Stadium Sites Narrowed

[Scholesy]

Originally Posted by noxum

The Sandy location is just bad, that's it. Travel or no Travel. Real SALT LAKE, not Real SANDY...Remember?

I don't recall it ever being named Real Salt Lake City? Did I miss that press release? Maybe it is named after the county? Maybe they just named it that because it is a nationally known name? I don't recall the Winter Olympics being called the Utah Olympics, I believe they were awarded to the 'citee of Salt Lake Citee' and yet all of the events were certainly not held within the boundaries of the city limits, it was easily recognisible around the world. It is a false arguemnet to use in this instance to say it is a 'SLC only team', just pure rubbish since the vast majority of fans come from outside of the SLC boundaries, mainly Ogden, Utah County and beyond, mostly NOT from SLC.

So whilst Sandy may not have been the location you would have chosen I too have to say please stop whining, I like Sandy and I like Downtown, but most of all I am really grateful and feel very appreciative and humbled to be getting a Major League Soccer stadium before any of the 8 other cities that consistently bid for MLS teams whenever the chance arises. We are blessed to have a team owner and a front office staff like Steve, John Kimball and Trey Fitzgerald who have made this possible. Dean Howes has worked his heart out to make this building even a possibility and yet here we are whining about I don't like this location, I wanted that place, being critical of the opportunities that so many teams that already exist around the league would love to have right now. Many teams simpy don't have owners and a GM who get it and see the vision, they are content to have their teams play in American Football stadiums or baseball parks, our front office team have put together a package where we have a stadium site ready to announce and have had the various cities begging RSL to put it there, we will be in a stadium at the latest by the 2008 season and there is a good strong possibility that we'll be in by the 2007 season. We are having a brilliant, first class, massive stadium being built. Hello!!!!!!! We were only announced just 1 year a go!! 1 freaking year! Our owner will actually build the stadium, he has assembled a team that is making it happen and we are whining about location????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you kidding me?

I feel like we are being slightly ungrateful.

We are lucky to be getting a stadium and if the powers that be Downtown don't want it enough to make it happen then no problem, I'll take a location that does.

And just FYI ... Dallas is not technically in Dallas, LA Galaxy are technically not downtown LA, New York/New Jersey Metrostars ... ummm not exactly downtown NY and the list goes on ...

[SoccerPrime]

Actually I debate this all the time on BS.
Crew are the only ones that play in the city they are named after, and their location is what Fairpark would be for RSL if FP was in West Valley.
DC is the only other MLS team that is planning to build in the incorporated city area.

Those who argue against Sandy are not taking precedent into account, regardless if a Euro-style downtown stadium would be nicer. A downtown SSS would be unique for RSL, and therefore highly unlikely.

[Scholesy]

Originally Posted by SoccerPrime

Actually I debate this all the time on BS.
Crew are the only ones that play in the city they are named after, and their location is what Fairpark would be for RSL if FP was in West Valley.
DC is the only other MLS team that is planning to build in the incorporated city area.

Those who argue against Sandy are not taking precedent into account, regardless if a Euro-style downtown stadium would be nicer. A downtown SSS would be unique for RSL, and therefore highly unlikely.

Yeah, good point, I don't care if they call it the 'Real Nice Stadium somewhere in Utah' so long as we get one.

[luvmyboys]

Originally Posted by Scholesy

I don't recall it ever being named Real Salt Lake City? Did I miss that press release? Maybe it is named after the county? Maybe they just named it that because it is a nationally known name? I don't recall the Winter Olympics being called the Utah Olympics, I believe they were awarded to the 'citee of Salt Lake Citee' and yet all of the events were certainly not held within the boundaries of the city limits, it was easily recognisible around the world. It is a false arguemnet to use in this instance to say it is a 'SLC only team', just pure rubbish since the vast majority of fans come from outside of the SLC boundaries, mainly Ogden, Utah County and beyond, mostly NOT from SLC.

So whilst Sandy may not have been the location you would have chosen I too have to say please stop whining, I like Sandy and I like Downtown, but most of all I am really grateful and feel very appreciative and humbled to be getting a Major League Soccer stadium before any of the 8 other cities that consistently bid for MLS teams whenever the chance arises. We are blessed to have a team owner and a front office staff like Steve, John Kimball and Trey Fitzgerald who have made this possible. Dean Howes has worked his heart out to make this building even a possibility and yet here we are whining about I don't like this location, I wanted that place, being critical of the opportunities that so many teams that already exist around the league would love to have right now. Many teams simpy don't have owners and a GM who get it and see the vision, they are content to have their teams play in American Football stadiums or baseball parks, our front office team have put together a package where we have a stadium site ready to announce and have had the various cities begging RSL to put it there, we will be in a stadium at the latest by the 2008 season and there is a good strong possibility that we'll be in by the 2007 season. We are having a brilliant, first class, massive stadium being built. Hello!!!!!!! We were only announced just 1 year a go!! 1 freaking year! Our owner will actually build the stadium, he has assembled a team that is making it happen and we are whining about location????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you kidding me?

I feel like we are being slightly ungrateful.

We are lucky to be getting a stadium and if the powers that be Downtown don't want it enough to make it happen then no problem, I'll take a location that does.

And just FYI ... Dallas is not technically in Dallas, LA Galaxy are technically not downtown LA, New York/New Jersey Metrostars ... ummm not exactly downtown NY and the list goes on ...

good points, Scholesy. I'll drive wherever. I'll enjoy the game wherever.




I still don't like Sandy. 😉

[Aerick]

Scholesy, that post brought a tear to my eye!!!! Real Salt Lake (in Sandy).

[oussan]

Thanks, Scholesy, for voicing an issue that's been a beef of mine all along. I've posted on the subject at BS, but I've always felt that Real Salt Lake encompasses a region and not merely a municipality. There are the cities (yes, all three!), the county, and even better, the lake. Put those all together and you've got people from Brigham City to Tooele to SLC, to, yes, even Sandy and Draper that can all be proud to call themselves Salt Lakers.

And I too think a stadium downtown would be glorious and wonderful, but look around - FC Frisco plays a full 45 minute drive away from Dallas. Sandy's not too bad in my mind. Of course, that's my own humble opinion, and whatever the case, I've been encouraged all along that there has been (a) so much jockeying among politicians and (b) so much passionate discussion among fans. Hey, it's gotta be kinda nice to be a part of the RSL team - at least you know you're wanted and loved anywhere you go!

[Rover]

I guess the back and forth is what this forum is about so it's all good.

Personally, I rate downtown as the #1 site and Sandy #2, with not much separating them. Both have positives and negatives about them, but I would rate both as very good sites.

I've read much criticism of the Sandy proposal but have seen next to nothing in the way of specifics as to why it wouldn't work well. Maybe I'm missing something, but I've checked out all the sites and, frankly, Sandy looks just as good to me as downtown. Overall I still prefer downtown because I want the stadium and team to be established as central to the life of the valley and a downtown site does that immediately. But Sandy can accomplish that as well, although not with the same punch.

All sites will have development, parking, traffic, and accessibility issues. Unless we build in Tooele, no area of the valley is untouched the way, say, Frisco is. Count me as one of those who has faith in the RSL organization to handle this entire project in a first class way. We'll get the best stadium in MLS, regardless of where it ends up.

[noxum]

Scholesy...

Last I checked, we the fans are the ones this team/entertainment package is for. Make the majority happy. Marketing 101. Don't get me too wrong here, a stadium's a stadium. We are getting one and to that extent any true soccer fan would be a fool to not be excited and/or humbled. BUT, that doesn't mean we just settle for what ever "the man" gives us, does it? When it comes down to it, I'll go where ever they build it, but it sure would be nice in a more centralized location as far as soccer population is concerned (this is an unofficial assumption). Wouldn't it be cool to get this thing by '07 and be fightin' for the cup, all three of them? ...one more note, I don't recall Dave bidding for Real to a commity, and I couldn't have said it better myself, Real represents ALL of UTAH, so make them more accessable.

[Scholesy]

Originally Posted by noxum

Scholesy...

Last I checked, we the fans are the ones this team/entertainment package is for. Make the majority happy. Marketing 101. Don't get me too wrong here, a stadium's a stadium. We are getting one and to that extent any true soccer fan would be a fool to not be excited and/or humbled. BUT, that doesn't mean we just settle for what ever "the man" gives us, does it? When it comes down to it, I'll go where ever they build it, but it sure would be nice in a more centralized location as far as soccer population is concerned (this is an unofficial assumption). Wouldn't it be cool to get this thing by '07 and be fightin' for the cup, all three of them? ...one more note, I don't recall Dave bidding for Real to a commity, and I couldn't have said it better myself, Real represents ALL of UTAH, so make them more accessable.

First of all I would disagree that marketing = making the majority happy and we certainly would have to say that would be the question really though wouldn't it? Is that what the majority want? And does that even matter? How many fans will say 'Oh Sandy! Can't believe it, I'm not going this year.' Should Dave Checketts really have to check in with the fans on every decision? He can't do that, he is the owner, it isn't a democracy. Now don't get me wrong obviously downtown is a more desirable spot, although that is not to say that there are no problems with the Salt Lake options, there are quite a few actually, not least of all the politicians. But I just don't care where they build it as long as it's accessible and I can call it our 'home' ground.

I'm not having a pop at you mate, I just think overall we really should just be glad to have a stadium on the way and if you look at Sandy it really does have some positve points, lots of them. I don't picture a man like Dave Checketts and his team of Steve, Dean, John, Trey, Chris and the other very capable team members of picking a 'bum' location for a $250 million project. I am figuring that before they even think of investing that kind of money they would have commissioned a number of strategic and pheasability studies as to the viability of the areas.

Just a thought.

[Scooter Von Bundesliga]

I don't picture a man like Dave Checketts and his team of Steve, Dean, John, Trey, Chris and the other very capable team members of picking a 'bum' location for a $250 million project. I am figuring that before they even think of investing that kind of money they would have commissioned a number of strategic and pheasability studies as to the viability of the areas

.
Well said. By the way, maybe I missed something. What happened to the $60,000,000 stadium? Where'd $250,000,000 come from? Those are huge numbers!