Hi. I'd say if you haven't been here in the past few years, then you will be quite surprised at what has changed. In the past 5 years, we have added a new light rail system. Built new office towers, condos, apartments, and a 1000 room hotel downtown. The Phoenix convention center underwent a $650+ million expansion. ASU has built a brand new campus (more or less from the ground up) downtown. There is a new civic park in the heart of DT that has a nice urban feel to it. That is just to name a few things for Phoenix. More is on the way with the Cityscape project currently under construction, and with the planned Jackson St. entertainment district. However, when the entertainment district will happen, is anyone's guess due to the economy.

downtown stadiums
 

I think Chase field is pretty big also. Jackson St. needs something to cap its west end if you want to draw people all the way to 4th ave and Jackson, which I do. I just have no idea what they are going to do with that open space south of Jefferson now that the stadium and the court tower are elsewhere. Government buildings in DT phoenix need to be growing up and not out in any case.

Agreed...and as mentioned before, require way too much surface parking for tailgating to really build an urban environment around it.

I have no problem with the stadium itself. Chase Field is pretty big too. The issue with football is the miles and miles of surface parking that are pretty much required for tailgaiting. A better compromise would have been to put it somewhere that's at least accessible by transit. Let's face it, Westgate will never really be accessible by transit (especially for those of us in the East Valley) unless they rebuild the entire light rail line as HSR... it's just too far away.

Actually, as I'm thinking about it, an even better compromise would be a sunday only park and ride network. Why don't we have more special event busses for game days that, for example, have a stop or maybe 2 in the East Valley (or downtown or wherever), then drive into the stadium an hour or two before the game and back out an hour or two after the game? It's not like any equipment would have to be bought, there're plenty of busses sitting around on Sundays. All you'd need would be some drivers, maybe a bit of advertising, and some gas.

yeah but chase field is much smaller than UOP and doesn't have hardly any surface parking. If they had put a football stadium downtown, it would have been just another dead superblock.

That's funny. I feel like the football stadium in downtown Seattle is the perfect location. It's right next door to the baseball stadium, right on the light rail, and within walking distance to Pioneer Square, Westlake, and the waterfront. Hell, their version of the Dodge Theatre (used to be called the WaMu Theater) is right in between the two stadiums). Sure the area is full of warehouses but so is the area south of Chase. They don't seem to have the issue with parking that we do. Why do you need tons of surface lots for tailgating? Can't you just have one surface lot for tailgating? Are all 60,000 people going to tailgate?

Being a soccer fan and not really a football fan, I just want to point out that part of the reason the Seattle Sounders draw so well is because their stadium is downtown. A lot of the other MLS teams have their stadiums in the 'burbs because of land costs and because they try to appeal to the suburban families who have kids who play soccer, but the downtown area is where the real fans are. The environment before a Seahawks game is better than before a Cards game ... actually, the environment before a Sounders match is 10x better than any Cards game. To me, that has more to do with the location than anything else.

Futbol
 

You are not the first Phoenician to have a conversation with me about the Sounders unsolicited. Yes, they by all accounts have a strong following and a good game day feel. BTW, wasn't the MLS' excuse for not putting a team into UoP that is was two tiered, but in Seattle?:shrug:

^I dont think its impossible to have a successful football stadium in a downtown, but it is rare. I havent been to Seattles Qwest Field so I cant comment on it directly, but surface parking, tailgates, et al are a big part of whats become the American football tradition. I suppose you can tailgate on top of a parking garage but thats kinda blah. The Cards situation worked out nicely because they have plenty of room for the 'great lawn' which is a great place for kids and families to toss a ball or whatever before games.

Though that site Phil Gordon pointed out would've been a good one for Jobing.com, I'm more upset about losing that one to Glendale than UofP. I firmly believe if the 'Yotes would've been located somewhere downtown or on the Los Arcos/Skysong site they would've been in a lot less financial trouble these past few years.

coyotes
 

Let's not forget that Colangelo offered to spend $100mil. to renovate the arena suitably for hockey so there was never the possibility of building a second arena DT. The Suns went ahead and did their own lesser renovation anyway. Without question the Yotes would have been in a better position today to be either in USAir or at Los Arcos.

That's cool yeah I think maby the last time I was out there Chase field was under construction i've been looking at the google street view in Phoenix it has changed. I remember when we use to stay out at the Scottsdale Princess this was even before it was a Fairmont hotel there was almost nothing out there around it except a few neighborhoods now it's all built up out that way. My parents really like Carefree if they end up out there in a year or two I think it would be in Carefree i'm not shure how it is now but it used to be a nice little town that was away from the bustle of Scottsdale hopfully it's still like that lol.

Yeah, it's changed even more...the StreetView is already pretty outdated.

Really cause the street view for Austin is fairly recent hey is Rawhide still out there on Scottsdale Road? used to love going there lol.

Nope, Rawhide moved to the edge of Chandler like 4 years ago.

Broncos play close to DT Denver too. However, DT Phx isn't a great fit for an underutilized football stadium, unless somehow they could have magically linked it with the new convention center somehow, now that would've been cool.

I still think that Priest/Wash location was perfect. Plenty of land, excellent freeway access, close to Mill Ave bars and Central Phx, has a light rail stop, close to full-service Scottsdale resorts, close to limited service hotels, close to airport for game-day travelers, close to AZ Cards fan-base.

Instead, we built it out in the middle of cotton fields.

/\ Yeah, Priest/Wash was absolutely perfect. But I'd argue that the fanbase is really all over the city... the westside is huge into the Cards, historically they've never been near the team though.

Have you seen the aerials of Invesco Field at Mile-high? It's close to downtown, but it's surrounded by a sea of parking, like most football stadiums should be. Even if it has semi-light rail access and is near other mega-entertainment options near downtown Denver (Elitch, Pepsi Center), the whole area just west of their DT is one enormous parking lot.

I like the way they did it in Philly. They put all of the stadiums in the same area and made them share parking. How often is there a baseball game, hockey game, and football game at the same time? Never. So instead of building three times the parking, they have an equivilent amount as UofPhx Stadium. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...22724&t=h&z=16

I created this as a thorough but concise description of the weather in Phoenix. Comments? Suggestions? Corrections?

Typical weather in Phoenix by month (average high and low at the end):

January
High 65 to 70 degrees, low around 40 to 45 degrees. It rains about three to seven days in the month, with about 20 sunny days. On days it rains, it is usually a little cooler, about 55 to 60 degrees for the high. About once every three years, one night it might dip down to about freezing. We get about one inch of rain on average in the winter months each month. Winters in Phoenix are described as feeling like the spring back East. 66/40

February
High 70 degrees, low around 45 degrees. It rains about three to five days in the month, with about 22 sunny days. Trees that lose their leaves in the winter start budding again, so this is the start of our spring. 71/43

March
Highs around 75 degrees, low around 45 to 50 degrees. It rains about three to four days in the month, with about 25 sunny days. 76/48

April
High 75 to 85 degrees, low around 50 to 55 degrees. It rains about one or two days per month, with about 25 sunny days. The real warm up starts in this month, and the wildflowers bloom all over the desert if we had a rainy winter. The winter storms usually stop in April. 82/54

May
High 85 to 95 degrees, low around 55 to 60 degrees. It rarely rains in this month, and usually there will be no more rain until the summer monsoons kick off in July. Phoenix typically has about 30 sunny days in May and June. The first 100 degree day appears towards the end of the month. Most residents start running their AC and swamp cooler units in May, and June is the first real month with massive AC use on a daily basis. 92/61

June
Highs 95 to 105 degrees, lows around 65 to 75 degrees. It virtually never rains in June and steadily gets hotter as the month progresses. Giant high pressure systems park near the four corners area of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah, thus ensuring our long hot summers. Swamp coolers work best this month, because of the low humidity (often around 5 to 10%) and no rain. 102/68

July
High 100 to 115 degrees, low around 75 to 85 degrees. July is the first month that residents really starting bitching about the heat. As the month progresses, 110 degree days start appearing. As moisture moves in from the Gulf of Mexico, the humidity levels spike, and this usually signals the start of the monsoon thunderstorm season. By the end of July, every third day will have towering thunderclouds, with blowing wind, spotty rain and dust, and every fifth day will have a massive thunderstorm with brief but torrential downpours. In these rain events, temps will drop rapidly from 105 to 110 down to about 75 or 85 degrees. Many Phoenicians will drive up north for an hour or two to escape to the cool pine mountain forests of northern Arizona (summer highs in the 70s and 80s) near Payson, Prescott and Flagstaff, while others flee to the California coast near San Diego and elsewhere, just five hours west by car. Phoenix usually gets about one inch of rain per month in the summer monsoon season, which usually runs from mid-July to early September. 106/76

August
Highs 100 to 110 degrees, lows around 75 to 80 degrees. By August, the temps start to cool a little bit, and the monsoon thunderstorms will rage on about five to eight days per month. Phoenix hunkers down for the long haul this month, and backyard swimming pools get heavy use. About 70% of the homes in Phoenix have swimming pools, the highest percentage in the U.S. 104/73

September
High 95 to 105 degrees, lows around 70 to 80 degrees. Monsoon thunderstorms start dwindling this month, and by the second week, usually stop. The 100+ degree dry heat returns with a vengeance for a week or two, before a noticeable cooling trend begins by the end of the month. 97/67

October
Highs 85 to 100 degrees, lows around 60 to 75 degrees. October is usually a dry month, and Phoenicians celebrate the last 100 degree day in this month as the noticeable cooling trend accelerates. Once more, doors and windows are thrown open and pools get less use as Phoenicians return from summer vacations and get out more. By Halloween, a chill is in the air as temperatures continue to drop. 88/54

November
Highs 65 to 80 degrees, lows around 45 to 60 degrees. It usually does not rain much in November, but by the end of the month, the gentle winter storm track begins to establish. On the few days it does rain, it is usually a little cooler, about 60 degrees for the high. A few trees start to change color in this month, as the temps continue to drop rapidly. 73/44

December
High 65 to 75 degrees, low around 40 to 45 degrees. Trees lose all of their leaves through December. It rains about three to seven days in the month, with about 20 sunny days. On days it rains, it is usually a little cooler, about 55 to 60 degrees for the high. About once every three years, one night it might dip down to about freezing. We get about one inch of rain on average in the winter months each month. 69/41

--don

Seems about right. Whats up with the recent weather obsession, are you writing some kind of paper?

^ I am. Thanks. :)

--don

Did you get your highs and lows and precipitation amounts from a specific source or is that all off the top of your head?

June can be one of the hottest months, especially late June, I think our 122 record day occured in June. July can be cooler than June due to the increased humidity from the monsoon.

There is now a specific time frame the NWS has set for the monsoon season, which I believe is June 25th - September 25th. The moisture comes mainly from the Gulf of California... not Gulf of Mexico.

It dips down to about freezing nearly every year especially in December. Whether or not we get to freezing or below is a different story, but temps in the mid-30s are typical at least once a year.

Some stuff off the top of my head. :tup:

I have always heard Gulf of Mexico, but googling the topic it looks like both might be the right answer.

I make it rain.

There is a TON of info on the monsoon and all weather on noaa's NWS site.

Here's the answer to the Gulf question:

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/twc/monsoon/..._gulfsurge.php

Ahh

I think I should modify my statement to include both gulfs:

Upper level moisture is also transported into the region, mainly from the Gulf of Mexico by easterly winds aloft.

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/twc/monsoon/monsoon_NA.php

--don

Don,
My undergrad was in meteorology and I would say that's a pretty good summary. I would agree with what phx31 said about late june and the heat. A strong monsoon flow will definitely keep temps down. This would be why the hottest day was in late June vs. early July because you would need very low moisture levels to get super hot days. It's an ebb and flow though, there's plenty of days in July with dewpoints in the 40's which doesn't do much to effect the temps. A weak monsoon year like last summer gives you a lot of days like that. In terms of the debate over where the moisture comes from, I would include both gulfs, but when you see a classic monsoon flow you get the strong flow off of the GOM from the high pressure sitting on the four corners. In terms of the freezing in the winter, it can really vary from place to place. I regularly have to scrape ice off my car in the winter and I live right by the fairgrounds. Because temps can drop so quickly due to the low moisture, a little microclimate can develop where it is several degrees cooler than most places. Not that you would include all this in what you have written, but that's my 2 cents. Let me know if I can be of any more help.

http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/...n-phoenix.html

http://www.azcentral.com/community/t...#reply19367065

Not being a fishing fan I think this would be about as exciting as watching paint dry, but it's still nice exposure for Tempe and Phoenix.

since you think this isn't your cup of tea but nice exposure for the city, why turn your nose up at the WWE?

fishing + WWE = trailer park woodstock

:haha: :haha: :haha:

So I'm going to see "The Toasters" on Monday at Martini Ranch in Scottsdale and local 2 tone ska band "The Two Tone Lizard Kings" is opening up for them. I had seen the Lizard Kings once before but wanted to refresh my memory so I searched them on YouTube and found a cool (if cheaply made) music video of theirs with lots of nice urban shots of DT Phx & Tempe. Its a cover of the old Temptations song 'Aint too Proud to Beg"

For some reason I feel like it may have been posted before, but anyhow here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inxqHL1F260

I have 2 questions, my questions are 2, number 1:

1. Driving down the I-17 tonight around Metro Center there are a TON of hotels/motels. Who the hell is staying in those? I imagine they were built at one point to capitalize on Metro Center/Castles and Coasters but now that areas pretty rough and its not like there's even a Spring Training site right near by. Can someone smarter than me explain to me what their customer base is or how they stay in business out of curiosity?

2. There used to be a bar downtown across from Hotel San Carlos/Seamus McCaffreys called Monroes. Its been closed for probably 2 years now, does anyone know anything about why it ever closed? That basement room it had would be a perfect place to do a small local comedy show about 5 or 6 nights a week if that bar was ever up and running.

I'm gonna take a stab at this one. I've driven cross-country 4 times now and the area along I-17 could be in any medium to large sized city in the US. It actually reminds me a lot of Oklahoma City on I-40. When driving and looking for a place to stay I'd look in these areas because they are directly off the interstate, on the outer-fringe of a city, with cheap room rates (Ex: Motel 6 $39.99). I think they were built at a time when many cities were building this model that catered to truckers and road travelers. The only thing that doesn't make sense is that I-17 is a short route that is used to connect 40 to 10.

FWIW, the Sheraton by MetroCentre has a convention center that a lot of people use. Plus it is a good location for people (as Leo said) to stop and rest for the night. I used to work at one of the hotels there, maybe around 1999, and it was pretty much meth heads and skeevy hooker types. It was one of those weekly hotels so i dont if that really compares to the rest. I do know that during MLS Spring Training the Kansas City Wizards were staying at the sheraton and the Columbus Crew were staying at the one closer to Metro.

Hey, any of you know an Optometrist? I've noticed that the highway signs at night are a lot blurrier than they used to be and I might need glasses or something. It's probably been about 10 years since I've had my eyes checked.

I've seen a guy at Southwestern Eye Center in Tempe a few times named Arlen Roper. Really cool young white guy who was able to remove a seed pod out of my eye once without scratching anything and also gave me a prescription for glasses and then said I don't need them and save my money. He said he was only giving the prescription to make his office happy and I could throw it away.

Nice talented honest guy.

I usually just go wherever my insurance is accepted.. I think most places are pretty good.. it's ultimately up to you whether you get the right prescription or not.. you just tell them what you can see/can't see while looking through different lenses.

Check out this building thats the UKs pavilion for the Shanghai Worlds Fair:

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/4797/e0222287287.jpg

Its made up of tubes that sway in the wind. Its pretty neat, it kind of reminds me of a barrel cactus if it was a different color. A building like that would be really cool here in AZ if behind the tubes it was glass so you could see out, the tubes would provide plenty of a shade/sun screen for the building inside.

So I recently bought PBS' "Arizona Memories" series, its quite terrific. Specifically the "Az Memories from the 60s" briefly talks about the death of downtown and the movement to malls/the 'burbs. But beyond specifically downtown the series has lots of old footage and photos from Phoenix gone by. Its interesting, though quite depressing, seems like something special slipped away...maybe we'll get it back someday.

Anyway, if anyone wants to borrow the DVDs from me, shoot me a PM, I know theyre expensive to buy and not exactly rentable at a Blockbuster or whatever. I have the 50s, 60s, and 70s DVDs as well as the first 'Arizona Memories" which is only about half an hour and talks about the 40s/WW2.

Heh, who wants to eat the Easter bunny for dinner sunday? :cheers:

http://www.azcentral.com/community/t...nu-outcry.html

so guys (gals??) where do you work/what do you do for a living.

If you don't want to say where, say what. If you're a student, what are you studying?

I work for Veteran's Affairs in the veteran's benefits side, not the healthcare side (Corner of Osborn and Central). Basically a vet files a claim, I look through their file try to find something from their time in service that is related to their current problem. It's simple in principle, but tricky in practice given all the rules and regs we must abide by.

Anyone heard about this?
http://valleyofthesunthemovie.com/
http://valleyofthesunthemovie.com/mydir/VOShomepage.jpg

I haven't heard of it. Another movie that is being filmed currently in Phoenix is the next(ish) Will Ferrell movie, "Everything Must Go." My friend is actually working on it. Doesn't someone here work with movies or TV?

Would you by chance know of any ways around the delimiting date for GI Bill benefits?

I work in San Diego for a small software company (less than 50 employees) as a Technical Product Manager. We make mortgage software so it's been an interesting couple of years. :)

I am the Director of the Lawyer Referral Service for the Maricopa County Bar Association at 3rd Street and Palm Lane near downtown Phoenix. I have a 6 mile commute and I love it, after years of a 25-30 mile commute.

--don

I work in tourism and promotion. The hotel i work in is in paradise valley and i also work out of my home.

I am the Director of IT for a Telecommunications and Cabling shop in Tempe. Lucky, the office is 2 blocks from my house, so I can drive through the neighborhood to get to work bypassing the traffic.

Still in School, trying to finish my degree, but finding the money isn't easy right now.

I have no clue, sorry, but if you have a question about disability benefits, I'm your guy.
GI Bill: 1-888-442-4551 is about the best I can do.