Soccer Stadium in Minneapolis (cancelled)

[Nathan]

Good. God. It's beautiful.

[IllogicalJake]

But likely not happening. Indy really isn't on board with a one-year-old NASL team having a dedicated stadium when they already viable options. Indy Eleven wants the stadium so they can be a stronger contender for an MLS team, which also doesn't seem likely.

[Didier]

It's hard to know how much legitimacy to put into that plan, since they don't even have a location yet, but if they could build that for $82 million that would be pretty impressive.

One of the potential twists in this whole professional soccer landscape is that the NASL could make a play for legitimacy. Say, for example, MLS expands to Miami instead of Minneapolis. That would leave some very strong NASL markets that could create some momentum. San Antonio is already pretty established with a mid-size soccer stadium. Minnesota is certainly capable of building a scaled-back Farmer's Market stadium, and so to could Indy.

[cooperrez]

The price of $82 million is what caught my eye too. Can a stadium that beautiful be built for that amount? I don't really have a good feel for how much this stuff costs, but it seems low. Will it most likely cost much more and they are just coming in low with their number? I guess I'm wondering what everyone thinks of this proposal, as little of it as there is, as it relates to a possible stadium like this here in Minneapolis.

[EOst]

Well, the Lowertown Ballpark was (is?) only $63 million.

[mamundsen]

Well, the Lowertown Ballpark was (is?) only $63 million.

I was thinking the same. But wouldn't a soccer stadium be about twice the size that the Saints are building?

[Didier]

Yeah that price seems totally made up. Avaya Stadium, which is opening soon in San Jose, is pretty bare bones and Wikipedia calls it $100 million. Sporting Park in Kansas City, which is one of the best MLS stadiums but still doesn't have a ton of bells and whistles, was $200 million.

[nickmgray]

Wasn't the cost of the TCF stadium under $300 million? Soccer specific stadiums usually have capacity of 20,000-25,000 here in the US and they don't have expensive ticket items like luxury boxes or banquette facilities. An $80 million price tag for the stadium (just the building) seems about right as long as it doesn't include land costs.

[Didier]

Yeah I think $80 million for a bare bones stadium might be realistic, but I'm not sure that MLS stadiums are bare bones anymore. Just like every other sport, the money is in the suites and the club levels and member areas etc., and you'll need to have some of those amenities if you want to compete for national team games etc.

Also, to be sure, the reason the price cited in Indy was questioned was because the picture showed a pretty elaborate-looking stadium.

For comparison, Crew Stadium in Columbus was MLS' first soccer-specific stadium, and it's as basic as you can get. Wikipedia lists construction at roughly $30 million in 1999 ($40 million in today's dollars).

The most basic stadiums today are probably those for Texas high school football. This famous one in Allen, Texas, might be the most expensive. It was built in 2012 and seats 18,000 fans and was listed as $60 million (and subsequently had to close because of shoddy construction!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Stad ... ,_Texas%29

[Didier]

MN United continues to publicly be "all in" to the NASL. Of course they kind of have to be, but still interesting that their true motives are so unclear.

http://www.mnunitedfc.com/news/detail/u ... NPGHBa9Kc1

[MN Fats]

This isn't related to MLS, but I think people interested in this discussion will enjoy it. Somebody made logos for a hypothetical Minnesota soccer league.

http://boards.sportslogos.net/topic/101 ... e-du-nord/

Outstanding, thanks for linking. Missed that one even though I follow that board regularly.

[nfschauer]

Las Vegas is officially out of the running. Looks like it's between us and Sacramento. Maybe both of us will get the expansion now that Bekcham's stadium plan isn't going through.

http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2015 ... 24th-team/

[twincitizen]

Hennepin County / Covanta is pursuing other sites for the organic waste digester (discussed earlier in this thread as being part of a stadium funding mechanism with Hennepin County). That's all I know at this point. That's not to say they aren't also still interested in siting one in the North Loop area near the burner, but I honestly have no idea how many of those facilities are actually needed across the county. Maybe just the one, maybe it's several. They're obviously intent to build one if they're looking around.

Is that a hint that things are tilting away from the Farmers Market site for soccer and towards the Zygidome? Again, I have no idea, but it's something to consider.

[nfschauer]

It will be interesting, the Wilf site seems easier because of the 5-year exclusive rights they have to host an MLS team and they have plans with how they will host a game. Though the downside is they don't own United FC as Bill McGuire does, so would they need to build a team from scratch?

[Tyler]

The 5 year thing doesn't matter. It's easier because the stadium is being built regardless. And yes, expansion draft. But they would do that anyways even if United FC got "promoted"

[Didier]

the most dogged reporter on MLS expansion says we are in. It's just a matter of picking an owner.

http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/02 ... sota-miami

[mattaudio]

I wonder if MLS would rather burn out the clock on the Zygiexclusivity, and promote MN United to MLS at the Zigimonstrosity site once the exclusivity period is up and they could have an existing well-run team at an existing (by then) stadium, without dealing with a civil racketeer.

[Didier]

Probably not, based on everything that's been reported so far.

[talindsay]

I really hope this doesn't end up in the Zigidome, that facility would completely miss the character of soccer and, despite what they say about curtains, would feel empty most of the time - kind of like how the Target Center felt for Lynx games until the Lynx started winning all the time. The lower-price Farmers' Market stadium seems a good idea, I hope they can firm up funding.

[nfschauer]

I agree, and it seems the MLS prefers the soccer specific stadium idea, which is what Sacramento will have. To be honest, I'm starting to wonder if the MLS is shying away from Minneapolis, unless they get a soccer specific stadium deal done. I hope I'm wrong