- Dynamo Stadium (Houston)
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Houston Dynamo stadium Location East End
Houston, Texas (USA)Coordinates 29°45′N 95°21′W / 29.75°N 95.35°W Broke ground February 5, 2011 Opened May 12, 2012 (projected) Operator Anschutz Entertainment Group Construction cost ~$110 million Architect Populous Project Manager Harris County - Houston Sports Authority/Icon Venue Main contractors Manhattan Construction Co.[1] Capacity 22,000[2][3] Tenants Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Texas Southern Tigers (NCAA)Houston Dynamo stadium (tentative name) is a planned soccer specific stadium in Houston. The 16–18 month project is planned to be completed during the month of June in the 2012 Major League Soccer season and is expected to cost $110 million.[4] The Houston Dynamo plans to play the first two months of the 2012 season on the road, and possibly play a couple of home games at Reliant Stadium before its own stadium is completed.[4] The stadium will have a capacity of 22,000–30,000.[3] The primary tenant will be the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer.[2] The venue will also host Texas Southern University football games.[4] The stadium will be located southeast of Minute Maid Park—within East Downtown and east of Downtown Houston.
Contents
History
In June 2009, negotiations and financing began to fall into place with construction of the stadium originally beginning as early as Fall 2009. Banks and investors were in the books to finance the project and only minor details were being worked out.[5]
On January 26, 2010, the Houston Dynamo franchise had expressed an interest in a proposed 30-acre (120,000 m2) parcel for the stadium location at South Rice Avenue and Westpark Drive—adjacent to Bellaire's city limits, and near the southwest corner of the U.S. Highway 59 and the Interstate 610 interchange.[6] Two days later, the Mayor of Bellaire, Cindy Seigel, said that she would use whatever power she could to oppose the possible new location and is in communication with the developer to dissuade him. She acknowledges that considering that the land is in Houston's city limits and only abuts her city, the odds are slim and said in an open letter to Midway:
Fans on the north and east side of Houston will have difficulty in getting to this site. Additionally, this site does not have the infrastructure in place to serve it that already exists at other athletic facilities downtown or at Reliant Park.[7]
A former Council member Pam Holm commented and had a retort the Bellaire Mayor: “To position this as a Hispanic sport and say the stadium has to be in proximity to Hispanic neighborhoods doesn’t do it justice, the Dynamo is something that all citizens of Houston have so embraced.” The paper goes on to mention that the highly populated and heavily Hispanic area of Gulfton is within proximity.[8]
On April 7, 2010, The Houston City Council unanimously approved an agreement that was expected to pave the way for a new stadium for the Houston Dynamo and the Texas Southern University football team, which was expected to be on a tract of land bordered by Texas, Walker, Dowling and Hutchins in East Downtown and east of U.S. Route 59 and Downtown Houston.[9][10]
On April 13, 2010, Harris County commissioners voted unanimously to begin construction of the new Dynamo stadium east of downtown,[11] clearing the way for construction sometime in February 2011.
Oliver Luck, at the time President and General Manager of the Dynamo, announced the financing, architect, and project manager for the new stadium. He announced Populous had been chosen to design and build the stadium. Populous, one of the world's leading sports architecture firms, had previously built three other major venues in the city—Minute Maid Park, Reliant Stadium, and the Toyota Center.[12] and internationally designed soccer stadia including Wembley Stadium (London), Emirates Stadium (London), Soccer City (Johannesburg) and Aviva Stadium (Dublin).[13]
On February 5, 2011, the Houston Dynamo, led by Houston mayor Annise Parker and Harris County Judge Ed Emmitt, broke ground on the Houston Dynamo Stadium site. Houston Dynamo President Chris Canetti strongly expressed that the stadium will be ready by April 2012.[14]
Design
The Stadium will have a capacity of 21,600-seat, 34 Private suites, Premium Club, dedicated supporters stand and food court. The stadium is designed to accommodate MLS and FIFA standard international soccer, football, lacrosse, rugby, and concerts. Architecturally the stadium will feature a faceted facade of expanded metal mesh with orange polycarbonate enclosed entrances and spectator facilities. The stadium architect, Christopher Lee of Populous, stated that “We set out to design the perfect urban soccer stadium: tight, atmospheric, and intimate.” [15]
Financing
The city purchased the land for $15.5 million in March 2008. The Houston Dynamo will pay $60 million for the construction with Texas Southern University also contributing an estimated $1-2 million. The city will supply an additional $20 million for infrastructure improvements and the county agreed to pay for half of the land in exchange for the ability to jointly own the stadium after its expected completion date in June 2012.[16] BBVA Compass financed a portion of the loan that will be paid for by the TIRZ.[12]
Accessibility and transportation
Once the METRORail Green line is completed, fans will be able to access the stadium from the Bastrop Station, Taxi, Buses, street and garage parking nearby.
References
- ^ Manhattan Construction to build Dynamo stadium
- ^ a b Fallas, Bernardo "Dynamo pushing ahead with stadium." Houston Chronicle. (2009-05-03). Retrieved 2009-05-03.
- ^ a b Populous Website
- ^ a b c Berman, Mark "Dynamo's New Stadium to Open June 2012." MyFoxHouston.com. January 28, 2010. Retrieved on January 28, 2010.
- ^ Barr, Greg. "Dynamo stadium deal gets closer to goal." Houston Business Journal. Friday June 19, 2009. 1. Retrieved on January 29, 2010.
- ^ Shay, Miya. "Dynamo looking at stadium site near Galleria." KTRK-TV. Tuesday January 26, 2010. Retrieved on January 29, 2010.
- ^ Aguilar, Charlotte. "Bellaire mayor challenges Dynamo stadium plan; others on board." Memorial Examiner. January 28, 2010. Retrieved on January 28, 2010.
- ^ Aguilar, Charlotte. "Who knew? Dynamo private stadium deal was privileged info." West University Examiner. January 28, 2010. Retrieved on January 29, 2010.
- ^ Olson, Bradley. "Council approves deal for new Dynamo stadium." Houston Chronicle. April 7, 2010. Retrieved on April 9, 2010.
- ^ "Welcome to EaDo." East Downtown Management District. Retrieved on August 1, 2009.
- ^ County approves Dynamo stadium deal
- ^ a b Dynamo Choose Stadium Architect, Project Manager
- ^ Populous Stadia
- ^ Dynamo break ground on new East End stadium
- ^ Populous selected to design Dynamo stadium
- ^ Council approves deal for new Dynamo stadium
External links
- Stadium Web Page
- Stadium plans
- News segment from KIAH Channel 39 Houston
Houston Dynamo Houston, Texas The Club Stadiums Culture Rivalries Key Personnel Owners: Anschutz Entertainment Group • Oscar De La Hoya • Gabriel Brener • Manager: Dominic Kinnear
Honors (6) MLS Cup (2) Western Conference
Championship (3)2006 • 2007 • 2011Carolina Challenge Cup (2) Major League Soccer Seasons (6) 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011Website: houstondynamo.com Major League Soccer stadiums Current BC Place • BMO Field • Buck Shaw Stadium • CenturyLink Field • Columbus Crew Stadium • Dick's Sporting Goods Park • Gillette Stadium • The Home Depot Center • Jeld-Wen Field • Livestrong Sporting Park • Pizza Hut Park • PPL Park • Red Bull Arena • Rio Tinto Stadium • RFK Memorial Stadium • Robertson Stadium • Toyota Park
Former Arrowhead Stadium • Cardinal Stadium • CommunityAmerica Ballpark • Cotton Bowl • Dragon Stadium • Empire Field • Foxboro Stadium • Giants Stadium • Houlihan's Stadium • Invesco Field at Mile High • Lockhart Stadium • Mile High Stadium • Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum • Ohio Stadium • Raymond James Stadium • Rice–Eccles Stadium • Rose Bowl • Soldier Field • Spartan Stadium
Future Dynamo Stadium • New Earthquakes Stadium • Saputo Stadium
Categories:- Proposed stadiums
- Houston Dynamo
- Soccer venues in Texas
- Proposed stadiums in the United States
- Sports venues in Houston, Texas
- Texas Southern Tigers football
- Stadiums under construction in the United States
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