An MLS team at the Milwaukee Mile?

[bork]

Quote:

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Zimmerman Design Group, of Wauwatosa, is working with Greenberg to come up with a $40 million plan to put the soccer field on a platform that could be rolled over the Milwaukee Mile track. The concept for the portable soccer field is similar to the Arizona Cardinals' field in Phoenix that's rolled in and out of the indoor football stadium.

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Sounds like an interesting concept. It could add revenue to a struggling venue. And it sounds more practical than earlier plans to build a soccer only stadium, that would sit empty most of the year.

 

But I still wonder about the cost and who would pay for it. $40 million seems a bit steep for just a field. Earlier plans called for an entire downtown stadium for $55 million (25,000 seats)

 

link

[homer]

It's too bad they couldn't get the ICC site worked out. I thought that project made a lot of sense - they had residential and commercial built into the actual stadium design.

[patrickgpe]

We have too many sports teams in this area. There are not many cities with as much as we do, with only a metropolitan population of a little less than a million. While I supported the tax increase to build miller park, part of the reason we pay such high taxes in this area is all the theatres and sports facilities around here.

 

I would try to focus on getting a new arena for the bucks, which is a sport that many here enjoy and we would get national attention, instead of pleasing a few thousand (very generous number) soccer fans.

 

My bottom line is that part of the reason why the admirals, wave, uwm basketball can't draw better is that there are too many options here and i don't think we can support them all. You are going to put an MLS team here which will compete with the brewers for the sports dollar in this city. This doesn't make sense.

[burniebrewer]

Is there seriously enough (any) interest in an MLS team in Milwaukee?

[dadofandrew]

I'd be all for an MLS team in Milwaukee, and would even go to a game or two a year. However, that idea sounds rather frugal, even for Milwaukee. I'd say do it right, or don't do it. A soccer only facility would enhance the city as a magnet for tourneys and possible national team uses.

[patrickgpe]

we built a world class speed skating ring, that gets hardly any use by the national team. Thats my point we have too much here.

[homer]

Skating rink and Bradley Center were not built with tax dollars.

[patrickgpe]

i know that, my point is that we are not that large of a city and i think if you look at comparable cities we have more than most. Which is nice, but if not everything is supported properly whats the point. We are going to add an mls and arena football team that will play when the brewers do and compete with them for the pool of available entertainment dollars. Throw in the art museum, milwaukee theatre, the pac, the cell, riverside, etc You will see there is alot to do around here. Its hard for the 1 million milwaukee area residents to support all of these.

 

Please don't forget all the ethic festivals, summerfest, state fair, the pga tour stop, the busch series tour stop, the irl stop and church festivals all competing for that entertainment dollar. This is just one more option for people.

[Mr QL]

I don't want to see any new sports team come into town until we secure the future of the Bucks in Milwaukee.

[temke]

Quote:

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we built a world class speed skating ring, that gets hardly any use by the national team. Thats my point we have too much here.

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that is only because a better one was built for the olympics in salt lake...it does still get some use and does hold some world cup events. i know what you are saying though.

 

the hockey bug just kind of died here for whatever reason. about 15 years ago the admirals were drawing 10,000+ pretty regularly. that was probably because people wanted the NHL team, which would have been a disaster.

 

as for the rest, i think i agree. there are only so many dollars to go around.

[ccbrew]

Even leaving the issue of MLS support aside, I think this is an awful idea.

 

A soccer field on a racetrack would be a joke. Teams all over the MLS are starting to build new soccer-specific stadiums because playing in football stadiums is not ideal for spectators. A racetrack would be an even worse viewing experience.

 

I'm trying to think of a baseball equivalent, but it's difficult. Maybe something like the Brewers deciding not to build Miller Park during the baseball stadium construction boom, but instead deciding to move to Camp Randall or Lambeau Field to save money.

[Diskono]

I don't think MLS would go for it, since they seem to be granting expansion clubs to cities with a soccer-specific stadium, or plans to build one. Former Chicago Fire GM Peter Wilt is still working on getting land secured for a stadium, but it sounds like there hasn't been much progress lately. Which is too bad, I'd love to see a team in Milwaukee. Even a USL team would be nice.

[berniebrewer4life]

Do the Wave and (if they are still around) Rampage still draw well? I haven't been to a wave game in many years. What would happen to those teams if Milwaukee got an MLS team? I would think they probably would fold.

[Houlie24x]

The Rampage is gone but the Wave started an outdoor team to replace them. I think they are still around but not sure.

[Jimbo]

The Wave only plays an indoor schedule now. This is the second summer Milwaukee doesn't have outdoor soccer.

[Diskono]

IIRC, the Wave and the Rampage "United" to become Milwaukee Wave United. They dropped the outdoor USL team a couple years ago. The quality of play in that league really isn't bad...the Rampage actually had Brian McBride for a year, before he went to Germany.

[patrickgpe]

problem is that noone went to those games and tickets were very reasonable. What makes anyone in this city think that bringing an MLS team here with more expensive tickets will get people to come?

[Invader3K]

Dumb question: Why is playing soccer in a football stadium not ideal? The shape of the playing fields are basically identical. I must be missing something.

[dadofandrew]

Football stadiums look empty, and many seats are well aweay from the field. With a 20-25K soccer stadium, every seat is a good one, and a crowd of 15K does not make it look like a disaster.

[bacon06]

Football fields aren't as wide as soccer fields for one. I've also watched two games at Soldier Field and both have left something to be desired in terms of viewing

[Diskono]

For those who are interested, there is some discussion on this going on here:

 

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=577585

 

Peter Wilt clarified some things in that thread. It sounds like the Milwaukee Mile's main seating area will be used as one of the stands, and the field will roll up to that, similar to the Arizona Cardinals' field. The other 3 stands will be movable, and can be stored in the tracks infield during races. It actually sounds like a decent plan. The guy who proposed this was apparently hired by Jim Doyle to make the Mile profitable again, and it looks like this stadium is part of his plan.

[TheBwaz]

I don't see MLS going for it. They have really been big on only expanding to areas that have or promise to have within a couple of years a Soccer only stadium. Yes, technically this is a soccer only stadium, when they roll it out. I still don't see it happening.

 

Plus, this is Milwaukee. Nothing is allowed to change or improve, ever. The status quo must be maintained.

[soup can for prez]

So we have the market for an MLS team but not an NHL team?