Salt Lake NHL and MLB News Thread

[bob rulz]

Outlaws is way better than the other options imo, although I agree Raptors would've been great to consider. I think the problem with doubling up on a name shared with a team in a different major pro sports league is that the other examples given (Giants, Cardinals) are teams that have been around and established for a century or more.

San Francisco Giants - 1885 (in New York)
St Louis Cardinals - 1900
Arizona Cardinals - 1920 (in Chicago, technically even earlier as a semipro team in Racine)
New York Giants - 1925

All of the pro sports leagues (probably with the exception of baseball) are significantly more popular than back then, and the Internet didn't exist back then either. There's just no way they would escape scrutiny for using the same name as another major pro sports league, even something in a different league, and I imagine if they tried they could run into lawsuits from the Toronto Raptors.

Ideally I wish we could've kept the Coyotes name for our team.

[wrendog]

Portland releases their plan for MLB stadium with hopes to start construction in 2027. Watch the video from 1:40 to 2:00 for a little dig at Utah. lol

https://www.kgw.com/article/money/busine...283-0cd65663-9f5d-4878-85ef-4d5f521933ad

[Atlas]

Still seems like we have the edge because of the support from Gail Miller and the Utah legislature.

But competition is good because hopefully it will put pressure on LHM to up their planning/design game with their proposals for the Power District. Those Portland renderings are certainly flashier than what we've seen.

[ucsbgaucho]

Originally Posted by Atlas

Still seems like we have the edge because of the support from Gail Miller and the Utah legislature.

But competition is good because hopefully it will put pressure on LHM to up their planning/design game with their proposals for the Power District. Those Portland renderings are certainly flashier than what we've seen.

That design is pretty nice, but 32,000 is tiny. But, it's a much nicer looking development than Miller Group has put forward so far here; a stadium and some bland mid-rise buildings doesn't inspire and wow. Wish they would have gone for a statement piece; the view of the Wasatch won't be that great from that far west (although the view out the Portland stadium currently would be lowrise industrial), and the Jordan river is no competition for the Willamette River.

[RC14]

Those Portland renderings look awesome. The Millers will have to step up their game.
The $900 million we have just hanging out there, I think, still gives us an edge.

[Comrade]

I don't think the Millers are really interested in bringing the MLB to Utah.

Okay I'm not sure I really believe that but part of me feels this was just an effort to get funding support for that North Temple project and justify moving the Bees out of Salt Lake to South Jordan.

I assume the bit about it being down to Portland and 'one other city' means Salt Lake.

I do wish we'd hear more from Big League Utah. It's been over a year since we got anything substantive on Utah's end.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by RC14

Those Portland renderings look awesome. The Millers will have to step up their game.
The $900 million we have just hanging out there, I think, still gives us an edge.

Yes. Sounds like Portland still needs to convince the Oregon Legislature to support the financing and that isn't a lock.

[Orlando]

I know that area well in Portland, and that location would be a nightmare for parking, but there is light rail and street car that goes right by the site. Beautiful renderings and design, though.

[Makid]

A wild speculation update regarding landing a MLB team.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/team-forced-abandon-1-3-101535371.html

Looks like the Tampa Bay Rays have abandoned their plans for a new stadium. Originally it was stated that the team needed a new stadium to continue to stay in the City.

Now, knowing that the State Legislature passed a bill that will allow immediate access to funds to start building a MLB stadium in the Power District, as well as other public amenities. Seeing that the Rays have cancelled their plans, I am wondering if something is happening behind the scenes to move the Rays to SLC.

I know that the Millers have planned to use the funds accessed in the bill to pay for public parking and the upgrades along the Jordan river. Yet, the bill specifically stated that funds could be used to begin to build the stadium prior to an MLB announcement.

I know that this bill pushed SLC higher on the list for expansion but I think it is possible that it also pushed it higher as a possible landing spot for a relocation.

Like I said, it is wild speculation but I think SLC is in a prime position with everything locked in for the Stadium and area development.

[wrendog]

If Portland gets a funding commitment, that'll probably put them back ahead of SLC.

https://katu.com/news/local/portland-dia...legislature-salem-lawmakers-mlb-baseball

[Comrade]

Any reason why you think that would put 'em ahead of SLC and not just more competitive (as the article says)?

[wrendog]

Originally Posted by Comrade

Any reason why you think that would put 'em ahead of SLC and not just more competitive (as the article says)?

Head start, bigger metro, only one major team and good old fashioned pessimism

[Comrade]

I think we now know why they amended the stadium language to allow for another stadium on that site:

https://www.ksl.com/article/51285126/report-miller-family-nearing-deal-to-purchase-rsl-royals

[wrendog]

Whoa. Interesting. Would be awesome to have an MLS stadium right next to MLB.

[bob rulz]

If we could get a new MLS stadium at the Fairpark AND an MLB team there, that would be a huge win to have 4 professional sports teams in Salt Lake City. I'm not getting my hopes up of course, but that would be incredible. Sandy has failed to do anything at all around the stadium.

[Makid]

I do wonder if maybe the Miller's are thinking of a hybrid MLB/MLS stadium.

The most recent bill for the Power District allows the Miller's to get access to the $900 Million for the Stadium construction immediately. They can use the funds for the stadium, public parking garages, and other public amenities.

I wonder if the plan is to build the stadium now, hope for expansion or relocation of MLB but use the stadium for Soccer. They could then build a MLS specific stadium (hopefully directly East of the Jordan River) with only a few years of overlap.

Having a stadium built, even in use as a temporary home for soccer, would put SLC at the top for MLB expansion. A team could start immediately without needing to wait for a stadium to be built.

The Power District would also be able to build up faster in that restaurants and retail could come into the area faster with a stadium in use. Without a stadium in use, I don't think that all of the planned retail and restaurant spots in the overall plan would be filled. So from a planning aspect, having soccer in the stadium would help to support the businesses that are added to the Power District while waiting for an MLB team.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by ucsbgaucho

That design is pretty nice, but 32,000 is tiny. But, it's a much nicer looking development than Miller Group has put forward so far here; a stadium and some bland mid-rise buildings doesn't inspire and wow. Wish they would have gone for a statement piece; the view of the Wasatch won't be that great from that far west (although the view out the Portland stadium currently would be lowrise industrial), and the Jordan river is no competition for the Willamette River.

32K may be slightly small but it's on the right end of how baseball stadium capacities are trending. The Vegas stadium is set to be 33K, the new rays stadium was going to be 30K. Only 5 teams average over 36K these days and they're all in MAJOR baseball markets. Only 10 exceed 33K. The median is 31K for all 30 teams.

[bob rulz]

Baseball and soccer have vastly different requirements for their fields do they not? Hard to envision a hybrid soccer/baseball field.

[Comrade]

NYC FC plays at Yankee Stadium while their stadium is built but it's rare. I know Portland's team converted their old minor league baseball stadium into their stadium but that was a pretty hefty renovation.

I don't think a hybrid MLB/MLS stadium would work and it just seems weird to move 'em from a soccer-first stadium into a RES type situation, even if temporarily. But I guess if they want those funds...

[RC14]

^
Considering how much drama venues cause in other professional sports leagues, I'd think MLS would 🞵🞵🞵🞵 a proverbial brick if the Millers tried that.