Harris County Approves Dynamo Stadium Deal

Harris County Approves Dynamo Stadium Deal
Updated: Tuesday, 13 Apr 2010, 11:10 AM CDT/ Published : 11:07 AM CDT


MARK BERMAN
Sports Director
HOUSTON - If you've ever bought a home and had to close on the deal before you could move in, then you know exactly how the folks at the Houston Dynamo and Texas Southern University are feeling right now.

Tuesday Harris County Commissioners Court approved their end of the deal as they become partners with the City of Houston and the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority in building a new stadium for the Dynamo and TSU east of downtown.

Dynamo ownership will provide the $60 million for construction costs, while the city and county will each provide $10 million for infrastructure.

The money paid by the city and county will come from taxes generated by the stadium complex that would not exist otherwise.

The city has already purchased the 12 acres that will be used for the project at a cost of $15 million. The county will reimburse the city one-half of that cost to gain an equal ownership share.

Texas Southern University athletics director Charles McCLelland said the school has entered the project as a co-tenant and will make a one-time payment of $1.5 million.

As big a deal as this is for the Dynamo, it may be even bigger for TSU.

"It's a significant day for Texas Southern," said McClelland in an interview with FOX 26 Sports.. "We've been a transient program now for over 30 years.

"Currently we play in a high school stadium. For us to be able to get a facility of this magnitude is equivalent to being homeless and getting one of those mansions in River Oaks. We're going to be the envy of the Southwestern Athletic Conference."

The Dynamo haven't been anywhere near homeless, but they have been a bit nomadic. When they couldn't get their own home in San Jose, California six years ago they moved to Houston where they were promised a new stadium.

Six years and two championships later, and after more than two years of hard negotiations, the Dynamo will get that home they can call their own.

"We are delighted that Commissioners Court has given its approval to the new Dynamo stadium," said Oliver Luck, Dynamo President. "This decision means that Houston has a true grand slam with a first class venue for each of our major sports- football and rodeo at Reliant Stadium, basketball at Toyota Center, baseball at Minute Maid Park and soccer.

"It is socially significant that all of the major demographic groups in the region now have a sports venue to call their own."

The Sports Authority still has to negotiate a lease with Dynamo ownership. Construction is scheduled to begin next fall.

"It's just great to be rewarded with a stadium after coming from San Jose and being up in the air, if we're going to stay there, if we're moving," said Brian Ching, Dynamo forward.

"And then coming here, if we're going to get a stadium, if we're not going to get a stadium, and to finally have a place that we are going to call home and the organization is going to be here for a long time, it's pretty special."

The instant success the Dynamo had in the field of play with MLS Championships in its first two years in Houston helped lay the foundation the team needed to eventually get its own stadium.

"I go back to that first game we won 5-2," said Dominic Kinnear, the Dynamo's coach. "I think it was just a lightning bolt of excitement that brought the attention of soccer to the city. Along the way it was 'where's our stadium, where's our stadium?'

"And to know this day has come has kind of made the journey all the worthwhile."

Perhaps Dynamo defender Mike Chabala said it best.

"I know that the city respects us and appreciates us, but I think the ones that maybe don't actually follow us, they'll take us more serious because now we actually have a stadium along with the rest of the pro clubs here," said Chabala.

Since the Dynamo moved to Houston they have played their home games at Robertson Stadium on the University of Houston campus.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/100413-county-approves-dynamo-stadium-deal