Columbia- new stadium?

[ccd494]

NYCFC is discussing a 25,000 seat, $400 million stadium on the site of Columbia's current stadium.

http://www.sbisoccer.com/2015/04/consider-columbia-university.html

[clenz]

Dammit...if work didn't keep me from this board I was going to post this about 30 mintues ago.


Damn work

[Danielr11220]

Crain's is reporting this toohttp://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20150429/BLOGS03/150429829 and so is the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/29/sports/soccer/new-york-city-fc-searching-for-stadium-site-is-considering-columbia-athletic-complex.html?_r=0

[Mattymc727]

WOW, 400 million for 25k? NYC...

[Lehigh Football Nation]

FWIW, I cannot imagine the residents up there at the tip of Manhattan will allow this to happen. IMO. They're fine with the modest numbers Columbia football brings in, but I have little faith that they'll be OK with the numbers NYCFC will bring.

[DFW HOYA]

FWIW, I cannot imagine the residents up there at the tip of Manhattan will allow this to happen. IMO. They're fine with the modest numbers Columbia football brings in, but I have little faith that they'll be OK with the numbers NYCFC will bring.

What's the difference to the residents between a 17,000 seat Baker Field and a 20,000 seat MLS stadium? Or are we saying that if Columbia actually drew 17,000 a game, there would be a problem?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

What's the difference to the residents between a 17,000 seat Baker Field and a 20,000 seat MLS stadium? Or are we saying that if Columbia actually drew 17,000 a game, there would be a problem?

I think it might be a problem with the residents if Columbia were pulling in 17,000 a game on a regular basis, yes.

[ccd494]

I think it might be a problem with the residents if Columbia were pulling in 17,000 a game on a regular basis, yes.

It's NYC. It's not like people are going to drive and park there.

[Dane96]

FWIW, I cannot imagine the residents up there at the tip of Manhattan will allow this to happen. IMO. They're fine with the modest numbers Columbia football brings in, but I have little faith that they'll be OK with the numbers NYCFC will bring.

Your kidding, right? This is Morningside Heights we are talking about and, without Columbia buying up large swaths of real estate (in blocks)...the neighborhood would be a disaster.

For one thing, Columbia will likely get what it wants. For two, they own most of the real estate in the area...even renting it out to businesses and non-students.

They also have good relationships with both their State and City reps.

[Pinnum]

What's the difference to the residents between a 17,000 seat Baker Field and a 20,000 seat MLS stadium? Or are we saying that if Columbia actually drew 17,000 a game, there would be a problem?

Let's assume that Columbia currently sells out their home games. Five home dates a year might be a little bit of an annoyance for neighbors but not enough to be concerned about. Additionally, with them all being Saturday afternoon games they are not likely to be much of an inconvenience.

But if you add in the NYCFC games you're talking about over 30 dates a year with the majority of them being evenings and a fair share of weekdays. That changes things considerably.

Note: This past fall Columbia averaged 5,500 fans for their four home game.

[Pinnum]

Your kidding, right? This is Morningside Heights we are talking about and, without Columbia buying up large swaths of real estate (in blocks)...the neighborhood would be a disaster.

For one thing, Columbia will likely get what it wants. For two, they own most of the real estate in the area...even renting it out to businesses and non-students.

They also have good relationships with both their State and City reps.

I am not too familiar with many neighborhoods in the City but figured Columbia would have a large presence anywhere they had a complex.

I am curious what this partnership and facility would look like and assume it would be, from an athletics standpoint, a better fit for the needs of NYCFC than Columbia athletics as I doubt the new facility would incorporate a running track.

[DFW HOYA]

Your kidding, right? This is Morningside Heights we are talking about and, without Columbia buying up large swaths of real estate (in blocks)...the neighborhood would be a disaster.

Baker Field is in Inwood, not Morningside Heights. It's 100 blocks north.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inwood,_Manhattan

[Go Green]

Columbia fans on the Ivy board are not optimistic this will happen.

[Dane96]

I am not too familiar with many neighborhoods in the City but figured Columbia would have a large presence anywhere they had a complex.

I am curious what this partnership and facility would look like and assume it would be, from an athletics standpoint, a better fit for the needs of NYCFC than Columbia athletics as I doubt the new facility would incorporate a running track.

I would presume that Columbia would get some sort of track and field set-up as part of the deal. The information I have read and been given says that the aside from the stadium, NYFC will be updating and building other Columbia athletic facilities. The kicker: they all share the same colors...so that part should be seamless.

This isn't a first: Houston Dynamo and Texas Southern share the same field/pitch.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

If it goes through, NYCFC would demolish Robert Kraft field in order to put up their soccer stadium. Thought I'd throw that out there.

[DFW HOYA]

If it goes through, NYCFC would demolish Robert Kraft field in order to put up their soccer stadium. Thought I'd throw that out there.

Well, it depends on whether the naming gift was contingent on the facility, or whether it was simply in honor of Kraft's gift. Probably the latter.

[Gate83]

Having been up there a number of times, can't imagine where they'd park the cars. And it's not easy mass transit like the Barclay's Center... long, slow local from midtown. But hey, if it's only $400 million...

[Go Green]

If it goes through, NYCFC would demolish Robert Kraft field in order to put up their soccer stadium. Thought I'd throw that out there.

They could do that.

Or they could just put up more seats on the visitors' side.

[bonarae]

OK, so Columbia may have to do an ETSU or maybe another FCS team (I can't remember which) by renting another stadium in the place of their current stadium while it is under construction?

[heath]

Not going to happen unless new staff can win the Ivyxlolxxlolx

[Go Green]

OK, so Columbia may have to do an ETSU or maybe another FCS team (I can't remember which) by renting another stadium in the place of their current stadium while it is under construction?

They're used to it. They played all their "home" games at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands in 1983 when the current stadium was being built.

Or they can do what Princeton did in 1997 and play every game on the road while the current stadium was being built.

Or they can play some games at Fordham (although why they didn't do that in 1983 isn't clear to me).

[Go Green]

Or they can play some games at Fordham (although why they didn't do that in 1983 isn't clear to me).

I don't suppose Hofstra's football field still exists? That should be available! :)

[BucBisonAtLarge]

That is the northernmost tip of Manhattan, bounded by water... Parking and traffic would need accommodation. Parking you might bury or build, but the roads in and out are really limited.

[UAalum72]

Or they can play some games at Fordham (although why they didn't do that in 1983 isn't clear to me).

Not sure of Columbia's relationship with Fordham as it seems the Light Blue are dropping their Liberty Cup series with the Rams.

Wagner's field is too small even for Columbia.


I don't suppose Hofstra's football field still exists? That should be available! :)
Yes, Shuart Stadium is still used for Hofstra lacrosse and a pro soccer A-league team. It's a way out, though half as far as Stony Brook.

[danefan]

Parking is a non-issue. They'd need a modest parking garage that could easily be built on top of the soccer field that they clearly won't need any more.

Plus the vast majority of MLS fans will travel via train (the 1 stops a few blocks away and Metro North is right on the other side of the water. A little pedestrian bridge over the Harlem River solves most for the issues.

Its a no-brained for Colombia and Fordham should get on board too although I'm not sure it makes sense for NYUFC to spend $400m.

[Danielr11220]

Colombia could play at Yankee Stadium, just like NYCFC in the meantime

[Mattymc727]

Colombia could play at Yankee Stadium, just like NYCFC in the meantime

Dont they play at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Melendez? Plus the travel cost from South America would be crazy, so much for home games...

[Pinnum]

Parking is a non-issue. They'd need a modest parking garage that could easily be built on top of the soccer field that they clearly won't need any more. .

Don't they use the current soccer and football field for intramurals?

[danefan]

Don't they use the current soccer and football field for intramurals?

They could put an intramural field on top of the garage. Take a look at Yankee stadium. That's exactly what they did. Little relative incremental cost and its a nice touch.

[Pinnum]

They could put an intramural field on top of the garage. Take a look at Yankee stadium. That's exactly what they did. Little relative incremental cost and its a nice touch.

Yeah, there are some options. I just get the impression this is in the very early stages and the two side might have drastically different needs.

I have always liked NYU's rooftop sports complex as a wise use of space.
https://dailytrackpic.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/nyu.png?w=812
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d4/ac/0e/d4ac0e62709dd5a8c127dee516f50e83.jpg

[Danielr11220]

Dont they play at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Melendez? Plus the travel cost from South America would be crazy, so much for home games... Sorry I meant Columbia lol

[DFW HOYA]

They could put an intramural field on top of the garage. Take a look at Yankee stadium. That's exactly what they did. Little relative incremental cost and its a nice touch.

Not a fan of that. Especially when things don't get fixed (and still hasn't)...

http://www.thehoya.com/kehoe-field-an-obstacle-course-of-injury-risks/

[danefan]

Not a fan of that. Especially when things don't get fixed (and still hasn't)...

http://www.thehoya.com/kehoe-field-an-obstacle-course-of-injury-risks/

Basic maintenance....

[PAllen]

Not a fan of that. Especially when things don't get fixed (and still hasn't)...

http://www.thehoya.com/kehoe-field-an-obstacle-course-of-injury-risks/

Following through on athletic facilities is not Georgetown's strong suit.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Yeah, there are some options. I just get the impression this is in the very early stages and the two side might have drastically different needs.

My whole thing with this is how the needs of the emirs of the UAE have to do with the needs of Robert Kraft. It might be that there are 400 million reasons, but I don't think so.

There's also the needs of the existing residents to consider, and I have a feeling we'll be hearing a lot more from them about this.

[danefan]

My whole thing with this is how the needs of the emirs of the UAE have to do with the needs of Robert Kraft. It might be that there are 400 million reasons, but I don't think so.

There's also the needs of the existing residents to consider, and I have a feeling we'll be hearing a lot more from them about this.

I doubt it. They live by a trainyard. Lets not pretend this is upscale Central Park West.

[Fordham]

I doubt it. They live by a trainyard. Lets not pretend this is upscale Central Park West.

that's true but you never know what push back may come from the deBlasio administration. They put the kaibosh on the original location that was favored by Bloomberg, which was in Queens. That's what led to Yankee stadium although I'm not sure why they aren't staying there a bit longer. That said, taking away public parkland (even if it was supposedly offset by new parkland being 'found' or cleared to compensate) was the reason the Queens option was eliminated. This Columbia option is even more of an imposition for the low to middle income residents who live there and I could see the Mayor's office pushing back or at least insisting on some give backs that may make it less likely to happen.

[ccd494]

My whole thing with this is how the needs of the emirs of the UAE have to do with the needs of Robert Kraft. It might be that there are 400 million reasons, but I don't think so.

There's also the needs of the existing residents to consider, and I have a feeling we'll be hearing a lot more from them about this.

Robert Kraft also owns an MLS team (which is probably news to him, but he does). It's in his interest for NYCFC to be a success and a revenue generator for the league.

[Danielr11220]

This area also has an increasing Hispanic population an borders other huge Hispanic neighborhoods, I am sure NYCFC will want to take advantage of that target market (MLS view latinos and "urban millennial hipsters" as their key growth demographics for success, which is why they are stepping away from Soccer Specific Stadiums built in the suburbs and mandating stadiums being built in the downtown core, that is by mass transit and a walk-able community.)

[DFW HOYA]

This area also has an increasing Hispanic population an borders other huge Hispanic neighborhoods, I am sure NYCFC will want to take advantage of that target market (MLS view latinos and "urban millennial hipsters" as their key growth demographics for success, which is why they are stepping away from Soccer Specific Stadiums built in the suburbs and mandating stadiums being built in the downtown core, that is by mass transit and a walk-able community.)

Someone should have told that to FC Dallas. They moved from a stadium two miles from downtown on a major rail line to scenic Frisco, 30 miles north and inaccessible by any public transit.

[Danielr11220]

Someone should have told that to FC Dallas. They moved from a stadium two miles from downtown on a major rail line to scenic Frisco, 30 miles north and inaccessible by any public transit.


I think they got that done before MLS started shifting their focus. MLS wants all their teams to have a SSS(Soccer Specific Stadium), initially they were being built in the suburbs like FC Dallas, Redbulls, La Galaxy and Chicago Fire did now due to the successes of Seattle and Portland's crowd they want a SSS(or at least if they will share an NFL/CFL Stadium it has to be customizable to a MLS crowd to create an intimate setting i.e. Seattle and the new Atlanta stadium) in a down town core area of the stadium. This was key reason Minnesota United FC bid beat out the bid by the the Minnesota Vikings ownership it gave them both as opposed to one of the criteria.

[caribbeanhen]

NYCFC is discussing a 25,000 seat, $400 million stadium on the site of Columbia's current stadium.

http://www.sbisoccer.com/2015/04/consider-columbia-university.html

are they discussing what they would use it for?