Sports in Austin

[deerhoof]

Butler Shores is off the table according to PSV.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by loonytoony

“Some in the community and the neighbors near Butler Shores have valid concerns about a possible stadium location at that site. Based on this feedback, we are no longer exploring this location and are continuing our due diligence on other possible locations in the urban core. As we have stated from the onset of this process, finding the right site for a soccer park is of the utmost importance as we contemplate bringing Major League Soccer (MLS) to Austin.

“We look forward to further community dialogue and collaboration, and we remain committed to finding the best possible stadium site for all involved.”

Dave Greeley, president, Precourt Sports Ventures

http://mls2atx.com/butler-shores-site-taken-off-table-for-consideration/


So... Roy G or Mckalla? Renteria seems in favor of Roy G but I can see issues from the council being that it's parkland. Mckalla is looking more likely.

Wow. They gave up on this way too easily.

I am now much less likely to go to many games.

[smith_atx]

Thankfully those softball and baseball fields will be saved. So much of Austin uses them on a frequent basis.

[futures]

Fucking lame.

Does this mean that all parkland is out of contention (Roy G Guerrero) too? Or did they just give up on Butler Shores because they have stronger NIMBYs than the east side?

Hopefully there are other locations under consideration outside of the ones that the city highlighted. Guerrero will not be easy to get to. Maybe there's another option being looked at around downtown.

[clubtokyo]

So dumb.

[ILUVSAT]

You know, the more I sit and thought about this whole situation, I believe PSV (and its attorneys) already knew that securing city parkland for the stadium would be a long shot. But, they tried it anyway.

It's my guess that they requested parkland to see what would happen while looking around for private parcels on which to build a stadium.

Let's watch and see if anything happens in and/or around the South Shore area (between the Long Center and the Statesman site).

And, now that "viable" parkland is off-the-table...will PSV request incentives (i.e., tax breaks) if they move forward on private land? I thought the idea for using city parkland and requesting no incentives was quite brilliant.

[freerover]

PSV picks up talks with investors in Columbus.

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/new...with-potential-investors-in.html?ana=fbk

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by freerover

PSV picks up talks with investors in Columbus.

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/new...with-potential-investors-in.html?ana=fbk

So, a vocal minority of unreasonable NIMBYs may end up preventing Austin from getting a team. All over some dilapidated Little League fields that aren't widely available for use. Not really anyway. Way to go.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by freerover

PSV picks up talks with investors in Columbus.

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/new...with-potential-investors-in.html?ana=fbk

Yep.

Precourt is an investor. He wanted prime real estate in the downtown of a growing city. He wants to increase the value of his team. Playing in bumblefuck Austin was never going to fly for that purpose and so he will look elsewhere. He will get the city land he wants in Columbus as they will now be happy to keep their team.

So now we have some underutilized softball fields and are still the largest city in the country without a pro sports team. San Antonio will likely get picked on the deferred MLS bids and block us out of the only sport that viably might come to Austin in the next 10 years.

Thanks Kitchen. You surely are doing a great job of representing the best interests of Austin.

[Jdawgboy]

From the very beginning I felt the American Statesman site would be the perfect place if the stadium was designed and incorporated into a multi-use function.
If they can't get any sort of movement on public land then next course of action would be to buy land near the urban core.

You know what the NIMBY's failed to consider is the city could have made a deal where some of the proceeds from ticket sales and concessions could go to help fund the park system cause let's face it, the state gov is hell bent on limiting how much taxation local communities can enact. One of the first things that will be cut is parks.

[the Genral]

And I still contend that these baseball fields on public "parkland" need to be bulldozed and that parcel be turned into actual parkland. Not DAC, not anything but parkland, since the Council and snooty nimby's were so dead set against using "parkland" for a stadium on land that probably accounts for .00000000000001% of all the parkland in all of Austin, then let it actually become parkland. Lord knows we don't have enough freakin parkland to go around, that we can't sacrifice an ass hair's worth to bring a valuable commodity to Austin that thousands would enjoy and bring newcomers and old timers together to root for an Austin team other than the freakin Longhorns, no offense to Longhorn fans. Better yet, open up Butler Shores to the homeless. That would be a fine place for a relocated shelter. Whatever the nimbies and city Council decide to put there, they better put it to a freakin vote so I can vote against it.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by the Genral

And I still contend that these baseball fields on public "parkland" need to be bulldozed and that parcel be turned into actual parkland. Not DAC, not anything but parkland, since the Council and snooty nimby's were so dead set against using "parkland" for a stadium on land that probably accounts for .00000000000001% of all the parkland in all of Austin, then let it actually become parkland. Lord knows we don't have enough freakin parkland to go around, that we can't sacrifice an ass hair's worth to bring a valuable commodity to Austin that thousands would enjoy and bring newcomers and old timers together to root for an Austin team other than the freakin Longhorns, no offense to Longhorn fans. Better yet, open up Butler Shores to the homeless. That would be a fine place for a relocated shelter. Whatever the nimbies and city Council decide to put there, they better put it to a freakin vote so I can vote against it.

Hear hear!

It's not like it's used much as it is. I've never set foot on those fields, closest is to the fence along the hike and bike trail.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by the Genral

And I still contend that these baseball fields on public "parkland" need to be bulldozed and that parcel be turned into actual parkland. Not DAC, not anything but parkland, since the Council and snooty nimby's were so dead set against using "parkland" for a stadium on land that probably accounts for .00000000000001% of all the parkland in all of Austin, then let it actually become parkland. Lord knows we don't have enough freakin parkland to go around, that we can't sacrifice an ass hair's worth to bring a valuable commodity to Austin that thousands would enjoy and bring newcomers and old timers together to root for an Austin team other than the freakin Longhorns, no offense to Longhorn fans. Better yet, open up Butler Shores to the homeless. That would be a fine place for a relocated shelter. Whatever the nimbies and city Council decide to put there, they better put it to a freakin vote so I can vote against it.

That's pretty much how I feel about it. I don't care for sports at all, not any of it, but I was good with those softball fields being replaced with something that was equally accessible to the public even if it was a sports stadium. For the record, those softball fields aren't open to the public, at least not without reserving the space first. Calling it public parkland was a bit of a stretch. It's not as though you could pick any Saturday you wanted and go play some softball whenever you felt like it.

Throw in some nimbies who complain about everything under the sun and swear they'll never go downtown again, some opportunistic local politicians smiling for the cameras and the uninformed masses and it's a recipe for some more of the same old same old.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Hear hear!

It's not like it's used much as it is. I've never set foot on those fields, closest is to the fence along the hike and bike trail.

My sister's kids play softball. They live out in Del Valle and play games there and in Austin. One of the places they do is at the Garrison Park softball fields in South Austin. Now, I've lived in this neighborhood my whole life. I can see Garrison Park through the trees from our back patio. I've gone on field trips to Garrison Park as a kid when I was in elementary school. I learned to swim at the pool there. We had birthday parties and baby showers in the park. We've bought our Christmas tree at a lot that sets up in the parking lot there every year. I know that park front to back. I can show you two graves in the park where one of the people buried there was related to Abraham Lincoln. However, I had never set foot inside the locked perimeter around the softball fields. I had to wait to do so until one day when my niece was playing softball there last summer. I had been looking forward to it not just because I was cheering on my niece, but also because the skyscraper nerd in me was wanting to see the skyline from the top of the bleachers. lol

The softball fields there in Garrison Park are fine. They're tucked away at the southeast corner of the park right up against the fence dividing the park from the train tracks. The fields on Toomey Road really seem out of place, though. I think that's why so many people don't even know they're there. And it's not like there aren't other obscure softball fields just across the river since there totally are some.

[undergroundman]

McKalla is a non starter in my opinion. I know some of you like the idea, but if they wanted to build a stadium next to a glorified suburban mall, they can do that in any city, including Columbus.

I've tossed out the idea before about using the Texas School for the Deaf. The State legislature, a few years ago, was kicking around the idea of selling the prime real estate to potential developers and moving the school elsewhere.

I'm thinking PSV could work a deal with the State and the school to "renovate" their current stadium, which consists of a field, track and bleachers and has a decent view of downtown. They could build a proper stadium and lease it from the school. Maybe even relocate the field to front Congress to move it further away from residential neighborhoods.

Are State properties subject to local land use ordinances and permitting?

In any case, get out there and vote this November. More importantly, convince your friends and family to get out there and vote. Kitchen is up for reelection. Laura Morrison is running for mayor. This is going to be such an important election. Don't just vote... contribute what you can to the opposition campaign, time and/or money. Slap a bumper sticker on your car. Plant a sign in your front yard. I just hope there'll be real viable candidates that step up to run against those two.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by freerover

PSV picks up talks with investors in Columbus.

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/new...with-potential-investors-in.html?ana=fbk

They were likely using Austin as a bargaining chip all along.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by undergroundman

I know some of you like the idea, but if they wanted to build a stadium next to a glorified suburban mall, they can do that in any city, including Columbus.

It really has more urban bones than you - and some others here - give it credit... and the trajectory of development in the area is decidedly urban.

[ATXboom]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

They were likely using Austin as a bargaining chip all along.

This. It’s no coincidence Park land comes off the table as soon as Columbus re enters negotiations. Austin isn’t getting MLS. (Note I think we would have if butler shores was good with the public).

[abigdeal]

I know this isn’t common on the Internet, but everyone calm down. Taking Butler off the list removes the major obstacle to getting a deal done.

[papertowelroll]

Originally Posted by abigdeal

I know this isn’t common on the Internet, but everyone calm down. Taking Butler off the list removes the major obstacle to getting a deal done.

Yep, I actually wish they did this earlier. My opinion is that the true source of the outrage (at the city council level) has absolutely nothing to do with "parkland" and everything to do with the residents near Zilker not wanting additional people and traffic coming into their quaint little neighborhood.

That said, the hype machine of Austin hippyism is pretty powerful when it gets going, and PSV was playing with the same fire that burned Uber. With Butler off the table the council people should be far less antagonistic.