Louisville City FC - New Soccer Stadium

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Louisville City FC has hired an architect.

 

WLKY: Louisville City FC hires architecture firm for stadium design - Insider Louisville

 

Lede suggests they're nearing a final location for the stadium though heaven only knows what "urban core" means.

 

I'll be curious to see what happens when it comes time for funding.

 

:lol2: I'd love to have seen the look on Wayne Estopinal's face when they told him they were hiring an architectural firm other than his to design the stadium.

[Getslow]

:lol2: I'd love to have seen the look on Wayne Estopinal's face when they told him they were hiring an architectural firm other than his to design the stadium.

 

Have to imagine that may have been in the works when the board shoved him out as chairman last year.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Have to imagine that may have been in the works when the board shoved him out as chairman last year.

 

I would assume you're right about that, yeah.

[Getslow]

LCFC Chairman John Neace did an interview on the Soccer City Radio Show on 790 AM on Saturday. Said the team has secured purchase options on the property they want and are hoping to make an announcement that they've secured it completely before the Easter holiday. Also hinted something that I'm hoping is true: the public/private partnership this is bound to be looks more like a scenario in which the team will build the stadium but the city will assist in financing. Really like that if it happens.

 

Current lease agreement with Slugger Field ends after the 2019 season.

[Getslow]

Oh for the love of God just do it already!

 

Club spokesman reiterated again this weekend that an announcement is expected sometime in the week ahead of Louisville City's next home game -- against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on April 15 -- regarding the location and anticipated opening date of the new soccer specific stadium that will play host to the team.

[Hellbird]

The relationship will only grow more contentious until the day the soccer team moves to a separate facility. Neither the organization or the fans are happy about the influence the Bats have or the financial situation the Bats enjoy for doing absolutely nothing. If the Bats owned the stadium, I'd get it; but they don't, the city does.

What about this to make the Soccer league happy. Because the Bats don't own the stadium, the city does, then why doesn't the city say the stadium is the Soccer stadium and the Bats are just using it during their season. That way the city can tell the Soccer league they have their Soccer stadium and only lease it to the Bats for baseball during their season? Sounds like a workable loophole.

[TheDeuce]

What about this to make the Soccer league happy. Because the Bats don't own the stadium, the city does, then why doesn't the city say the stadium is the Soccer stadium and the Bats are just using it during their season. That way the city can tell the Soccer league they have their Soccer stadium and only lease it to the Bats for baseball during their season? Sounds like a workable loophole.

 

Except it's obviously a baseball park. :lol2:

[Hellbird]

Except it's obviously a baseball park. :lol2:

Very true, but can obviously be used for Soccer as it is now. I'm just saying, it's a usable loophole if the city wanted to push it.

[Getslow]

What about this to make the Soccer league happy. Because the Bats don't own the stadium, the city does, then why doesn't the city say the stadium is the Soccer stadium and the Bats are just using it during their season. That way the city can tell the Soccer league they have their Soccer stadium and only lease it to the Bats for baseball during their season? Sounds like a workable loophole.

 

It's all moot at this point. The soccer stadium is happening one way or another. The dimensions of the field are too small long-term to keep any soccer coach happy. It's a really narrow field.

 

Besides, this was always about money. Both the Bats and the Soccer team want concession revenues, parking revenues, revenues from non-baseball or non-soccer events, etc.

Edited April 3, 2017 by Getslow

[TheDeuce]

Any idea on where it's gonna be?

[Getslow]

Any idea on where it's gonna be?

 

I could guess, but that's all it would be.

 

The chairman has made noise before that he wanted it to be visible from an interstate so that you could get that sort of natural visibility and the free advertising you get from that.

 

Most likely spot: Butchertown. Challenger Lifts is moving to a new plant close to the airport and that property has been for sale. Something like 10 acres. It keeps it close to downtown and the booming redevelopment of that neighborhood. Also can be seen from I-71 and I-64 at the junction heading into and out of town.

 

Next up: River Road. City of Louisville owns the land that the former River Road Country Club sat on and there's nothing really there right now. Also would make it highly visible from I-71 which is prime real estate between downtown and the East End.

 

Also possible: Near West End. Lots of new development in that area betwen Ninth and 15th Streets and land is still cheap. Keep it close to the River and it would he right along the I-64 route heading out of downtown toward New Albany.

[TheDeuce]

I could guess, but that's all it would be.

 

The chairman has made noise before that he wanted it to be visible from an interstate so that you could get that sort of natural visibility and the free advertising you get from that.

 

Most likely spot: Butchertown. Challenger Lifts is moving to a new plant close to the airport and that property has been for sale. Something like 10 acres. It keeps it close to downtown and the booming redevelopment of that neighborhood. Also can be seen from I-71 and I-64 at the junction heading into and out of town.

 

Next up: River Road. City of Louisville owns the land that the former River Road Country Club sat on and there's nothing really there right now. Also would make it highly visible from I-71 which is prime real estate between downtown and the East End.

 

Also possible: Near West End. Lots of new development in that area betwen Ninth and 15th Streets and land is still cheap. Keep it close to the River and it would he right along the I-64 route heading out of downtown toward New Albany.

 

The challenger site seems to make a lot of sense.

[TheDeuce]

Reports are that the Challenger Lifts location in Butchertown will be announced tomorrow morning as the location for the stadium.

[Getslow]

Reports are that the Challenger Lifts location in Butchertown will be announced tomorrow morning as the location for the stadium.

 

It makes a lot of sense. High visibility from one of the busiest stretches of highway in town in an area in a big state of redevelopment. Smart move, I think.

[TheDeuce]

It makes a lot of sense. High visibility from one of the busiest stretches of highway in town in an area in a big state of redevelopment. Smart move, I think.

 

I agree. Keeping it in that same general area is a good thing, IMO.