The following statement appeared in the comments last night about the Milwaukee Mile soccer stadium:
Please learn more about the project prior to leaping to conclusions. The stadium/field would NOT be in the middle of the infield (except on race days). On game days, the field would be flush against the main grandstand with 10k additional seats surrounding the field, which would move in and out to allow racing similar to the AZ Cardinals U. of Phoenix Stadium. It would be upgraded to include a canopy roof over most of the main grandstand, 20+ luxury suites, a stadium club overlooking the field, permanent concession, merchandise and restroom facilities. It would be a more intimate and permanent feeling stadium than BMO Field in TO.
peter wilt
For those of you who are lucky enough to be much less geeked out about this soccer shit than I, Peter Wilt is one of the honchos behind the Milwaukee expansion efforts, and is the much-loved former GM of the Chicago Fire. He's generally well regarded by both colleagues and fans including myself, and I appreciate him giving up the details on the project (especially since he didn't even give them to the paper that originally published the story).
But as far as me "leaping to conclusions", I'm not sure that's a fair thing to say; it's not like I have access to anyone involved in this project. I'll take this opportunity to remind anyone within eyeshot that I make no claims to be a journalist.
I read the article and the blog from the business journal and formed my opinion from what was given. The details provided definitely provide a better vision of what the stadium would be like, but weren't included in either piece. I think it sounds intriguing, but personally I'm not really down for it.
It's nothing against NASCAR as one reader suggested (I never said "NASCAR and MLS don’t go together", nor did I say that the stadium would be in the track infield), I just personally think that MLS is at the point where it no longer needs to utilize a facility such as this.
11 comments:
I don't like it because it makes it feel like the soccer portion is just being "tacked on." Comments about how soccer has to piggyback on NASCAR's success would be everywhere (in Milwaukee, anyway). Nothing against NASCAR, it's just a bad idea (actually, I hate NASCAR, but that has nothing to do with my argument). Despite this guy's clarification, I still don't like it.
why hasn't anyone mentioned that the MLS really doesn't need a team in Wisconsin?
I have a better idea, Mr. Wilt. How about a stadium just for soccer and let the NASCAR people pursue their own venue? Not enough room for both? No offense meant to the folks in Wisconsin, but maybe Milwaukee isn't big enough.
Wouldn't it make more sense to put clubs and new stadiums in Portland and Philly instead? How about a club actually in NYC (c'mon Mets, you know you want to put a soccer facility next to Citipark)?
Peter Wilt is a douchebag. This is the guy who moved Chicago to that crappy junior college field otw hours north of Chicago. Who failed to get a SSS deal in all his time with the FIre. He's a douche and the plan is stupid. Stick to your guns.
This looks so desperate it's sad.
As much respect as I have for Peter Wilt and for people like him who are actually trying to get things done, I also think the idea is a terrible one. Despite what Wilt says about the intimacy of the soccer arrangement, mixed use stadia just make all of the tenants unhappy with each other. And the first time NASCAR's interests trump MLS (and it will happen), the PR downside will be severe. Share parking lots, share offices, even share front office staff, but share a stadium? If this is the best that can be done, then perhaps Milwaukee is not an MLS city. San Antonio, Philadelphia, Portland and St. Louis, among others, are watching this, and do you think they'll be offering a mixed-use stadium plan? This will make Milwaukee's bid look awful by comparison.
big pile of B.S.
Is he seriously trying to justify a moving soccer field on a racetrack? And how does that fit into the whole "SSS plans are needed to secure a team" deal?
Thank you for printing my comments. It's important to me that the soccer community is aware of the facts and several of my comments were not directed at the original blog, but at the comments. To that end, i would like to clarify a couple issues raised by the new comments.
The Fire was forced to moved to North Central College for two seasons due to Soldier Field's renovation. In less than three months we tripled the size of a 5k seat small college stadium, created a wonderful environment and for two years filled the stadium to more than 90% of capacity.
You can say a lot of things about my time with Fire, but saying i failed to get an SSS for the Fire is not one of them. i am very proud that i led the effort to secure and design Toyota Park, the only 100% publicly financed soccer stadium in MLS history.
Re: Milwaukee being appropriate for MLS, i agree that NYC, Philadelphia and the NW US are better fits right now, but we do have a few things going for us:
* commitments for 8,000 season ticket equivalents through our partnership with the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association
* a business plan that is profitable
* Plans for a 20,000 seat stadium with 20 luxury suites, canopy roof, a field view stadium club, 1000 club seats, center entrance player tunnel, seating on all sides within a few yards of the field and three party decks
* a location that would be central for the Milwaukee ADI on the busiest interstate section in the state, accessible by public transportation, with plenty of parking, additional programmming opportunities and retention of most ancillary stadium revenues
* a natural rivalry with Chicago.
peter wilt
Ps: i will give you that i must be a douche bag as i can't figure out how to use my google account to post comments...doh!
Damn. I thought I was going to get the first offsidesrules exclusive.
No one better to be upstaged by.
Thank you for posting all of this Peter. I'm by no means interested in moving to Milwaukee, but I do plan to get drunk and start a riot er, I mean watch a game there.
Haha. Props to Peter Wilt.
Thanks for the extra insight, though I think douchebag is one word.
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