Soccer Stadium

[Snowman]

Producers Cooperative Oil Mill site...please!

It seems highly unlikely for either the mill or pull a part sites to be chosen. A much larger than nessisary area needs to be bought and both have the worst existing infrastructure in C2S. The mill would add at least five years before construction could start. The pull a part site has horrible access for events of any size. There are far better options near western or the south bank if they want near the river.

[warreng88]

Interesting - hadn't thought of that honestly. I do not recall what is on that site now.

Several decrepit old buildings that need to be torn down. It would be pretty ideal being that close to the highway. Even just SE of that in Wheeler Park would be a good spot.

[Just the facts]

You only need a plot of ground about 600' by 400'.

[warreng88]

We are looking at about four square blocks with room for parking. One place that would be interesting would be SE across the river from the Pull-A=Part auto yard, north of SE 15th Street. If they could get the city to do away with S Central Avenue drive to SE 15th and just use Byers Avenue instead, they would have a pretty good size spot while only having to take out several tractor/trailer storage spots. And you would have a really cool view of downtown to boot.

[hoya]

What about placing it south of the river, near the Capitol Hill area? This could be the first step in a redevelopment process there. If it later turns into a MLS stadium, it also puts it close to the Hispanic community, hopefully making that part of the city more likely to embrace it. Soccer is more popular with that demographic, and a connection with the community could lead to many more ticket sales.

[warreng88]

I think one of the tricks of this will be to build it where it can be expanded but major changes to roads and other infrastructure don't have to be made to do it. Also, they are probably not goign to build anything butting up against the new park(s) since the powers that be want residential and offices to go in first.

[CaptDave]

I think one of the tricks of this will be to build it where it can be expanded but major changes to roads and other infrastructure don't have to be made to do it. Also, they are probably not goign to build anything butting up against the new park(s) since the powers that be want residential and offices to go in first.

Agree - how cool would it be to walk from a home in Core to Shore down to the riverside walking paths over to a stadium on the Pull A Part site to take in a match? Or ride the streetcar from Midtown to Union Station and then walk the last couple hundred meters?

[Just the facts]

Why does it need parking attached? Build it some place that already has parking within walking distance, or where many of the people who might go to a game can just walk to it.

[MikeLucky]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... build one of these:

Saitama Super Arena - Facility Information

It's only about $200 million to build.... can we swing that? lol

[Richard at Remax]

Putting in the northern most parking lot at Remington park wouldn't be too bad of an idea along with the others mentioned. It is half parking lot half field. Infrastructure is built and highway access is close.

Or the vacant lot just to the east of the downtown airpark.

[LuccaBrasi]

I had mentioned recently in another thread that the other soccer group had conceptual plans and renderings drawn up for s similar stadium and had met with the Mayor and others to gain some traction......their concept placed it down along the river in the CTS area and it included an additional complex of fields to the west for regional tournaments. It means nothing today, just throwing that out there to say the other group was exploring a similar idea of a multi-purpose stadium and they wanted it to be an anchor along the river, but obviously they have lost out to the Prodigal in the grand scheme of things.

[CaptDave]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... build one of these:

Saitama Super Arena - Facility Information

It's only about $200 million to build.... can we swing that? lol

Pretty cool concept. My only issue is my preference for real football to be played outdoors on natural grass. But still a very interesting design.

[MikeLucky]

Pretty cool concept. My only issue is my preference for real football to be played outdoors on natural grass. But still a very interesting design.

Yeah, I detest indoor football... I certainly wasn't suggesting it for that. But, a "convertible" type facility that could go from 7,000ish for soccer to say mid-20s.... maybe close to 30's would be great for soccer at the entry level like we are getting, all the way up to possble MLS and maybe even NCAA basketball regionals type events... Larger music festival type events... Toby's relief event could have been there and saved 1,200 heat strokes. lol

[mdeand]

What about placing it south of the river, near the Capitol Hill area? This could be the first step in a redevelopment process there. If it later turns into a MLS stadium, it also puts it close to the Hispanic community, hopefully making that part of the city more likely to embrace it. Soccer is more popular with that demographic, and a connection with the community could lead to many more ticket sales.

This is a fantastic idea. Placed on the south shore of the river would accomplish both connecting it to the Hispanic community and also connecting it to downtown.

[Snowman]

Any word on where the funding is coming from. I am just having a hard time seeing them pay for a stadium out of pocket since as of this far their teams have always played in city owned facilities.

[CaptDave]

Yeah, I detest indoor football... I certainly wasn't suggesting it for that. But, a "convertible" type facility that could go from 7,000ish for soccer to say mid-20s.... maybe close to 30's would be great for soccer at the entry level like we are getting, all the way up to possble MLS and maybe even NCAA basketball regionals type events... Larger music festival type events... Toby's relief event could have been there and saved 1,200 heat strokes. lol

To be 100% clear, in my opinion "real" football = soccer. The game is much better on natural grass - synthetic turf is one of the main complaints of players from high level international leagues that come to MLS or play exhibitions in American football stadiums. That other game is for people too uncoordinated to not use their hands!!

I still think that movable wall is a very interesting idea. No reason it couldn't work since the entire grass field at University of Phoenix stadium can be rolled outside.

[architect5311]

[QUOTE=warreng88;665450]Would there be any interest in doing something like what FC Dallas did? Build a 20,000 person stadium with 17 tournament-grade fields around it.


I agree...maybe on the Myriad Gardens II Site (Central Park Site). Oh, to late for that.

[adaniel]

Any word on where the funding is coming from. I am just having a hard time seeing them pay for a stadium out of pocket since as of this far their teams have always played in city owned facilities.

I asked this earlier in the thread as well. Until they identify how they are going to pay for this, I'm apt to put this in the "pie in the sky" category. With that in mind, I hope they can build it.

[boitoirich]

I asked this earlier in the thread as well. Until they identify how they are going to pay for this, I'm apt to put this in the "pie in the sky" category. With that in mind, I hope they can build it.

This is certainly ambitious, but it isn't "pie in the sky." Going along with other USL Pro soccer-specific stadia, the costs of a 7,000 seater would put the Funk/ADG proposal in the $7 million range. As for expansion to the 20,000-seat configuration for MLS purposes, you would have to think that Prodigal is looking at MAPS 4 to get something done. Depending on what they want to do, the stadium can be reconfigured for an additional $40 million (Portland, Montreal) to $80 million (Dallas, Toronto). Some clubs constructed stadia in the $100-$200 million range, but I would highly doubt OKC voters would approve that much funding.

[Snowman]

[QUOTE=architect5311;665608]

Would there be any interest in doing something like what FC Dallas did? Build a 20,000 person stadium with 17 tournament-grade fields around it.


I agree...maybe on the Myriad Gardens II Site (Central Park Site). Oh, to late for that.

Working a couple into the central park is great, using the vast majority (and acquiring double the original area planed going by the image) is far to much, especially when it's not that popular with the majority of citizens.

A core concept in proposing the park was something that people can come into and enjoy for a various reasons so residential and corporate offices will want to locate there, generally implied it would be at least several story buildings. A grid of soccer fields is not going to do that.

Also no matter what is planned, nothing in it should block the Harvey pedestrian spine of C2S.

[bchris02]

I would like to see it in Midtown. SoSA, which largely remains ungentrified, would be perfect. It can be the focal point for the development of an entertainment district there like the Redhawks stadium is for Bricktown.

[boitoirich]

The way the back and forth between Prodigal and Sold Out Strategies is going, I won't be surprised if Lund announces a stadium for his NASL team planned for Core to Shore sometime this week. Not that I know anything about that -- it just seems odd that he'd bring a pro team to the city with only a two-year lease at Taft. If the intention was to continue playing there, wouldn't the lease be longer for 2-3 years? Pretty sure we haven't heard the last of this...

[HOT ROD]

As I had said in another thread, I don't see why OKC can't have both teams - just put the 'non-AAA' level team in one of the suburbs (Edmond or Norman) and put the AAA team in OKC.

I like the idea of the soccer stadium being built in the southside; we need to send them some love and as was mentioned the Hispanic community will likely be the prime customer base for the team (day in and out). I like the East Downtown Airpark area as the location with the Streetcar eventually tying it and Capital Hill to the rest of the core and Downtown. The stadium could be a huge catalyst for the inner southside and the team would surely be successful if it was accessible to its primary market. Keep Taft as a football stadium.

Somehow I'd like all of this to work itself out with OKC getting a new franchise (metro area 2). With upwards of 150,000 Hispanic residents in the city (more in the metro) that is a huge potential market of support. Putting the stadium in the southside guarantees that it would be embraced as 'something for us' while the rest of the city surely would come for it and the other amenities to come to that riverside area. ....

I like it, I like it a LOT! Huge potential.

[bchris02]

As I had said in another thread, I don't see why OKC can't have both teams - just put the 'non-AAA' level team in one of the suburbs (Edmond or Norman) and put the AAA team in OKC.

I like the idea of the soccer stadium being built in the southside; we need to send them some love and as was mentioned the Hispanic community will likely be the prime customer base for the team (day in and out). I like the East Downtown Airpark area as the location with the Streetcar eventually tying it and Capital Hill to the rest of the core and Downtown. The stadium could be a huge catalyst for the inner southside and the team would surely be successful if it was accessible to its primary market. Keep Taft as a football stadium.

Somehow I'd like all of this to work itself out with OKC getting a new franchise (metro area 2). With upwards of 150,000 Hispanic residents in the city (more in the metro) that is a huge potential market of support. Putting the stadium in the southside guarantees that it would be embraced as 'something for us' while the rest of the city surely would come for it and the other amenities to come to that riverside area. ....

I like it, I like it a LOT! Huge potential.

I have to disagree with putting it in the suburbs. If that happens in 15-20 years we will just be looking to build a new stadium downtown. Charlotte put the Knights stadium way down in Rock Hill, SC, and now they are building a new stadium downtown because that's where the people wanted it. Having pro teams in suburban areas works in cities much larger than ours such as Dallas, but in a city the size of OKC it should definitely be downtown or at least in the core.

[bradh]

The ballpark and cowboys stadium works in Arlington because it's centrally located between two large cities. However, Pizza Hut Park is horrible for FC Dallas.