Comments on: DSR with Glenn Davis tonite at 9:30 on 55/ More on the stadium and our elected leaders

By: Kirk

Kirk — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:40:30 +0000

Christopher,
first of all – I’m not trying to be negative,wea all want a stadium and want the Dynamo to have the best home in MLS. How great is it that fans are so keyed up!!

Of course we would all like a soccer only stadium, but that’s not reality. I can’t speak to RSL’s plans for Rio Tinto, or NYRB but I can tell you that Columbus holds events other than MLS as does Chicago, and Home Depot does concerts (though I don’t think any host football). AEG is on record as wanting a multipurpose stadium, they already plan to build it to try to attract other revenue streams – it’s their 70 million-if that’s what they want to build then thats what they are going to get…wherever they build it. I don’t think Glenn was saying that the stadium WOULD host high school football, just that it could for a special event.

Regarding football lines..no I would absolutely hate seeing that, and I would not want to partner with TSU if that was going to have to be the case. But there are options. They bring in grass to play on in stadiums withoout natural turf. I think they did it in Reliant for the US Mexico game last year, and there was somewhere during the World cup – I’ll have to research that. I guess I just believe that as passionate as Houston is about Soccer and as savy as AEG is they will find a way to give the Dynamo an appropriate playing surface, and one we can be proud to have seen on National TV. But, Maybe I’m just a dreaming. Just keep my team here, and give them a home.

By: Marco

Marco — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:12:11 +0000

Glenn,
Having the stadium downtown would bring all of the benefits you’ve just described, but above all, we want to keep the team in Houston, and we have to be open-minded to having a stadium in the suburbs. It would not be as big a disappointment as some people think. Our city doesn’t have a true center anyway. It never has. We are the fourth largest city in the country with a multitude of hard-core soccer fans. There’s no reason why you couldn’t fill-up a 22,000 seat venue in Pearland or Sugarland as long as you offer an attractive product on the field. Empty stadiums in the suburbs are due to an organization’s failure to create a buzz around the team–not because of driving distance.

By: Bart-1

Bart-1 — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:04:48 +0000

I think both Offebacher and Steve have hit the nail on the head. This is too good an opportunity for the city to pass up without some form of outside “influence”. Pushing the responsibility for it onto a vote when clearly TIRZ reinvestment money does NOT need voter approval is a political duck and cover game. Political office campaigns require donations which come from many well connected “influential” local people. Mayor White, El Franco, and Sylvia are selling the fans and people of this city out for personal political advantage. Thank you Glenn for getting them on record (or at least trying to). I do hope that we remember this when elction time comes around. In this age of the Bush debacles and sell outs, it is apparent that we have local Democrats who will screw the public for theirs and their “buddies” profits. If I am too harsh or wrong, prove me wrong Mayor, Sylvia, and El franco.

By: rhybread

rhybread — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 22:31:32 +0000

Berhalter to the Galaxy. You heard it here first.

By: wren

wren — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 22:22:24 +0000

Its seems pretty obvious that Ms. Garcia (or someone in power) now has other plans for the downtown TIRZ. Moreover, now that she and the county know the city has 15M to kick in, don’t be too surprised if an alternative development project pops up once the Dynamo pull out of the downtown stadium project.

You heard it here first.

By: brent

brent — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:09:03 +0000

glenn,

Is it not possible for AEG/other owners to get a company to invest in the stadium by giving them naming rights to the stadium etc? I don’t think it is unrealistic for a company to put 10 million to have there co. name for the stadium, but I have no clue if that would work or not. Just don’t see the city taking any action, hell I sent 25 e-mails the past 2 days to Mrs. Garcia and just got a reply from her assistant/secratary who reads her e-mails that she has gotten 25 e-mails from me the past 2 days and attached one e-mail (the other 24 were just ignored). This is your city government Houston!!!

By: Christopher

Christopher — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:03:56 +0000

Kirk, then I’ll ask you the same question: ” How would you feel about a Sunday afternoon Dynamo game [complete with football lines] after HISD tore up the pitch on Sat, followed by a college football game on Sunday ?”

The Dynamo fan in this town has gone from having no team at all, to having one playing in a local college football stadium and winning two championships, from a team [hardly] lobbying for their own facility, to one clearly accepting a shared facility complete with lines and shoddy pitch. We had such high aspirations for a facililty, clearly one our won, to accepting a facility shared with multiple sports and multiple types of events (outdoor concerts ? Is there really a market for an outdoor concerts at a soccer stadium ) – why can’t we have our own pitch, carefully groomed and cared for 24/7/365 ? Why must we accept a ’shared’ concept ? Is Rio Tinto or the Home Depot Center or the NYRB facilty being shared with high schools and city colleges ?

By: Kirk

Kirk — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:43:11 +0000

Christopher,

Remember AEG is putting up 70 million, I think it\’s safe to say that they will be more than just a tennant, but also the stadium\’s owner. They will get revenue from parking and concessions at all events, and, while they may have to give consideration to all these other events, they would have contraol over the scheduling of the events (like U of H does now).
Even a 100% owned AEG facility would be looking for events and tennants to maximize the profit potential, and would need to work them around the Dynamo schdule.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:34:26 +0000

Glenn, How do you realistically expect the Dynamo control the games scheduled if the stadium is built with the understanding that it will also be used to host high school football [played on Friday nights], college football [played on Saturdays], and/or outdoor concert events ? Accepting them into the fold in an attempt to help cover costs merely makes you one of three or four interested parties holding events at the venue.

How many times have you railed against watching MLS games with football lines on the pitch, or complained about playing surfaces ? How would you feel about a Sunday afternoon Dynamo game [complete with football lines] after HISD tore up the pitch on Sat, followed by a college football game on Sunday ?

By: HouTex

HouTex — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:50:05 +0000

I drafted a letter and e-mailed it to the County leadership. I encourage all to do likewise. And pass on the links to your friends. NOTE: Mr. Lee’s executive assistant’s e-mail is all I have.

Ed Emmett: judge.emmett@cjo.hctx.net
El Franco Lee: Janet_Duran@cp1.hctx.net (exec. assistant’s email)
Sylvia Garcia: sylvia_garcia@pct2.co.harris.tx.us
Steve Radack: pct3@hctx.net
Jerry Eversole: Jerry. Eversole@hcp4.net