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MLS in Charlotte - 2021


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Wait....i'm confused at what was quoting the article?  Was he quoted as saying that he's no considering memorial stadium, or just that he gave a vague description of what he wants in a stadium site.  I

I would be 95% shocked if Marcus Smith wasn't thinking Memorial as well, as he's going to be able to extract the most $$$ from taxpayers there than any other location.

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12 minutes ago, atlrvr said:

Wait....i'm confused at what was quoting the article?  Was he quoted as saying that he's no considering memorial stadium, or just that he gave a vague description of what he wants in a stadium site.  I

I would be 95% shocked if Marcus Smith wasn't thinking Memorial as well, as he's going to be able to extract the most $$$ from taxpayers there than any other location.

He was vague all around.  Quote regarding stadium "I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves on that, but I can tell you that…we are in the sports entertainment business..  We love the business that we’re in and that’s taking care of our customers in a way that exceeds their expectations with every encounter.  And it would be the same with this new venture, something that makes our whole team very excited just thinking about the opportunity."

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File this under mildly amusing coincidence, but all this speedway MLS stadium talk got me to thinking about Sporting Kansas City and their sellout streak that sits around 90 games. They are located well out in suburban Kansas City, KS... right next to the Kansas Speedway and 16 miles from downtown Kansas City, MO. A Concord site near the Charlotte Motor Speedway would be 16 miles from downtown Charlotte.

I don't think Charlotte should try to replicate SKC's stadium location success, but it certainly wouldn't be unprecedented to put a MLS stadium at a speedway.

Also, interestingly, down the street from Children's Mercy Park is the Legends Outlets Mall.

Screen Shot 2016-12-28 at 3.46.55 PM.png

 

Edited by JoshuaDrown
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58 minutes ago, JoshuaDrown said:

File this under mildly amusing coincidence, but all this speedway MLS stadium talk got me to thinking about Sporting Kansas City and their sellout streak that sits around 90 games. They are located well out in suburban Kansas City, KS... right next to the Kansas Speedway and 16 miles from downtown Kansas City, MO. A Concord site near the Charlotte Motor Speedway would be 16 miles from downtown Charlotte.

I don't think Charlotte should try to replicate SKC's stadium location success, but it certainly wouldn't be unprecedented to put a MLS stadium at a speedway.

Also, interestingly, down the street from Children's Mercy Park is the Legends Outlets Mall.

Screen Shot 2016-12-28 at 3.46.55 PM.png

 

I am originally from KC and have been to this stadium multiple time. The Speedway area in KC is quite a bit different than it is here. The initial building of the Speedway has built up that area quite a bit. It has in itself become an entertainment area, Lots of walkable shopping and dining. There is a casino out there, a water park, a resort, and Cerner has a large headquarters out there. However, in a place like KC, this location likely makes much more sense, here, I think putting it at the Speedway would be a huge mistake. As a person that lives in South End, I would likely go to most of the games if the stadium was located in Uptown. If it was at the Speedway, I might just make it if SKC comes to town.

This location exists only as Kansas' answer to lure things from Missouri, as most of the entertainment and office space is on the Missouri side. It is a master planned area right at the intersection of two of the areas largest highways. It is a wonderful area, but it would not exist if Kansas City all was within one state.

Edited by Squid7085
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^^

For what it's worth, I love KC and the surrounding area.  For some reason, every time I'm there (couple times a year for business) the weather is great.  Cool downtown with a lot of old buildings.  Only negative is that all of the stadiums are outside of downtown (aside from the arena in search of a major league team).  I could definitely live there, which is surprising because prior to visiting all I ever heard was negative...

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17 hours ago, JoshuaDrown said:

File this under mildly amusing coincidence, but all this speedway MLS stadium talk got me to thinking about Sporting Kansas City and their sellout streak that sits around 90 games. They are located well out in suburban Kansas City, KS... right next to the Kansas Speedway and 16 miles from downtown Kansas City, MO. A Concord site near the Charlotte Motor Speedway would be 16 miles from downtown Charlotte.

I don't think Charlotte should try to replicate SKC's stadium location success, but it certainly wouldn't be unprecedented to put a MLS stadium at a speedway.

Also, interestingly, down the street from Children's Mercy Park is the Legends Outlets Mall.

 

Wow, there's even a Great Wolf Lodge. That Kansas complex is basically Concord crunched down from a 3.5 mile spread to a 1.5 mile spread. And with sidewalks.

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Sounds like the city and county are looking at possibly bulldozing Memorial Stadium and Grady Cole Center for MLS Stadium. $50M each would come from the city and county via the current hotel tax. This would certainly end the Speedway Stadium theory.

 

Edited by HopHead
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I really hope this happens. Even beyond the usage as an MLS stadium, places like this in the 20,000 seat range are so much more useful for other events. Sporting Park (then Livestrong Park and now Children's Mercy Park) in KC has hosted all kinds of events that were too big for an arena, but not big enough for a 80k+ football stadium. Mostly concerts, US Soccer friendlies, and even DI College Cup and DII football including the National Championship game (Which I admit is a bigger thing in the Midwest than it is here) I think at that location, the facility could be used year round for outdoor concerts and other events. It's hard to deny the view, and how it would be one of the better parks in the league, eventually having it close to the Silver line, and within walking distance of Uptown, doesn't get much better.

The financing method seems pretty similar to what happened in KC, originally it was going to be on the Missouri side, but those leaders could not come up with the money. Kansas stepped in and used revenues from the speedway development area to help. Being able to use all the infrastructure that was built for the Speedway and the fact KC had an established and popular MLS team that has existed from the founding of the MLS didnt hurt. Seems to me like $100 mil of public funds could cause a lot of pushback.

Edited by Squid7085
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First, I don't like the look of the stadium rendering above (understand it's not real, just offering an opinion that no one is interested in knowing).  This needs to be more intimate and fit the neighborhood better.  Therefore, a significant portion needs to be underground.

Regarding traffic, it's only 19K and both the streetcar and the on-ramp to Independence are adjacent.  I wouldn't think it would be that bad for 17 regular season games and some occasional other events.  That said, I'm sure you are right and the neighborhood will oppose.

Bulldozing Memorial is hard to fathom.  It's an ugly facility and the proposed renovation is really a completely new stadium that simply incorporates the rebuilt wall.  That said, hate to see it go completely just based on historical significance.

Finally, it seems this might be real (which is very surprising to me).  If they are truly considering a new stadium there, MLS must have given the Smiths some assurance of a team in Charlotte (subject to a facility and repeal of HB2).  I'm genuinely shocked (and feel sorry for the current owner of the Independence if he's not a partner, based on the money and time that he invested).  

 

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So based on the CBJ article it appears the Smiths are indeed involved with the Memorial Stadium site. They would cover the rest of the stadium construction cost of $50M-$90M. In addition to the $150M expansion fee that they would pay as well. So sounds like this will be a part of their bid.

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/01/05/mls-stadium-in-clt-likely-to-include-100m-from.html

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7 minutes ago, Niner National said:

I like the Memorial site, but I wouldn't be angry with any of the three sites referenced in the article. The Eastland site could be interesting, especially if it spurs additional investment there and creates an entertainment district.

Ha I wonder if the Johnson C Smith land is the CHA housing there I jokingly plopped Sporting KC's field onto.

West End Stadium.jpg

Edited by SouthEndCLT811
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3 minutes ago, SouthEndCLT811 said:

Ha I wonder if the Johnson C Smith land is the CHA housing there I jokingly plopped Sporting KC's field onto.

West End Stadium.jpg

Can't imagine what else it would be honestly. I don't know how they'd make that work though. Not a lot of room for parking if the stadium were approximately that large. 

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This is really an incredible timeline.  The league really could use a team in this region but I'm amazed that we could potentially cut in line over more established soccer cities that have long been lobbying for a team.  On the other hand, there are very few places where a stadium could be built as quickly as here.  The article did indicate that Memorial is unlikely to be bulldozed, which makes a lot more sense.  Eastland is a great idea and was suggested here previously by a creative contributor (can't remember who).  Not a fan of the JC Smith site, even though I work nearby in Gateway Village.  That said, Wesley Heights is coming on quickly and the streetcar will help also.  The Memorial site is by far the best and Eastland could really jump-start the redevelopment there also.  Getting a team in the next ten years now seems likely, amazingly.  Still don't trust the Smiths...

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15 hours ago, CLT704 said:

Charlotte United F.C. sounds pretty good. 

That's already a Charlotte youth soccer club:  http://www.charlotteunited.com/

Plus, I REALLY don't want Charlotte to rip-off European club names like some other MLS clubs:  Sporting KC, Real Salt Lake, DC/Minnesota United. Those names have historical significance in European football.  It'd be like foreign baseball or American football teams appropriating American names:  Madrid Steelers, London Red Sox, Berlin Packers.  Yeesh.

Edited by SentioVenia
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5 hours ago, SentioVenia said:

That's already a Charlotte youth soccer club:  http://www.charlotteunited.com/

Plus, I REALLY don't want Charlotte to rip-off European club names like some other MLS clubs:  Sporting KC, Real Salt Lake, DC/Minnesota United. Those names have historical significance in European football.  It'd be like foreign baseball or American football teams appropriating American names:  Madrid Steelers, London Red Sox, Berlin Packers.  Yeesh.

This 1000X.

The ONLY way I'm okay with a team here doing a European style, is if it actually makes sense for the city.  There is nothing "united" or "FC" about Charlotte.  I'd honestly be okay if "SC" was in the name, as in "Soccer Club", because no one in this country calls soccer football.  But I mean, "Real Salt Lake", "Sporting KC"...jesus fing christ.  I'm embarrassed for everyone involved in those.

 

I think I said a million years ago on here that I'd be okay with a German stylized name for Charlotte due to our Mecklenburg name, like "1775 Mecklenburg SC" (though I think that'd be a marketing disaster...I still think it's cool, especially if they incorporated that bull with it's tongue out - see below).  

1000px-Flag_of_Mecklenburg-Western_Pomerania_(state).svg.png

Or just "Queen City Soccer Club".  I do love that 1775 though.

Edited by ah59396
picture time!
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1 hour ago, ah59396 said:

This 1000X.

The ONLY way I'm okay with a team here doing a European style, is if it actually makes sense for the city.  There is nothing "united" or "FC" about Charlotte.  I'd honestly be okay if "SC" was in the name, as in "Soccer Club", because no one in this country calls soccer football.  But I mean, "Real Salt Lake", "Sporting KC"...jesus fing christ.  I'm embarrassed for everyone involved in those.

 

I think I said a million years ago on here that I'd be okay with a German stylized name for Charlotte due to our Mecklenburg name, like "1775 Mecklenburg SC" (though I think that'd be a marketing disaster...I still think it's cool, especially if they incorporated that bull with it's tongue out - see below).  

1000px-Flag_of_Mecklenburg-Western_Pomerania_(state).svg.png

Or just "Queen City Soccer Club".  I do love that 1775 though.

My kids are so tired of me complaining about Buzz City instead of Queen City.  Love the name, love the cow...

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21 hours ago, SouthEndCLT811 said:

Ha I wonder if the Johnson C Smith land is the CHA housing there I jokingly plopped Sporting KC's field onto.

West End Stadium.jpg

Why not just rebuild JCSU's football stadium into a duel use complex....maybe not feasible, but they already have the land and it's a killer view.

Image result for irwin belk stadium jcsu

 

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Just now, atlrvr said:

Why not just rebuild JCSU's football stadium into a duel use complex....maybe not feasible, but they already have the land and it's a killer view.

Image result for irwin belk stadium jcsu

 

And the bull sculpture jives nicely with ah59396 logo suggestion...

That is a killer view but I hope they go elsewhere.  Like you, I assumed that a JC Smith stadium would replace the football stadium...

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