[Dynamo] Stadium deal a little bit closer to being done

Just like basketball attracts the blacks, right?

 

You are thinking about baseball.

 

Is there any renderings out there to what it may look like ? I'm a big sports architecture buff , I would like to check it out .

 

That is right by Warehouse Live and The Meridian. The area around that place is a wasteland at night. I'm glad the area is going to improve.

 

They need to make a small [loud] fan friendly stadium in an area of town that needs some revitalization, but not so much that people are scared to go (obviously).

 

That's pretty much exactly what they're doing.

 

After I posted that I started thinking I probably should have read the rest of the thread.

At any rate I hope it happens.

 

Good stuff, I'm very excited about this. I went to the FC Dallas/Dynamo playoff game last year (we lost the game, but won the series) in Frisco and they have a great soccer stadium there, and a nice fan base to boot. I really hope we have something similar in Houston soon. The Dynamo deserve it, damn it! (and they have a solid and growing fan base to justify it for the city/investors from a business perspective).

You build nice venues, the fans will come (especially considering Houston's diverse population, many of whom love soccer)...count on it!

 

You're a visionary.

 

Absolutely awesome. I hope the HFA (Houston Futbol Assoc...major adult league in Houston) makes a deal to play thereand that move their tournament there every March. I'd love to play there.

 

The HFA was supposed to get a park (with help from the city) almost a decade ago somewhere off of Hwy 6. They broke ground, cleared the area and then it stopped. I'm glad this is finally happening. Now for the actual stadium...

 

City of Houston offers $15.5 million to secure stadium land


By CAROLYN FEIBEL
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Houston has offered more than $15.5 million to buy five downtown blocks that could be a future site of a Dynamo soccer stadium.

The city council could vote on the deal this Wednesday. The purchase price assumes the land is worth $49 per square foot, almost quadruple the assessed value of $12.50 per square foot, according to Harris County Appraisal District records.

The five blocks are owned by various corporate entities controlled by former Councilman Louis Macey. To acquire a sixth block, owned by a different company, the city has offered to swap a block nearby that it already owns.

The six-block tract is between Texas and Walker streets on the north and south, and Bastrop and St. Emanuel streets, just east of 59 in the so-called "warehouse district." The area has recently undergone some loft-style residential development.

The city hired an outside assessor for the deal, who said the land is worth $50-55 per square foot.

The land would only be used for a Dynamo stadium if the city can reach a good agreement with the team owners, said Andy Icken, deputy director for Public Works and Engineering. Mayor Bill White has said that he does not want taxpayer money to be used in the stadium construction.

"They identified this tract of land as one in which they would be interested," Icken. Negotiations are still ongoing.

The official line is that the city is acquiring the land for a number of possible future uses, including multifamily residential development

carolyn.feibel@chron.com

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5549921.html

 

Houston Dynamo stadium deal may be delayed
City Council will consider $15.5 million for 5 downtown blocks this week


By CAROLYN FEIBEL
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

The city of Houston has offered more than $15.5 million to buy five downtown blocks that could be the future site of a soccer stadium for the Houston Dynamo.

The City Council will consider the deal Wednesday, but is expected to delay approval for at least a week.

The purchase price assumes the land is worth $49 per square foot, almost four times the assessed value of $12.50 per square foot set by the Harris County Appraisal District.

The five blocks are owned by various corporate entities controlled by former Councilman Louis Macey. To acquire a sixth block, owned by a different company, the city has offered to swap a nearby block it already owns.

The six-block tract is between Texas and Walker streets on the north and south, and Hutchins and Dowling streets, just east of U.S. 59 in the "warehouse district." The area recently has undergone some loft-style residential development.

The land will be used for a Dynamo stadium only if the city can reach an agreement with the soccer team owners, said Andy Icken, deputy director for Public Works and Engineering.

"They identified this tract of land as one in which they would be interested," Icken said Monday. Negotiations with the team are continuing. Mayor Bill White has said he does not want public funds used for the actual stadium construction.

City officials are not saying what the land's ultimate use will be. They have conceded that a soccer stadium is one possibility, but also have mentioned a new police headquarters, affordable housing or mixed-use development. The city also could sell the land if nothing works out.

Officials also won't say whether the city would retain ownership of the land if the Dynamo stadium gets built on it. Team owners would not comment.


City offers incentive
That uncertainty troubles District C Councilwoman Anne Clutterbuck.

"Anytime we are spending taxpayer dollars ... I think we need to have some more clarity as to what it's for," she said. "I'm a firm believer that we shouldn't use property tax dollars to fund stadiums."

The seller, Macey, said he would be disappointed if the land is not used for a soccer stadium.

"My kids wanted to hold onto it, because it's very unusual for someone to be able to block up as many blocks as I have," Macey said. "They think it will be a lot more valuable in the future.

"For my part, it's civic pride," he said of his decision to sell. "I like being part of Houston's future."

Macey, 72, was a district councilman from 1976 to 1979.

To ensure the land would be used for a soccer stadium, Macey wanted to add a clause to the sale contract with the city. But White persuaded him not to add the restriction, Macey said.

Macey gave at least $1,450 to the 2007 campaigns of White and council members Pam Holm, M.J. Khan and Clutterbuck.

"My preference is to get a stadium," said Councilman James Rodriguez, whose District I contains the tract. If a soccer stadium does not materialize, Rodriguez said the purchase still is a good deal.

"We're in the driver's seat," he said, "We're extending the boundaries of downtown."

As an added incentive for Macey, the city has offered to abandon a block of Jackson Street between Capitol and Rusk. Macey owns a parking lot there, just south of Minute Maid Park. The street's closure could give him flexibility in developing it.

The city hired an outside appraiser who put the value of the Macey blocks at $50 to 55 per square foot. HCAD's current assessment is about $12.50 per square foot.

"We looked at actual sales that occurred out there in 2006," said Jim Robinson, chief appraiser for HCAD. "The actual sales in that neighborhood averaged $12.29 per square foot."

But Robinson said HCAD does not get a full picture of nearby sale prices because Texas law does not require their disclosure.

"We operate with one hand tied behind our back, particularly with high-end residential sales and commercial sales," Robinson said. "That's a huge weakness of the Texas tax system."


TIRZ involvement
Robinson said the six-block tract was unique and, therefore, more valuable than nearby properties, because it is contiguous and the city has the legal authority to block off the streets.

"I think it's a good price," said Dan Nip, chairman of the East Downtown Redevelopment Authority, which operates Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 15.

That TIRZ eventually may pay the city back for the purchase of the land, said Robert Fiederlein, the mayor's TIRZ adviser.

TIRZs are economic development entities that get to keep part of an area's property tax revenues and reinvest them within the zone. The City Council voted to expand the boundaries of TIRZ 15 last December, Fiederlein said, in part to "build up the potential reservoir of tax increment to pay the city back for the (land) acquisition."

Clutterbuck said she wanted to know more about TIRZ involvement or any other type of financing before voting on the land purchase Wednesday. She said she might use a parliamentary "tag" to delay the vote for one week.

"We need community input in this also," Clutterbuck said.

carolyn.feibel@chron.com

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5551093.html

 

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5566708.html

 

no sir.... this will attract football(soccer) lovers no just mexicans, not just hispanics, but people from every race that loves soccer and me of course.

 

this would be a ball drop of massive proportions if they cant secure the land for this stadium downtown. out in the burbs would be a failure.