guess they saw him for what he is. . . . an idiot.

[dubone]

MOD EDIT: I deleted a few posts that did nothing but call Reese names. I agree with the assessments, but please write something constructive on topic and make your digs at Reese in a more subtle and intelligent way.

[dubone]

http://charmeck.org/NR/rdonlyres/ey6ccwfbkxqluw3fpwszhr6wdtrseuzobqqk3yqr4hb7lbxlmi4426sjgffz4yjvzj6falcxjqzd57jjkw63l6ykpte/21.pdf

Looks like the process is still going forward to close 3rd Street. As much as I had those speedway-style one way streets and the block-wasting diagonals to them, if this street is not eventually going to be a stadium, I wish they'd keep the street. What if this were to need to be sold for traditional development, without the street right of way being controlled by the city, we could end up with a mess of streets within the site designed to avoid through traffic.

I guess they are confident it will be a stadium eventually.

[nonillogical]

http://charmeck.org/...3l6ykpte/21.pdf

Looks like the process is still going forward to close 3rd Street. As much as I had those speedway-style one way streets and the block-wasting diagonals to them, if this street is not eventually going to be a stadium, I wish they'd keep the street. What if this were to need to be sold for traditional development, without the street right of way being controlled by the city, we could end up with a mess of streets within the site designed to avoid through traffic.

I guess they are confident it will be a stadium eventually.

what is the gain in having it closed so soon? i'm assuming it wouldn't actually be closed to traffic until development began, right?

i don't particularly want the stadium uptown in the first place since i would MUCH rather eventually have dense neighborhoods and mixed-use towers in this area.