Eminent Domain in Downtown Orlando / Another "NIMBY" situation (Miami: home, stadium)

[annerk]

Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa

Wrong again. MLS prefers a smaller capacity than the 66K or higher Citrus Bowl. Even when the Orlando City were setting attendance records for the USL, the games looked empty due to approximately only 1/3 of the seats being filled.

And the part where you suggest the Citrus Bowl is MLS compatible because of a World Cup match once being held there tells me you can't really tell the difference between an MLS game and a World Cup match and therefore are probably not qualified to speak on this issue.

I say build the darn stadium, build the arts center, the Amway Center, SunRail, and anything else we need to make downtown Orlando great. OR follow what the tax and spending whiners say and build nothing, and sew nothing, and reap nothing...that thinking belongs out in Lake County.

My problem is that they keep building without thinking it out in advance. The Amway Center could have been built to also be used for soccer. Sunrail is limited and inflexible. If MLS wants a stadium, let them pay for it instead of bonding bonding, bonding the city further and further into debt.

By the way, we have a lot going on out here in Lake County--particularly in the City of Clermont. But we're not sinking deeply into debt as a result, and thinking things through in advance with an eye to the long term.

[adamosgp]

It's impractical to think Amway Center would ever be large enough house room for a soccer pitch. It houses concerts, basketball, ice events, graduations, circuses, indoor football, and more.

The soccer stadium is going to also host a plethora of collegiate and high school outdoor events (soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, etc.)

SunRail is off to an outstanding start and will benefit even more from expanding service to later in the evenings to accommodate folks going out at night. Right now service ends around downtown at about 9:30 p.m. That's not good enough for Magic, Solar Bears, Predators, and Orlando City events. Last train needs to be around 11 p.m. on weekdays. Weekend service would be outstanding, but I'm not getting too greedy right now.

Amway Center is more than holding its own right now as far as drawing in events. It's been open for 4 years and is still near the top in regards to stadium quality especially in comparison to newer arenas like the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The Citrus Bowl is the most questionable project right now because it's only being re-done to maintain the bowl games. If we're lucky, we might see some NFL exhibition games. It was indeed fantastic for the '94 World Cup (I went to two matches), but it's too massive for MLS and takes away from the atmosphere.

The church turned down a $4 million offer from the city as they were asking $15 million-$25 million. Their church appraised for $700,000!!! I'm glad the city and the team decided to avoid delaying the project and bypassed them in the end.

The 20,000 soccer-specific stadium is going to go a long way in stretching downtown's revitalization project deep into Parramore. A revitalization that has been delayed 10 years because of past economic issues. This is an exciting time to be living in the Orlando area, a place that is growing in both population and industries. I feel bad for those folks afraid to watch Orlando grow and develop.

[ORLguy]

The soccer stadium will pay for itself. Thats about a given.

People who don't get this will complain about debt, but they don't understand how these games are going to sell out constantly and generate revenue.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by MrKnight

What "two existing underused facilities" are you referring to? The only sporting venue in Orlando that is somewhat underused is the Citrus Bowl, which is not MLS-compatible, that is why a new soccer-specific stadium is being built. What is the second facility you are referring to?

Bright House Networks Stadium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by annerk

My problem is that they keep building without thinking it out in advance. The Amway Center could have been built to also be used for soccer. Sunrail is limited and inflexible. If MLS wants a stadium, let them pay for it instead of bonding bonding, bonding the city further and further into debt.

By the way, we have a lot going on out here in Lake County--particularly in the City of Clermont. But we're not sinking deeply into debt as a result, and thinking things through in advance with an eye to the long term.

This....

How does the City of Orlando expect to pay back for all of these new venues? Through it's tax base? LOL...

[annerk]

Originally Posted by ORLguy

The soccer stadium will pay for itself. Thats about a given.

People who don't get this will complain about debt, but they don't understand how these games are going to sell out constantly and generate revenue.

Just like the Magic do?

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by annerk

Just like the Magic do?

Precisely.

"City of Orlando records, which list the number of tickets scanned at arena entrances at each game, show that an average of 12,681 people attended the Magic's first 38 home games this season. That's a decrease of 7.1 percent from last season's scan count and a decrease of 20.3 percent compared to the scan counts for the 2011-12 season. This season (2014), so far the Magic ranks 23rd out of 30 NBA teams in average home attendance, averaging 12,681 per game in an arena with 18K capacity (roughly two thirds filled).

[MrKnight]

Originally Posted by annerk

The Amway Center could have been built to also be used for soccer

Is this a joke? The Amway Center is an INDOOR arena designed for INDOOR events.. Since when is soccer an indoor game? This is apples to oranges..

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Bright House Networks Stadium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Problem is Brighthouse is not wide enough for a FIFA-sized pitch. That's why Orlando City is playing at a 3,000 seat field at Disney right now instead of Brighthouse. Also, it's not in the downtown core, another requirement for all new MLS expansion teams.

Orlando had no control over being able to use an existing stadium. Don Garber said no to Citrus Bowl due to its size and no soccer configuration like Atlanta's new stadium will have (and Vancouver has now, and Minnesota is building). The team and city even looked into adding retractable overhangs to the Citrus Bowl to separate the upper deck from the lower, but it was not feasible.

Anyone who thinks Orlando should have played hardball with MLS should look at what is happening in Miami. David Bechkam's group has been pleading with Miami to allow them to let them build a 100% privately financed MLS stadium downtown, and Miami doesn't want to go near it due to the fallout from the new Marlins stadium debacle (over 1B spent). MLS will not let them play at Sun Life...a super bowl caliber stadium mind you...because it's not downtown. And MLS also rejected a proposed site next to Marlins Park because it is outside the core. MLS is ready to retract Miami's expansion team if they can't secure a stadium in downtown Miami, and Garber has said this a few times recently. Beckham has now started talking to Ft Lauderdale.

There are plenty of other cities willing to build soccer specific stadiums in their cores right now that MLS can just go elsewhere: Sacramento, Las Vegas, Minnesota, San Antonio, St Louis, and Indy all want an MLS expansion team. Orlando had to build if they wanted MLS, and Buddy and Teresa both wanted it.

[annerk]

Then maybe Don Garber should have figured out how to build a stadium with private funds.