MLS Soccer Stadium

[bulldogger]

It isn't far for the people that live and work in the Bay Hill / Dr. Phillips area.

[FLClarkKent]

How many sports-related flirtations with I-Drive have we seen now? There's was the minor league baseball idea near the convention center, the talk of someone building an arena near the convention center, and maybe a few others.

The idea always seem to be that locals and tourists will attend a game/match/event. But if I-Drive/Convention Center is such a great place for a sports facility, why hasn't one been built? Fact of the matter is that tourists don't come to Orlando to see our sports teams. And locals don't go to I-Drive often for pleasure.

[Jernigan]

What is wrong with these people. I used to just defer and say "Well, what do I know - they're the billionaires" but major otherwise-successful companies make bonehead moves every day and this would be one of them.

I couldn't read far enough into the article to see where on IDrive they are proposing but if it is south enough to not even be in the City - it would be a great campaign to say "Keep the City in the City!"

If they are MLS, they'll draw some tourist traffic, mostly guys who are at conventions without their families - but families that travel down didn't save up years to take their kids to a soccer game instead of more time with the Mouse.

[jack]

No decision has been made as to the location. They have said it themselves multiple times publicly.

[Bungalower-MattBroffman]

We have lots of sports venues that way....they are all at ESPN's Wide World of Sports. :-) They at least understood that inorder to make money you need to have more than professional teams you need amateur sporting competitions. I think if there were money to be made having a sports team in the tourist area Disney would be the one's to have figured that out. Instead they have Atlanta Braves spring training. I have to say that when I went to a game it didn't look like it was tourists in attendance but instead mostly locals/snow birds. You also don't see Disney marketing Braves spring training like they do cirque du soleil..there's probably a reason for that.

[tc01]

Don't know if anyone saw this, but this is a concept on how the new Orlando City Club Soccer stadium could look like. I think I’m in love.

Orlando business journal says the team is leaning towards a design concept like this. I think they are moving in the right direction. What do you think?

  

 

Edited January 3, 2013 by tc01

[Jernigan]

Remove all of that surface parking and it's a winner. 

[Captain.Metro]

Wow. Impressive. Now move it to SODO and it's golden.

[Theflytyr]

Wow. Impressive. Now move it to SODO and it's golden.

Where is suppose to be located?

[CaptainJustice]

Wow. Impressive. Now move it to SODO and it's golden.

There is no room.

[smileguy]

Would it fit between Kaley and Grant east of Division? It could replace the Merita Bread sign as the southern gateway to Downtown from I-4.

[spenser1058]

Would it fit between Kaley and Grant east of Division? It could replace the Merita Bread sign as the southern gateway to Downtown from I-4.

 

Don't be messin' with my beloved Merita Bread (& Cake!) signs. Even if Hostess is no mo' , someone has to save them!

 

Someone in Orlando Magazine suggested they can turn the bakery into lofts and call it "The Merita."

Edited January 7, 2013 by spenser1058

[prahaboheme]

^Orlando's very own Meat Packing District?

[Ciyphier]

There is no room.

There is tons of room DT... there is a considerable amount of land that could be redeveloped into an arena... ESP out in the parimore area... With the new arena and the stadium it seems like the perfect place for another sports center

[Jernigan]

That area would be great.  I've posted before about it but it would give a big landmark for the growing SoDo/Downtown South area, have connectivity to SunRail and future LYMMO and that the Lions title sponsor is Orlando Health.  Just makes sense.

[spenser1058]

^Orlando's very own Meat Packing District?

 

Ooooooh I like this!

[CaptainJustice]

IF that stadium is placed in SODO if they make room, it becomes the same situation the Citrus Bowl is in, bad neighborhing. Amway Arena has good neighbors to the north. to the East I-4 blocks it and to the west, well...

 

I mean we need to put the stadium somewhere there is activity. Street level activity. 

 

How about turning the Merita Factory into a Musuem of some sort?

[Jernigan]

I'm not sure that the soccer stadium will have to be a complete LULU like a football stadium is. All of the visioning plans for this part of town have the eventual repurposing of that side of the tracks. The stadium could help with that.

[smileguy]

I know that there is still plenty of Square Footage to fill in SODO, but what if the stadium - wherever it was - were wrapped in first floor retail? You'd go there not just for a soccer game, but to get your prescription filled or grab a coffee?  Could this make it fit better in a neighborhood?  
Buildings like this are used so rarely, a second use would probably do more to enliven the neighborhood than sporting events.

[sunshine]

I think it should be built by Clear Lake. It is close to Citrus Bowl that they can both share a common "activity area" where hotels and shops will be built. Not to mention another big chunk of ghetto will be gone and it can activate another Orlando under utilize lake front location. Then run a street car line from there to citrus bowl to amway then to DPAC.

[truebluecfl]

^ I agree, that seems like the best situation land cost wise. But I really like the plot west of city view apartments on the N side of church street. I believe there is only a small church an old warehouse and the rest of the area is empty. That would be a perfect location for a stadium, plut they could share the parking with Amway since its only two blocks away and the seasons dont coincide. This would also possibly respark more development in Parramore. Possibly that old plan for the Parramore theatre I believe it was. Also all of our stadiums would be located off church street, furthering it as Orlando's most popular and historic street. The view looking down Church street would be much better with a renovated Citrus bowl in the background, a brand new soccer stadium, and tons of other development including restraunts and bars. Maybe convert the old church across from city view into a siganture bar?? And get rid of that nasty laundrymat too.

[tc01]

I agree with putting it between Amway Center and the Citrus Bowl. Or somewhere west of city view apartments like Crossroads mentioned.  I'm sure they will place it over there because it makes the most sense. Like mentioned, it would help develop that area. It would be the sport sector of downtown. Like Orlando mini sport city (Dubai)

 

 

Edited January 8, 2013 by tc01

[CaptainJustice]

I know that there is still plenty of Square Footage to fill in SODO, but what if the stadium - wherever it was - were wrapped in first floor retail? You'd go there not just for a soccer game, but to get your prescription filled or grab a coffee?  Could this make it fit better in a neighborhood?  

Buildings like this are used so rarely, a second use would probably do more to enliven the neighborhood than sporting events.

Right. Then  Incorporate  a street car line (as much as I am  against  these) down church street to connect AMWAY,SCCC,and New Citrus bowl. 

 

I Love your idea though. The Citrus bowl could benefit from the same actually.

[klstorey]

I like the idea of it going in near the Merita Bread factory and I love the idea of the factory becoming a museum, a children's museum would easily fit there.  The stadium could go across the street from the bread factory and have bottom floor retail along with a hotel/apartment tower.  It would easily link to the urban area already laid out at SODO and provide a good alternative growth area with plenty of low density industrial space able to be converted.  I believe the Merita sign is actually protected and won't come down even if the factory is sold.  This could become the Merita District.  The area already has SunRail link at ORMC, the Orlando Brewery could give tours and have a little Redlight Redlight type bar attached.  Nassal wouldn't like all the people around their secretive offices and would probably move.  The Lymmo South Route could run down Division and then back up Orange instead of the two ways on Orange that is currently proposed.  You can easily see the Citrus Bowl from the SODO, how cool would it be to see two stadiums and the Amway all.

 

As far as a Meat District, I've always imagined the brick warehouse area at the corner of OBT and Princeton as being our future Meat District, though I hope the Amazon name sticks along with it's iconic water tower.  Amazon Heights or something like that would be nice.

 

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In a more expected move if the stadium is built at the Convention Center (which is where I expect it to end up) what about instead of just a mixed use development instead the current parking lot is put into garages and the area becomes a big park.  If the developments to the south and east of here ever get built there would plenty of residents and visitors in the area already.  A large London style park with the stadium, a few small cafes, a rose garden, and some botanical garden aspects would really add something nice to the area.  The Miami Beach Botanical Gardens hosted a BMW display area during Art Basel 2012 and it became a quiet place to retreat during the convention, this garden could do the same.  It could host seasonal events, outdoor concerts, and convention tents.  I imagine this would be much nicer than just more retail along I-Drive and would meet that botanical garden discussed on the other board.  The abstract, Birds Nest style of the stadium would look really nice in the midst of this as well.  Parking garages could be built around the area since the new pedestrian bridges should link the area.

 

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Just a random thought, and one I'm sure most of you will hate but I still feel like it should be asked; What about Altamonte Springs?  They've been trying to get more of an urban feel, a stadium would help bring business to the area outside of the few events hosted each year Cranes Roost Park.  A refub of the mall is really needed, why not kill two birds with one stone?  (Which I'm sure someone will say that Fashion Square also needs a refurb but I doubt such a tall stadium would fit in that area)  

[CaptainJustice]

Is there a way we can get this idea to the city counsel?