Just because Crew fans nicknamed the stadium "The Erector Set" doesn't mean people should take that literally!

I bet MLS wouldn't mind having an expansion team in Cincy.

 

15 years ago I think they would have, now I think they are looking a more major markets.

Getting back to Tobias C's original question about the possibilities of a new stadium.  As much as we would all love to see a shiny new $100+ million downtown stadium for the Crew, it's probably very unlikely for a couple of financial reasons:

 

1) The current stadium is all paid for.

2) The Crew's lease agreement with the Fairgrounds is dirt-cheap.

 

According to this 2013 article - http://www.massivereport.com/2013/3/7/4077734/crew-stadium-approaching-crossroads-according-to-mccullers - the current lease agreement with the Fairgrounds (State Expo Center) is the following:  "The team has a 25 year lease with the State Expo Center at reasonable terms, $50,000 a year, adjusted for inflation every five years.  The team also has an option to renew the lease for an additional 25 years."

 

The team has eight years until they need to renew the current lease.  But the article also notes that "Crew Stadium won't last 50 years without significant investment and retrofitting."  Since Precourt has acquired the team, they've installed a new video screen on the scoreboard and been replacing some of the stadium bleachers with individual seats.  They've also been updating the private boxes and public concession areas.  Some future upgrades could be additions to the concourses and maybe a roof structure over the stands.

 

This isn't what alot of people want to hear.  But for a lower revenue league like MLS, some of the teams really need to watch their expenses.  And the current stadium/location setup for the Crew is just too good of a deal for them to move away from that right now.

Build a new stadium in Mason next to the Tennis Center. The Cincinnati Crew has a nice ring to it.

 

Build some new stadiums in the Cbus area....the Columbus Reds or Columbus Bengals sound even better. Maybe something to think about while Cincy once again wallows in racial tension and undergoes the ordeal of a long racially charged trial with a resolution that will leave a legacy of bitterness whatever it may be? Central Ohio IS the area that is expected to be gaining 500,000 people(or more) in the next 25 years-something to think about ;)

 

*Oh, and being the State Capital and all, I am sure we can find a way to make the rest of the state pay for the stadiums..hehehehe.

^Please keep it on topic.

It's true that everything at Crew Stadium can be renovated, added to, modernized, etc...heck they can even tear it down and rebuild there. I think the problem going forward will just be the location and the things that it can't provide. Even if Precourt could afford and wanted to develop around the stadium....it's not his property to do so with.

 

I could live with the stadium staying there, but if that was the definite plan, I would hope for a lot more enhancements. I've read that the stadium isnt built to accommodate a roof just being attached so a freestanding structure would probably have to go up around it to support a roof and would be expensive but as long as you're staying put there, could be worth it. Maybe even build a whole exoskeleton around the stands to hold the roof and to have a cool modern facade around the stadium. It would be sweet if it glowed yellow or something! It would look like a whole different stadium.

^Please keep it on topic.

 

Sorry about that, but it was about as on topic as what it was in response to.

 

Hey I'm not a surface lot anymore! :)

FYI:  Merged the MAPFRE Stadium Future discussion thread into this older Columbus Crew developments thread

 

There's some older discussion about Crew (now MAPFRE) Stadium, as well as discussion about a new location for the Crew practice facility in this thread.  So continue with those discussions and any future stadium discussions here.

 

But please no more posts about any city taking another city's team.  We have had too many past examples of even harmless joking of that type turning into ugly city vs. city posts.  Which is why we watch out for this.  Please continue on otherwise and thank you in advance for your understanding.

Crew SC hires firm to assess demand for new stadium

 

 

Mapfre Stadium’s days could be numbered.

 

Columbus Crew SC is looking into building a new home to replace the roughly 20,000-seat stadium it opened in 1999 as Major League Soccer’s first soccer-specific stadium.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/10/17/crew-sc-hires-firm-to-assess-demand-for-new.html

Couple more news items about Crew SC assessing demand for a new stadium:

 

-- Crew SC surveying Columbus business community on potential stadium relocation:  http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/10/20/crew-sc-surveying-columbus-business-community-on.html

 

-- Crew SC begin looking at new stadium options - A survey is the first public step for the team:  http://www.massivereport.com/2016/10/18/13314402/crew-sc-begin-looking-at-new-stadium-options

Where could Crew SC build a new stadium? Here are some potential sites:  http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/10/21/where-will-crew-sc-build-its-new-stadium-here-are.html

 

Business First had another follow-up to last week's news about Crew SC assessing demand for a new stadium.  In this article, they asked the natural question of "If Crew SC decides to build a new stadium, where would it go?"  They look at the history of where the Crew have played since its first season in 1996 and examine what a new stadium location might mean for the franchise.  The article also included this excerpt from an interview that current owner Anthony Precourt had with Sports Illustrated in August 2013 just after he purchased the franchise:

 

“Crew Stadium isn’t a destination place right now,” Precourt told Sports Illustrated for an August 2013 story. “You want to have bars and restaurants and things around, nightlife, retail. People can go out to the fairground and tailgate and go to the game, but it would be nice if they had a local pub nearby. It’s something we’re considering and talking about. The supporters have asked us about that. They want their own pub at the stadium.”  He pointed to Nationwide Arena and its surrounding Arena District as a model for a new soccer stadium in five or 10 years, yearning for a mixed-use district over an isolated stadium amid a sea of surface parking.

^ That article also included five potential locations for a new Crew Stadium.  Unfortunately, the article is subscriber access only for the full article - including the location maps for five potential locations.  But four of the locations got very low likelihood ratings and are probably not good relocation candidates:  (1) White Castle HQ site near downtown; (2) Cooper Stadium site on the near west side; (3) Beulah Park site in Grove City; (4) Delaware County greenfield location.

 

But one location did get a high likelihood rating as a relocation site:  The former casino location west of the Arena District.

 

This is 25 acres of open space at 560 W. Nationwide Boulevard.  It was originally designated as the Columbus casino location in a statewide ballot before it was moved (via another vote) to the city's west side.  Prior to the relocation vote, the land was prepped for development.  After the relocation vote, Nationwide Realty Investors - the developer of the Arena District - purchased this property.  NRI had floated a residential redevelopment of this site, but hasn't proceeded on any plans to date.

 

Here are the two graphics from http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/10/21/where-will-crew-sc-build-its-new-stadium-here-are.html.  The first shows the existing Mapfre Stadium location with a 15-acre footprint drawn around the stadium.  The second graphic shows that same stadium footprint superimposed onto the Arena West site at 560 W. Nationwide Boulevard:

 

 

 

One big advantage of this Arena West location for a new Crew Stadium is its location adjacent to the Arena District - which has multiple parking garages that already serve Nationwide Arena and Huntington Park.  Another is the NRI ownership of the site - NRI previously partnered with Franklin County to build the Columbus Clippers baseball stadium at Nationwide & Neil only a few blocks away.  And the Arena District development is starting to filter into this Arena West location - which would give Crew SC the vibrant mixed-use district surrounding their new stadium that they are seeking.

 

Here is the text under the Arena West map graphic from Business First.  The NRI President is non-committal to a new Crew Stadium on their property at this early stage.  But his quotes do seem very much open to the possibility:

 

"The former home of Jaeger Machine Co. was originally selected as the site for Hollywood Casino Columbus before opposition forced it to the west side.  Nationwide Mutual Insurance's real estate arm acquired the property in 2011 with plans to extend its Arena District development westward.  There was mention of residential buildings, but no detailed plans have been put forth.  Crew SC for years has pointed to the Arena District as an example of the type of mix of uses it wants around a stadium.  "The survey that Crew SC is conducting lists a wide variety of neighborhoods - the Arena District among them", Nationwide Realty Investors President Brian Ellis said.  "We would need a considerable amount of information before we could comment on the feasibility of any of the locations listed in the survey.  We have a great relationship with Crew SC and talk with them regularly on a variety of topics.  We haven't explored this in any meaningful level of detail."

^Will there be enough space on the site with the proposed Pen West mixed use development right there along the river?

^Will there be enough space on the site with the proposed Pen West mixed use development right there along the river?

 

It should be.  In that aerial photo, all those little buildings between the NRI-owned site and the river is where the Ruscilli office/apartment project will be going.  A new street would go between that project and the NRI-owned site where a new Crew Stadium could go.

 

Here are the renderings of the Ruscilli office/apartment project in the Arena District thread:  http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,3335.msg776897.html#msg776897

 

Here are more recent renderings for the west end of Nationwide Boulevard between that Ruscilli project and the former City Power Plant that received historic tax credits for its renovation:  http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,3335.msg809910.html#msg809910

Crew SC management says there is no rush to move stadium

 

Columbus Crew SC ranks dead last in attendance in Major League Soccer despite having the lowest average ticket prices in the league.

 

And although there is pressure to put more fans in seats and growing talk about building a new stadium somewhere else, Crew officials say there is no plan in place right now to move out of Mapfre Stadium, which is located off of Interstate 71 on the city's north side.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/08/15/crew-sc-management-says-there-is-no-rush-to-move.html

^I was talking to someone last night who stated that Mapfre is somewhat "modular" in that it can be disassembled, moved, and rebuilt and that this was envisioned from the get go. Is that true?

^I was talking to someone last night who stated that Mapfre is somewhat "modular" in that it can be disassembled, moved, and rebuilt and that this was envisioned from the get go. Is that true?

 

In a word, No.

 

As I said previously to the same question two years ago, "Just because Crew fans nicknamed the stadium "The Erector Set" doesn't mean people should take that literally!"

Crew SC management says there is no rush to move stadium

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/08/15/crew-sc-management-says-there-is-no-rush-to-move.html

 

I would hope that people don't panic over this headline.  Just because Crew management says "there's no rush" and "there's no plan in place right now" does not mean that there isn't behind-the-scenes planning taking place.

 

Crew SC has another 6 seasons on the original 25 year lease for the Fairgrounds site, which is owned by the State of Ohio.  This original lease has a team option to renew for an additional 25 year lease on the site.  But the team would likely have to invest heavily on a stadium that would need significant upgrades during that next 25 year lease period.

 

However, even if they did upgrade the current stadium, it would still be at the isolated sub-par location of the State Fairgrounds.  And, as was shown previously in this thread, a ready-made downtown location next to the Arena District is available and owned by an entity, NRI, that is either capable of building or helping to build a new Crew Stadium.

 

But the behind-the-scenes work of getting public-private coordination and support to build a new Crew Stadium on this ready-made site should not be underestimated.  I don't know how long that behind-the-scenes work will take, but the Crew do have 6 seasons before they'll be forced in a contractual sense into a long-term decision.  So it that sense, Crew management is correct that they don't need to rush a decision.  If they wish, they can take the next couple of seasons to do the necessary behind-the-scenes work before any big public announcement.

Another report about the annual 'State of the Franchise' news conference held by Crew SC President Andy Loughnane yesterday.  This one is from the Massive Report website that does an excellent job of covering the Crew.

 

This report takes a deeper dive into this season's attendance issues, a possible late-October playoff game complication with a schedule Fairgrounds event, and where Crew SC stands with a potential new stadium:

 

---

Andy Loughnane talks attendance issues, playoff complications and a new stadium:

- The Crew SC president of business operations gave some insight on the state of the franchise

 

https://www.massivereport.com/2017/8/16/16155106/andy-loughnane-talks-attendance-issues-playoff-complications-and-a-new-stadium-columbus-crew-sc

Well, here's another proposal. I like the views of downtown but the site plan is a mess. Only 1200 parking spaces below the stadium. probably should be higher. There's no mention of vehicular access north to Vine/Goodale (through the White Castle site - which would help both developments) nor are there improvements to the south. The bike bridge location is a good spot for a vehicular bridge curving south to meet Spring St. at the 315 N off ramp. The large plaza doesn't make a lot of sense either. And the pitch really needs to be oriented north/south.

 

 

 

 

https://www.columbusunderground.com/save-the-crew-releases-downtown-stadium-concept-bw1

Meh.

Does this location work better than the site near Abbott?

Does this location work better than the site near Abbott?

Probably since Abbott is not selling their land.

I love a lot of the ideas and concepts for the stadium structure itself but I'm not in love with the site plan.

 

The Nationwide site can totally work if the road situation is figured out (I agree about connecting Nationwide Blvd over to Spring St for improved ingress/egress. I think for an area like the Arena District though the plans are to suburban in their layout. The futsal courts are unnecessary and they could easily position the stadium on the property to allow for more development along the streetfront. They also envision the training facility on the adjacent triangle of land bound by railroads to the east.....and I think that's a poor use of that land. A training facility should actually be in the suburbs where theres ample room for multiple fields. That triangle would be ideal for parking facilities hidden back away from the main thoroughfare, that both a Crew stadium, and the other venues to the east in the Arena District (especially Huntington Park) can share.

 

But I definitely applaud the effort with this and it goes to show the possibilities for the Crew with new ownership who are actually invested in the city and community.

You gotta give #SaveTheCrew a ton of credit for everything they've been doing.  These downtown stadium concept visuals is simply the latest in their multi-front effort to thwart PSV and MLS from stealing the Crew from Columbus.

 

-- The stadium gets an A+ from me (love the orientation to the downtown skyline and the general feel of it)

-- The site planning gets a D- however.  Just put the stadium on the NRI-owned land and make the city-owned land next to the river into a riverfront park adjacent to the new stadium.  Maybe that triangular plot between all the elevated tracks could be temporary parking with a long-term plan for club practice facilities.  But the Crew's Obetz practice facilities are up to even MLS 3.0 standards - only being in a remote location could be considered a negative.

 

Ultimately, this won't make-or-break #SaveTheCrew.  The decisions later today in Austin will.  As will the decisions in the pending Modell Lawsuit in Columbus.  But as for this #SaveTheCrew volunteer produced downtown stadium concept - it is at least as professional as the PSV-funded "professional" plans in Austin.  Which has been a running theme in these volunteer #SaveTheCrew efforts versus the big-money PSV-MLS efforts.

 

I just want to thank #SaveTheCrew for all their hard work over the past 10 months.  They have done everything they could to keep the Crew in Columbus.  Below is a copy of a full-page ad in today's Dispatch that says it better than I can right now.  Just know this - whatever happens in Austin tonight - THIS ISN'T OVER!!!

 

Columbus Mayor announces future plans for Crew SC and MAPFRE stadium

 

 

"The city has committed funds for infrastructure and land for the new stadium as well as the county.

 

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther announced the proposal includes moving Crew SC’s practice facility to MAPFRE Stadium once the new stadium is complete.

 

Additional, MAPFRE Stadium will be turned into the Columbus Community Sports Park, a shared-use center with an indoor soccer field and basketball courts as well as outdoor athletic fields."

 

https://www.10tv.com/article/columbus-mayor-announces-future-plans-crew-sc-and-mapfre-stadium

 

More:

 

https://www.dispatch.com/news/20181205/columbus-plans-for-community-sports-complex-if-crew-sc-leaves-mapfre-stadium

 

https://www.columbusunderground.com/plan-for-future-of-mapfre-stadium-unveiled-new-stadium-announcement-coming-soon-bw1

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/12/05/mapfre-makeover-how-the-city-plans-to-redevelop.html

Wish they'd move the Ohio History Connection to south of COSI and demolish the brutalist building it's in, and expand this to an even larger park...

48 minutes ago, aderwent said:

Wish they'd move the Ohio History Connection to south of COSI and demolish the brutalist building it's in, and expand this to an even larger park...

I don’t know if I’m remembering right, but wasn’t there once a plan to move it downtown at some point?

5 minutes ago, jonoh81 said:

I don’t know if I’m remembering right, but wasn’t there once a plan to move it downtown at some point?

 

Correct, kind of. The ongoing discussion I believe is to ultimately open up a new satellite/public museum in either Downtown or Franklinton, while keeping the 71 facility for collection storage, office space, as well as keeping/expanding the Ohio Village. What most don't realize is that a majority of the building is not actually museum/public space but is actually collection storage, procurement, office, and education space. 

11 minutes ago, DevolsDance said:

 

Correct, kind of. The ongoing discussion I believe is to ultimately open up a new satellite/public museum in either Downtown or Franklinton, while keeping the 71 facility for collection storage, office space, as well as keeping/expanding the Ohio Village. What most don't realize is that a majority of the building is not actually museum/public space but is actually collection storage, procurement, office, and education space. 

Ok I thought I heard something like this, but a while back.  

 

Also, what’s this insider information on transit? Don’t hold out on us. 

New stadium concept for Columbus Crew to be unveiled Thursday at Land-Grant

 

The investors in line to buy Columbus Crew SC are set to announce plans for a new stadium Thursday.

 

The announcement is set for noon at Land-Grant Brewing Co. in Franklinton.

 

Included in the lineup of speakers are orthopedic surgeon and Crew team physician Dr. Pete Edwards Jr., whose family is part of the proposed ownership group along with the Haslam family that owns the Cleveland Browns. Several local and state politicians also will be there.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/12/06/new-stadium-for-columbus-crew-to-be-unveiled.html

 

I cannot wait to see what they announce!   

https://www.columbusunderground.com/new-crew-sc-stadium-and-mixed-use-development-proposed-for-downtown-bw1

 

 

 

I can't believe how good this is!!!

 

Good plan. Creating a whole new neighborhood and not just the stadium. This is very close to what I thought would be the very best-only the road connection across the Olentangy is missing(and they still have a pedestrian crossing). Looks like there is a sliver of parkland along the river and also connnected to a patch across. The number of residential units is way more than I would have expected. This should really be a vibrant mixed use neighborhood! Good job Cbus!!!!!   

I bet it makes that former Roundhouse triangle between the stadiums that had its project bailed out on desirable again.

7 minutes ago, GCrites80s said:

I bet it makes that former Roundhouse triangle between the stadiums that had its project bailed out on desirable again.

I hope you are right. What was that called, Grand Central or something like that? 

Just now, Toddguy said:

I hope you are right. What was that called, Grand Central or something like that? 

I'm also fixated not on the stadiums, but on the triangle land between them. My initial reaction is that the Confluence is too closed off. Is there any hope of extending an actual street grid here? 

10 minutes ago, surfohio said:

I'm also fixated not on the stadiums, but on the triangle land between them. My initial reaction is that the Confluence is too closed off. Is there any hope of extending an actual street grid here? 

I am not sure, but I have a feeling it will be very challenging. I can see something from the White Castle site south to this Confluence Village, but it looks like it would be difficult to connect the triangle area to any of the areas around it without some serious $$$$ unless you just have at grade crossings. Isn't that one of the reasons that Schottenstein dropped their proposal?-because of the difficulties in connecting the areas? 

 

The damn area is so divided by the tracks and the freeway. It would be great to see the areas interconnected though I agree with that. 

 

 

*and even the link from White Castle area to this would have to have a hell of a long and expensive underpass I would think...and that close to the river?

Edited December 6, 20186 yr by Toddguy

I like the proposal. I would like to see Nationwide Blvd. extended west and then south to meet 33 at the intersection of 33 and the northbound 315 exit ramp. I work in the area and it seems like a traffic quagmire. Of course, a rail station next to the stadium would help! 

37 minutes ago, Toddguy said:

I hope you are right. What was that called, Grand Central or something like that? 

https://www.columbusunderground.com/proposal-calls-for-apartments-condos-hotels-and-more-on-vacant-land-next-to-arena-district-bw1

This is cool. Looks like two new pedestrian bridges over the river, yeah?

Ugh at the site plan but I dig the stadium.

 

 

More at: https://www.columbusunderground.com/new-crew-sc-stadium-and-mixed-use-development-proposed-for-downtown-bw1

27 minutes ago, DarkandStormy said:

https://www.columbusunderground.com/proposal-calls-for-apartments-condos-hotels-and-more-on-vacant-land-next-to-arena-district-bw1

This is the part I recall the most (from the cancellation of it):

 

Quote

Although managing partner Corey Schottenstein characterized the site as a “great location” when the preliminary plans were unveiled in August, it appears as though the limitations of the two irregularly-shaped parcels ended up outweighing their proximity to the Arena District and downtown.

“It was determined that, in our opinion, the property has severe development restrictions including: A) defective access; B) railroad tracks in impeding locations with no ability for any crossings; C) major area traffic problems which would greatly limit approvals for desired land uses and adequate density for a developer of its size.”

 

Those "severe development restrictions" and all.

Plan calls for $230M Columbus Crew stadium in the Arena District, anchoring new mixed-use development

 

The investor group in line to buy Columbus Crew SC is committing $230 million to build a new stadium in the Arena District, moving them closer to finalizing a deal with Major League Soccer to keep the team in Columbus.

 

The new 430,000-square-foot stadium, initially dubbed Columbus Crew Arena, would go on land now owned by Nationwide Realty Investors Ltd. at the far west end of the Arena District, bordering the Olentangy River.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/12/06/plan-calls-for-230m-columbus-crew-stadium-in-the.html

Columbus Crew's proposed buyers pledging $645M total investment

 

The ownership group planning to buy Columbus Crew SC is committing to make major investments in the team and the city.

 

A big part of that commitment was unveiled Thursday with plans for a new $230 million stadium in the Arena District, anchoring a larger mixed-use development in the far west part of the neighborhood.

 

A plan for a new stadium was a condition to finalizing a deal for Major League Soccer and Crew SC operator/owner Precourt Sports Ventures to sell the team to Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam and the Edwards family of Columbus, including orthopedic surgeon and Crew team physician Dr. Pete Edwards Jr.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/12/06/columbus-crews-proposed-buyers-pledging-645m-total.html

So is the Haslam purchase a done deal or is there still a risk the Crew could go to Austin or somewhere else?

12 minutes ago, Brutus_buckeye said:

So is the Haslam purchase a done deal or is there still a risk the Crew could go to Austin or somewhere else?

 

It is 99.9999999% done.  You should've listened to me when I said we would #SaveTheCrew!

Good job! I for one did not have much faith in your group (or more importantly the Columbus business community on this) because of the short time frame needed to get it done. You proved me wrong and it is great to hear there will be a budding soccer rivalry in Ohio over the next couple decades.

The site plan shows the Municipal Light Plant being retained... has anybody ever proposed something specific for this building? It's beautiful on the outside but I'm sure it'd be a mighty expensive project to re-purpose.  I love the idea of an outdoor beer garden that connects down to the Olentangy River.