I'm of the same thinking here. From an ownership perspective, if there is a hint of possibility CITY could deliver in 2022, I would imagine they would be doing anything they can to explore ways of accomplishing that... the loss of Sacramento should have just escalated that idea as well. Coming off a loss-year already, MLD finding revenue in a year where they expected to get some from Sacramento and now they aren't... bridging that un-planned loss would be an immediate concern.dredger wrote: ↑Mar 03, 2021From a spit balling coming off the Covid pandemic everyone wanting to get out and about wouldn't the owners want to strife for a 2022 opening if given a chance and build some fanbase? It also makes sense to me from a simple business perspective to pursue a 2022 opening on the basis of ownership already incurring costs so sooner the better on generating revenues. Especially with the all in we are building a stadium commitment.
I think everyone agrees that one way or another that their is options to play somewhere locally until the stadium is ready.
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While we’re waiting for the STLCitySC news today, I checked MLS’s page and Sacramento has been removed from the website. There was a place holder for their crest at the top and a link to their team page at the bottom. All gone. https://www.mlssoccer.com/
Hopefully they weren't relying heavily on that $200m expansion fee from Sacramento, can retrench, get a new broadcast deal in place, move forward with 29 teams, and revisit additional expansion in a few years. If they can manage to get to 2026 there will be some soccer mania around here as the US, Canada, and Mexico are hosting the World Cup, which will be a boost to the sport in general and could result in even higher expansion fees.NateM___ wrote: ↑Mar 04, 2021While we’re waiting for the STLCitySC news today, I checked MLS’s page and Sacramento has been removed from the website. There was a place holder for their crest at the top and a link to their team page at the bottom. All gone. https://www.mlssoccer.com/
^I'd guess they don't waste a whole lot of time getting back to 30 and an even number if there are good bids. Then they can go to 32 more around WC time.
^ Yeah I think they added another one down by the highway.
That training facility looks badass, by the way.
Here's another nice shot from inside:
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That training facility looks badass, by the way.
Here's another nice shot from inside:
I was at the media round table for this today. A few things to note here...
- The team pavilion will include a flex space on the second floor where special events, meetings, parties and more can be held.
- Two of the three practice fields will have natural grass. The other, South of Clark, will be artificial turf.
- The practice fields will not be open to the public due to concerns over premature wear and tear.
- The training facility will boast of all the things needed for player wellness (kitchen, community spaces for players to get to know each other and later converse, a workout room with garage doors that allow the outside to come inside on nice days, and a recovery room). In addition to this, a theater to review matches, a oval shaped locker room, and more will be included in the training facility building.
- The team HQ will employee 150 employees and be situated in the Union Square Plaza building.
All components (stadium, pavilion, training facility, team HQ, and practice fields) are to be completed by the Summer of 2022.
- The team pavilion will include a flex space on the second floor where special events, meetings, parties and more can be held.
- Two of the three practice fields will have natural grass. The other, South of Clark, will be artificial turf.
- The practice fields will not be open to the public due to concerns over premature wear and tear.
- The training facility will boast of all the things needed for player wellness (kitchen, community spaces for players to get to know each other and later converse, a workout room with garage doors that allow the outside to come inside on nice days, and a recovery room). In addition to this, a theater to review matches, a oval shaped locker room, and more will be included in the training facility building.
- The team HQ will employee 150 employees and be situated in the Union Square Plaza building.
All components (stadium, pavilion, training facility, team HQ, and practice fields) are to be completed by the Summer of 2022.
PD linkage if anyone is interested:
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-1
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-1
Some renderings and screenshots from today's roundtable discussion.
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Team Pavilion and Store...
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Training Facility...
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Team Pavilion and Store...
Training Facility...
^ Thanks for taking the time to link all those in for us, Chris. I actually hadn't noticed the Union Square one. Good stuff.
Here's a little before and after I made with the NSD ramps to show a couple of my out-of-town buddies who aren't as familiar with STL as we all are:
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Edit: Added another one:
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Promise this is the last one lol:
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Here's a little before and after I made with the NSD ramps to show a couple of my out-of-town buddies who aren't as familiar with STL as we all are:
Edit: Added another one:
Promise this is the last one lol:
A positive transformation even if we aren't getting residential or other usages here.sc4mayor wrote: ↑Mar 04, 2021^ Thanks for taking the time to link all those in for us, Chris. I actually hadn't noticed the Union Square one. Good stuff.
Here's a little before and after I made with the NSD ramps to show a couple of my out-of-town buddies who aren't as familiar with STL as we all are:
So glad that oversized and sh*tty interchange is gone.
^ I was thinking the exact same thing. Now if we could just rework the Grand/FPA mess next...
And plenty of good lots still available nearby for additional development.
And plenty of good lots still available nearby for additional development.
An update from that PD link...this is kind of cool:
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-1
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-1
The proximity between stadium and practice fields is "extremely unique," said Lutz Pfannenstiel, the German soccer executive St. Louis City SC hired in August as Sporting Director — the team's equivalent of Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak or Blues general manager Doug Armstrong. One of his main tasks is building a youth soccer academy to feed new players up to the team, and he said training and workout areas are designed so younger players brush shoulders with the pros.
"It’s one of the most interesting and exciting projects in international football," Pfannenstiel said. "Having that opportunity to build that club from scratch."
Wow, didn't know about the Union Square Plaza Building. That is awesome. Will they share that space or own it outright? Isn't a rock climbing gym in there?
Outside of the brutal cold snap/snow a few weeks ago they've had a stretch of great weather this winter for construction. If they keep getting lucky and hit some sort of ahead of schedule marker this late summer/early fall could they maybe start a year early?chriss752 wrote: ↑Mar 04, 2021I was at the media round table for this today. A few things to note here...
- The team pavilion will include a flex space on the second floor where special events, meetings, parties and more can be held.
- Two of the three practice fields will have natural grass. The other, South of Clark, will be artificial turf.
- The practice fields will not be open to the public due to concerns over premature wear and tear.
- The training facility will boast of all the things needed for player wellness (kitchen, community spaces for players to get to know each other and later converse, a workout room with garage doors that allow the outside to come inside on nice days, and a recovery room). In addition to this, a theater to review matches, a oval shaped locker room, and more will be included in the training facility building.
- The team HQ will employee 150 employees and be situated in the Union Square Plaza building.
All components (stadium, pavilion, training facility, team HQ, and practice fields) are to be completed by the Summer of 2022.
Here's what the PD had to say about the rock climbing gym:rheights wrote: ↑Mar 04, 2021Wow, didn't know about the Union Square Plaza Building. That is awesome. Will they share that space or own it outright? Isn't a rock climbing gym in there?
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... op-story-1An Upper Limits employee who answered the phone downtown on Thursday said the business has not heard whether the team would need to use its space and that the rock climbing gym had no plans to move.
In my own opinion, I think it would be wise to keep it (if they can fit both the gym and the HQ in there). Just another attraction to draw people down into the area.
Bizjournal article on Union Sqaure building HQ. Nothing new but more specific to building itself
Question for crowd on above, did it look like they tried to render some infill on the big surface parking lot between the practice stadiums and Union Station? If so, wouldn't some mid rise residential/podium 5-7 stories work great here?
https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... za-hq.html
Major League Soccer expansion franchise St. Louis City SC said Thursday it has acquired a 43,161-square-foot building in Downtown West that will serve as its headquarters.
City SC has purchased the Union Square Plaza building, located at 326 S. 21st Street. The building, located adjacent to Union Station and City SC’s planned training facility, will eventually house about 150 team employees.
Question for crowd on above, did it look like they tried to render some infill on the big surface parking lot between the practice stadiums and Union Station? If so, wouldn't some mid rise residential/podium 5-7 stories work great here?
https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... za-hq.html
Major League Soccer expansion franchise St. Louis City SC said Thursday it has acquired a 43,161-square-foot building in Downtown West that will serve as its headquarters.
City SC has purchased the Union Square Plaza building, located at 326 S. 21st Street. The building, located adjacent to Union Station and City SC’s planned training facility, will eventually house about 150 team employees.
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Are they burying the metro line where it pops out at 21st and Clark? Or is it just left out of the render?
^ No they’re not going to bury the MetroLink line.
Renderings are just pretty pictures. I wouldn’t put any real thought into what’s there and what isn’t.
Renderings are just pretty pictures. I wouldn’t put any real thought into what’s there and what isn’t.
Getting a little off topic, but wonder how much more developable land you get around the stadium district, Union Station and for that matter around Enterprise Center if you buried part of the metrolink station on either side of Union Station and you work out a deal to relocate the metrolink stop as underground stop under the shed itself? or much cost?GoHarvOrGoHome wrote: ↑Mar 05, 2021Are they burying the metro line where it pops out at 21st and Clark? Or is it just left out of the render?
I understand that shifting the station about a block west doesn't significantly change walking times but talk about a perception change if with an expanded/bigger underground station where you come out under Shed itself
The metrolink currently has an elevator and stair right next to if not under the shed, I think the improvement of perception could be achieved by upgrading this entrance to be more welcoming/prominent/attractive without having to move the platform wholesale.dredger wrote: ↑Mar 05, 2021Getting a little off topic, but wonder how much more developable land you get around the stadium district, Union Station and for that matter around Enterprise Center if you buried part of the metrolink station on either side of Union Station and you work out a deal to relocate the metrolink stop as underground stop under the shed itself? or much cost?GoHarvOrGoHome wrote: ↑Mar 05, 2021Are they burying the metro line where it pops out at 21st and Clark? Or is it just left out of the render?
I understand that shifting the station about a block west doesn't significantly change walking times but talk about a perception change if with an expanded/bigger underground station where you come out under Shed itself
I think the length of track from 16th to 18th would be pretty easy to build over (ie. not bury under dirt, just build a new building around/over it so the trains end up running through the "basement") if demand calls for it and metro is willing. I don't think the tracks on west side are in an ideal location for foot traffic, but maybe a parking garage could be built over them so that the surface lots between the drury and market could be developed becoming an attractive extension of the station/stadium district and would tie in nicely with what's already there.
The fact it's 100 yards between the Union Station and Civic Center stops has always grinded my gears. How about moving the stop to the basement of that garage and have it be Union Station/Soccer?_nomad_ wrote: ↑Mar 05, 2021The metrolink currently has an elevator and stair right next to if not under the shed, I think the improvement of perception could be achieved by upgrading this entrance to be more welcoming/prominent/attractive without having to move the platform wholesale.dredger wrote: ↑Mar 05, 2021Getting a little off topic, but wonder how much more developable land you get around the stadium district, Union Station and for that matter around Enterprise Center if you buried part of the metrolink station on either side of Union Station and you work out a deal to relocate the metrolink stop as underground stop under the shed itself? or much cost?GoHarvOrGoHome wrote: ↑Mar 05, 2021Are they burying the metro line where it pops out at 21st and Clark? Or is it just left out of the render?
I understand that shifting the station about a block west doesn't significantly change walking times but talk about a perception change if with an expanded/bigger underground station where you come out under Shed itself
I think the length of track from 16th to 18th would be pretty easy to build over (ie. not bury under dirt, just build a new building around/over it so the trains end up running through the "basement") if demand calls for it and metro is willing. I don't think the tracks on west side are in an ideal location for foot traffic, but maybe a parking garage could be built over them so that the surface lots between the drury and market could be developed becoming an attractive extension of the station/stadium district and would tie in nicely with what's already there.
^^ Getting way off topic here, but covering the tracks between 18th and just before Civic Center would be easier than west of Union Station. Also agree that a simple renovation would be better than relocating the station. The Cortex infill station cost just shy of $13 million. I imagine building a new station in the old baggage tunnel would be even more expensive than that.
Still...Metro, EWG, etc should spend not a cent on any of this until transit is expanded into North and South St. Louis. There's plenty of available land nearby to fill up with development before we need to start spending money covering rail lines.
^ I'm not sure if this is still the case but I thought there were a few bus lines that fed through 18th Street and Union Station? That could be different now with the expanded bus bays at Civic and Metro Reimagined though.
Getting back to the stadium...did anyone happen to see the Facebook comments on the KMOV post for this? F*cking brutal. One guy just answered every supportive comment with pictures of abandoned buildings in the city lol.
Still...Metro, EWG, etc should spend not a cent on any of this until transit is expanded into North and South St. Louis. There's plenty of available land nearby to fill up with development before we need to start spending money covering rail lines.
^ I'm not sure if this is still the case but I thought there were a few bus lines that fed through 18th Street and Union Station? That could be different now with the expanded bus bays at Civic and Metro Reimagined though.
Getting back to the stadium...did anyone happen to see the Facebook comments on the KMOV post for this? F*cking brutal. One guy just answered every supportive comment with pictures of abandoned buildings in the city lol.
Last comment on MetroLink.
Union Station has not been accommodating to Bi-State at all. Substantial improvements need to be made to the Union Station tunnel and they’ve refused to budge on granting Bi-State a temporary right-of-way to complete the work.
From my understanding, this has caused Bi-State about two years of delay and $$$$ in engineering contract extensions. According to Bi-State minutes they’ve identified a short term solution that doesn’t require Smiths approval.
Union Station has not been accommodating to Bi-State at all. Substantial improvements need to be made to the Union Station tunnel and they’ve refused to budge on granting Bi-State a temporary right-of-way to complete the work.
From my understanding, this has caused Bi-State about two years of delay and $$$$ in engineering contract extensions. According to Bi-State minutes they’ve identified a short term solution that doesn’t require Smiths approval.