Stadium/Arena Saga Omnibus

[Digby]

18 minutes ago, infrared41 said:

 

You haven't lived until you watch a baseball game with 3500 other people in a stadium that seats 80,000. 

digging deep on this one... I saw both Toronto and Atlanta (old stadium) but both, I believe, pre-97 so crowds weren’t swallowed up. 
 

been to like 20 Revolution MLS games through the years to get that idea, though.

 

EDIT: I should say old old stadium for Atlanta. Can’t keep up!

[DEAD!]

29 minutes ago, infrared41 said:

 

You haven't lived until you watch a baseball game with 3500 other people in a stadium that seats 80,000. 

 

Was this until Ricky Vaughn showed up? 

[infrared41]

1 hour ago, DEAD! said:

 

Was this until Ricky Vaughn showed up? 

 

Well after. 

[bosrs1]

3 hours ago, infrared41 said:

 

You haven't lived until you watch a baseball game with 3500 other people in a stadium that seats 80,000. 

 

It's one reason when the A's suck I always recommend people make a trip to the Oakland Coliseum. Won't be too much longer that you'll be able to have that experience. And you're right... there's nothing like it. Don't know if that's a good thing... but it's definitely a thing. 

[Digby]

I saw the Orlando Rays amongst a crowd of about 50 in however big thst stadium is, how does that scale?

[BBTV]

12 hours ago, infrared41 said:

 

You haven't lived until you watch a baseball game with 3500 other people in a stadium that seats 80,000. 

 

Fact: nobody spread coronavirus in 3/4-empty Veteran's stadium, Cleveland stadium, Riverfront, Three Rivers, etc.  Let's let that sink in for a minute.

[monkeypower]

Angels development plan includes 150 acres of parks, shops, homes and restaurants. 

 

That open area in centre and left field are a proposed "grand entrance plaza" and I don't know if I like the look of it. Also, I guess prepare say goodbye to the parking, the big hats out front and the Disney rocks.

 

 

The article says the Ducks are supposed to unveil a similar type development plan for the Honda Center land tomorrow.

[The_Admiral]

I'm totally on board for losing the giant hats and the Disney rocks, but I am having a hard time reconciling how you're going to run a baseball team out of Anaheim with no parking lots. What are people gonna do, teleport in? I like New Urbanism as much as any dork here but even I know where I'm licked.

[sky1324]

Unless those buildings are parking garages, what is their plan here, to remove all the parking then hold their hands and say "well, we tried!" then head to whatever LA suburb will build them a stadium? I like it and it looks nice, but it seems like the game-day experience would be hell if you can't park within a reasonable distance.

[monkeypower]

2 hours ago, the admiral said:

I'm totally on board for losing the giant hats and the Disney rocks, but I am having a hard time reconciling how you're going to run a baseball team out of Anaheim with no parking lots. What are people gonna do, teleport in? I like New Urbanism as much as any dork here but even I know where I'm licked.

 

40 minutes ago, QCS said:

Unless those buildings are parking garages, what is their plan here, to remove all the parking then hold their hands and say "well, we tried!" then head to whatever LA suburb will build them a stadium? I like it and it looks nice, but it seems like the game-day experience would be hell if you can't park within a reasonable distance.

 

The article mentions two parking structures, but then also prefaces it with this.

 

Quote

For fans, the plan promises gathering places for eating, drinking, shopping and relaxing before and after games, in part a bid to ease traffic that largely would be directed to two new parking structures.

 

So there's plans for two parking structures, but all these other attractions will hopefully help reduce traffic by having people coming early and leaving later so there won't be congestion? I don't know about that.

 

The building directly above the Big A in the top picture is the transit station, so maybe they'll also work to have more transit to the games now?

 

Keep in mind, this whole plan is still subject to the sale of the land to Moreno's group, which hasn't happened yet, and this is the timeline in the article.

 

Quote

Construction is set to start by 2025 and run through 2050

 

[The_Admiral]

That's making the dog walk on its hind legs here. It's Orange County/suburban Los Angeles, it's not built for transit and never will be. There's encouraging stuff going on with the L.A. Metro (or at least there was until Americans decided, with help, that trains are to blame for the pandemic), but that's miles away. With, for instance, Wrigley Field, it's not easy to drive there, but it's not easy to drive anywhere around there. This is inventing a walkable area in an ocean of sprawl. This wouldn't change the whole well-entrenched car culture, it would just be really inconvenient.

[monkeypower]

I'm not saying transit is a good solution, I was just throwing it out there as possibly a potential side-option (in the loosest sense of the term) because it is right there, sort of.

[ltjets21]

How many times can they renovate the same stadium? You are still going to have cramped concourses if you are renovating a 60 year old stadium. I don't see the point of investing money in a development that consists of an old stadium and an old arena as the focal points.

[SFGiants58]

6 hours ago, ltjets21 said:

How many times can they renovate the same stadium? You are still going to have cramped concourses if you are renovating a 60 year old stadium. I don't see the point of investing money in a development that consists of an old stadium and an old arena as the focal points.

Hey, it’s better than demanding a new stadium all the time. Heck, I’m pretty sure this is how most clubs in Europe handle their stadium situations. They’ll work with the old building as long as you can, getting into a Theseus’ Ship situation after about fifty years of doing this.

[Gothamite]

There’s absolutely no reason that the stadium can’t continue to be renovated.  Dodger Stadium is still one of the jewels of baseball. 

[SFGiants58]

Just now, Gothamite said:

There’s absolutely no reason that the stadium can’t continue to be renovated.  Dodger Stadium is still one of the jewels of baseball. 

Heck, the Dolphins’ privately-funded renovation should be the gold standard for how to handle “new stadiums.” Do a totally transformative renovation instead of asking for a new place.

 

Granted, it should only be if the base structure was good. Something like Candlestink wasn’t going to get better with new gizmos. It can also go too far, like the Soldier Field spaceship.

[Gothamite]

Both true.  Not every stadium can provide the bones to support a continuing series of renovations. But Angel Stadium absolutely can. 

[ltjets21]

1 hour ago, SFGiants58 said:

Hey, it’s better than demanding a new stadium all the time. Heck, I’m pretty sure this is how most clubs in Europe handle their stadium situations. They’ll work with the old building as long as you can, getting into a Theseus’ Ship situation after about fifty years of doing this.

https://www.ballparkratings.com/park/los-angeles-angels-of-anaheim/angel-stadium-of-anaheim/   

[Red Comet]

Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium are still among the best stadiums in the league despite also being some of the oldest. Renovate, Don't Annihilate is the best path. 

[gosioux76]

16 minutes ago, Red Comet said:

Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium are still among the best stadiums in the league despite also being some of the oldest. Renovate, Don't Annihilate is the best path. 

 

I agree. Their only downfall is their location in the middle of a giant parking lot when KC has such a vastly improved urban core. That wouldn't be enough to raze Kaufmann -- it's a gem of a stadium -- but it will always be battling that debate over urban density.