Orlando mayor confirms purchase of downtown land for soccer-specific stadium

[Abou Sky]

Although when we play Orlando I will squawk about what a bunch of goat fuckers they are, I really DO want them to get a team.

Watching the game from last night of NYRB vs. SKC I can't see how on earth Garber thinks that a second team in NY makes more sense than one in Orlando. It would seem to me that LA would be a bigger soccer market (no research, just kind of figure weather/demographics) and LA can't hold 2 teams.

Good luck to Orlando.


http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/04/18/kick-mayor-orlando-confirms-city-has-purchased-prime-plot-downtown-land-socc (http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/04/18/kick-mayor-orlando-confirms-city-has-purchased-prime-plot-downtown-land-socc)

1. ORLANDO’S MAYOR OFFICIALLY UNVEILS SOCCER STADIUM PLANS: Huge news coming out of Orlando, as Mayor Buddy Dyer confirmed the City has spent $8.2 million on purchasing land to give to Orlando City Soccer Club (http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/dyer-opens-about-land-purchase-new-mls-stadium/nXPb3/) for a new soccer-specific stadium. The plot of land sits in a prime downtown location, and Dyer believes the lure of MLS and the redevelopment of that area made his decision an easy one. "That's the perfect location," said Dyer. “That block is where we put the soccer stadium.” According to the report from WFTV Orlando, Orlando City will spend between $80-100 million to build the stadium and construction could start as early as December 2013. A huge breakthrough, it seems, in the clubs aim to make it as an MLS expansion franchise.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Plus they have the Pre-season to pad the bid.

[Auzzy]

Just wanted to mention that WFTV is a pretty awesome name for a TV station.

[Oldtimer]

It shows how much MLS has progressed as a desirable major league. $80-$100 million is a lot of cash to dole out for a soccer stadium. Toronto paid a tiny fraction of that for BMO field, and that only because of the U-20's.

[pekduck]

plenty of rooms/resorts flights for easy road tripping

that city is made for canadian snow birds anyway

[PopePouri]

Watching the game from last night of NYRB vs. SKC I can't see how on earth Garber thinks that a second team in NY makes more sense than one in Orlando. It would seem to me that LA would be a bigger soccer market (no research, just kind of figure weather/demographics) and LA can't hold 2 teams.


I think the stadium location plays a big difference. I really think a stadium in Queens will attract a lot of people who don't want to travel to Harrison to see a game. LA could also hold 2 teams but one team is Chivas USA.

Orlando's stadium is going to be close to downtown.

https://maps.google.ca/maps/myplaces?hl=en&ll=28.540752,-81.386021&spn=0.005765,0.008256&ctz=240&t=h&z=18

[TFC07]

I hope Orlando joins MLS. We need a team from Florida (Southern East region in general) in the league.

[[NBF]]

The New York Red Bulls cant even sell out a 19,000 seat stadium, how do they plan on adding a second team. IMO, Garber is dreaming of renewing the old New York Cosmos franchise, because of the name recognition in the USA.