More details on that newly proposed alternate location for Dynamo Stadium that the soccer team is now apparently considering: It’s a 30-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Westpark and S. Rice Blvd., across from the Sam’s Club parking lot and Bubba’s Texas Burger Shack. That’s just southwest of the intersection of 59 and the 610 Loop, and right next to the planned location of the Uptown and University light-rail lines’ Bellaire Station — at Westpark and North 1st St.
Brad Feels, CEO of Midway Companies, tells the Chronicle‘s Chris Moran he’s envisioning a mixed-use development there somewhat like Dallas’s Mockingbird Station, which sits just across the Central Expressway from SMU’s Ford Stadium, and which features restaurants and retail, office buildings, apartments, and a movie theater complex. (Midway is the developer of CityCentre, now pretty much complete at the site of the former Town & Country Mall.) Feels first contacted the Dynamo’s Oliver Luck with information about the property in October or November of last year.
What’s happening with plans to build a Dynamo Stadium in East Downtown?
***
Not so much. The team has been waiting for Harris County to join the East Downtown TIRZ (and thereby pledge $10 million in resulting new tax revenues to the project) — for about a year now. When Swamplot reader Eric Nordstrom voiced his support for the county’s participation in commissioners court yesterday, Commissioner Steve Radack appeared to be more interested in the Westpark proposal.
- Dynamo looking at stadium site near Galleria [abc13]
- Dynamo, developer in talks on possible SW Houston stadium site [Houston Chronicle]
- Dynamo May Go Uptown For A New Stadium [Houston Press]
Images: Midway Companies via Houston Chronicle (plan sketch); Populous via Christopher Figat (East Downtown Stadium Rendering)
East End’s loss is probably Galleria’s gain including traffic but it probably is more viable in the Galleria area.
The city didn’t really stand behind it any more than the county did. Hopefully the city and county won’t see a dime from any of it other than sales tax revenue.
The only one who benefitted from the TIRZ it appears is Louis Macey. Who hit pay dirt. The city has nothing but dirt at this point. And no future tax revenue.
The plan at the Westpark location looks better and better.
Very little government money involved is a big plus!!! I didn’t like it for the other three sports venues. Maybe I’ll have some inclination to pay attention Soccer. Nope, I can’t do it. Still too boring for me to watch.
Traffic? I see that as a non-issue for downtown. Galleria, a different story, but the Dynamo play so late anyway it won’t have as big of an affect as we might think.
kjb, I used to be a soccer hater too. But go in person and it’s different. If you can just accept it for what it is, give it a chance and learn it’s strategy etc…you’ll start to see the athleticism and maybe even enjoy it.
When the Dynamo aren’t playing it can be the world’s largest day labor camp, in keeping with our world’s largest by the freeway theme.
The games are a blast!
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a hater of soccer. Soccer definitely has it’s fans, so people like it and it’s not place to piss on it.
The closest I came to enjoying soccer is when my little sister played in high school and I taking pictures on the sidelines. Being on the sidelines makes a difference. When I’m at the stands or seeing it on TV I lose interests. I think it’s because I can’t hears what the players are saying and doing on the field.
I prefer rugby and Australian Football outside of the American Football.
Honestly, I can say I like soccer more than basketball. Basket ball is only interesting to me in the last 4 minutes if the game is close. I can skip the rest.
What happened to the Super Walmart that was planned for that location? Regardless, something high profile needs to go on that site. I’d prefer the Astros move to that location but since that is never going to happen perhaps a soccer stadium would be OK.
Traffic should be a non-issue since the 59/610 mergers are already meat-grinders. Maybe this would make TXDOT pay real attention to that corridor and make some on/off ramps that don’t throw you in the middle of a smash-up derby.
Mark,
More ramps would make traffic worse. That location doesn’t have bad traffic on the surface streets except for a short period during rush hour. The primary drawback to the location will be if there isn’t enough parking (unless they assume that people will park at a park and ride and take the train in……
KJB – your ability to rationally explain your opinions from an experienced perspective is refreshing. However, I’m curious if you’ve been to a Dynamo game. You owe it to yourself to experience the atmosphere at least once.
what do you mean kjb? Everyone’s gonna come in on the light rail and stop at one of the two stops near the development, hehe
I have some friends (I guess you can call them DynoNUTS!) that tell me the same thing.
I’m liking other plus aspects to this facility. It would be good for open air concerts (saves the drive to Cynthia Woods).
Ahem, we prefer the moniker “Dynamaniacs,” please. And as much as I like the idea of a stadium that is conveniently close to rail lines, I really don’t think I can carry my 2 grills, folding table, canopy, 8 chairs, and 2 giant coolers on the light rail. Before I can get on board with this new concept I need to see where the tailgaters will go.
And while it’s great that the team may have an option beyond the EaDo site, I shudder to think about the additional delay that it poses (if the original locale falls through). Those of us who love having a soccer team in town are worried that the team could leave if a stadium can’t get built. And yes, I understand that the team’s owners bear the brunt of the responsibility to get the stadium done, but I think it’s fair to say that our elected officials have been at obtuse at best and obstructive at worst when it comes to this issue.
Isn’t this in the middle of the Gulfton area? Not sure what it’s like now, but that was not a nice place to be in the 80s/90s… If this does go through it would definitely help in revitalizing the area.
This is just south of Uptown/Galleria. It’s a bunch of industrial buildings right now.
They need to sh** or get off the pot with this stadium deal, wherever it’s going. Seattle has gotten behind their MLS soccer team like mad, Houston has as well but to a lesser degree. The Dynamo have won 2 championships and have been a perennial contender. As with everything that ebbs and flows, the Dynamo need to get this thing signed and built to keep their fans interested and attract more before they go through a hazy period of last place standings.
Well, it looks like the Mayor of Bellaire does not want this stadium and will be fighting against it.
http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/01/28/bellaire_examiner/breaking_news/be_dynamo_stadium.txt
from the article directly above: would reportedly double as a concert venue and feature a 3,000-vehicle parking structure.
this is too bad for downtown. that side of downtown has been gaining steam, and this will take the wind out of its sails.
my vote would be for the downtown location.
This is a bummer…as a home-owner East of downtown, I was really looking forward to the stadium bringing some business to my neighborhood. I hope they aren’t going to fight too hard for the Westpark location… and that they just go ahead and build it where land is cheap and plentiful.
Connect each site to a Dynamometer and see which is more powerful. Then build. Thank you and good night.