Short-Lived Sports Venues

[initiald]

I was glad the Charlotte Coliseum was scrapped in favor of the new downtown arena. Building an arena way out of downtown was a mistake typical of the mid 1980s. With the Bobcats/soon-to-be-Hornets-again downtown along with the AHL Charlotte Checkers in the same building it has really helped downtown bars and restaurants.

[Guiltyspark]

Originally Posted by arkitekte

As far as being saved vs. demolition, the City of Memphis couldn't afford to tear it down. There were other (extremely weak) proposals out there such as an indoor theme park, an aquarium, a casino (although gambling isn't leagal in TN other than the TN Lottery). I don't necessarily have a problem with Bass Pro moving into the Pyramid other than the fact that it will look like this in about a year:

http://media.commercialappeal.com/me...56841_t607.JPG

Ugh, ok. I don't like that. It could do without the giant signage and the tradition Bass Pro entrance. I wish they would design something that fits the existing structure more.

[StethJeff]

Although it hasn't gotten torn down yet, the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena will likely join this list in the near future. Built in 1959, the Lakers, Clippers, Kings, UCLA, and USC have all played there at some point in time. The Forum, Staples Center, Pauley Pavilion, and Galen Center eventually made better homes.

The Forum was recently purchased and is being repurposed by the Madison Square Garden folks to make it a concert venue, otherwise it too probably woulda gotten scrapped sooner rather than later.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Guiltyspark

Are you talking about Bass Pro? They are giant stores that sell everything from hunting and fishing goods to camping supplies and 30 foot boats. You should be glad that pyramid building is being saved.

I should be glad?

[esquire]

Originally Posted by StethJeff

Although it hasn't gotten torn down yet, the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena will likely join this list in the near future. Built in 1959, the Lakers, Clippers, Kings, UCLA, and USC have all played there at some point in time. The Forum, Staples Center, Pauley Pavilion, and Galen Center eventually made better homes.

The Forum was recently purchased and is being repurposed by the Madison Square Garden folks to make it a concert venue, otherwise it too probably woulda gotten scrapped sooner rather than later.

The LA Sports Arena is over 50 years old so I'd say it's managed to exist a respectably long length of time. Compared to some of the debacles where arenas are being demolished or repurposed before, in all likelihood, they have even been paid off (Pyramid, Miami Arena, Charlotte Coliseum), this venue's situation isn't bad.

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

I should be glad?

Come on, they could have simply demolished the place once it was shut down after 13 whole years of service as a sports venue!

[MolsonExport]

I stand corrected. I am glad that a stadium now serves as a Fishing Tackle & Sundry Megastoreass-rex.

[Guiltyspark]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

I stand corrected. I am glad that a stadium now serves as a Fishing Tackle & Sundry Megastoreass-rex.

One is a cathedral to the mass consumption of watching other people play a game. The other is a cathedral to mass consumption allowing people to pursue their hobbies. I really don't see the spiritual difference. We are not talking about Yankee Stadium here. But whatever.

[MolsonExport]

One might be paid for by the taxpayer. I thought that was the point of the whole conversation. But whatever.

[Guiltyspark]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

One might be paid for by the taxpayer. I thought that was the point of the whole conversation. But whatever.

Sorry that you misunderstood the point.

[initiald]

Add Turner Field in Atlanta to the list. Built initially for the 1996 Summer Olympics, it was converted to a baseball configuration after the games. The Braves have just announced they plan to move out of the city by 2017.

[llamaorama]

In high school I was in marching band, and our large 5A school had a very successful football team that got to play in cool places. So I have been down on the field and in the access areas of the former Texas Stadium, the Alamodome, and Reliant Stadium when it was first opened.

IMO they may be wasteful cathedrals of sports and I agree. Personally though Texas Stadium at the end felt shadow-prone and never had good air circulation. Nothing like an afternoon event in early August where it rains and then the sun comes out, turning any open-roof stadium with large awnings into world's biggest sauna. The Alamodome was a white elephant from the start, and had that clunky layout issue. Reliant by comparison was absolutely gorgeous. It's the little things, like not being too hot inside and bright lighting and having a concourse that doesn't smell like overflowing dumpster and nice bathrooms.

No way cities should spend a buttload of money and subsidize wealthy sports owners, who often grow complacent and allow their team to be shitty since they can just get a free ride with public money(ahem astros cough). But then the midcentury hulks were the reverse-they were unpleasant in nearly every way. I think the facilities built in the 1990s on will stick around because they are very good and should last.

[The North One]

Originally Posted by arkitekte

http://media.commercialappeal.com/me...56841_t607.JPG

Oh god, this looks like a disaster, praying for Memphis right now.

[RudyJK]

Originally Posted by The North One

Oh god, this looks like a disaster, praying for Memphis right now.

Would you be happier if it stayed an abandoned decaying eyesore?

[MolsonExport]

a bit of a false dichotomy.

[RudyJK]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

a bit of a false dichotomy.

Perhaps. But that is what it was becoming.

There are worse tragedies in life than a private business renovating a dying building, making a profit off it and removing a white elephant from the hands of taxpayers - all hopefully, of course.

[Private Dick]

Originally Posted by RudyJK

There are worse tragedies in life than a private business renovating a dying building, making a profit off it and removing a white elephant from the hands of taxpayers - all hopefully, of course.

No. There is no worse tragedy in life... in all of human existence... than this. It truly embodies all that is wrong and flawed with our species.

[BoiseAirport]

Originally Posted by initiald

Add Turner Field in Atlanta to the list. Built initially for the 1996 Summer Olympics, it was converted to a baseball configuration after the games. The Braves have just announced they plan to move out of the city by 2017.

That's amazing to me.

The last Olympic Games to see its Olympic Stadium eventually demolished? The 1948 Summer Olympics in London, which was held in the old Wembley Stadium. If you don't count that (since there exists a new Wembley Stadium on the same site), you have to go all the way back to the 1908 Summer Olympics before you find an Olympic Stadium that was completely demolished with no on-site replacement.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

No. There is no worse tragedy in life... in all of human existence... than this. It truly embodies all that is wrong and flawed with our species.

I would say that the Atlanta stadium thing has a far better claim to that title.

A $200 million stadium, not even 20 years old yet and more than likely not paid off (or is it?), perfectly functional in every way, not one of those dull 70s cookie cutters we all love to hate... being demolished because a suburb has decided to offer the team $450 million toward a new $650 million dollar stadium.

Really now. Cobb County must be in pretty good shape if it can afford to throw money like that around. I'm talking like hospitals and schools made of solid gold, because why else would you pour money down the drain like that? I wonder what Cobb County will do with their stadium when the Braves depart for another suburb when the lease expires on this joint in 10 years or whenever?

Absolutely wasteful and foolish to the extreme.

[RudyJK]

Originally Posted by Private Dick

No. There is no worse tragedy in life... in all of human existence... than this. It truly embodies all that is wrong and flawed with our species.

That's an odd statement coming from someone with a meteorological penis as an avatar.

[The_Architect]

Wow, Turner Field is beautiful and they're demolishing it so young to go out to the suburbs?

Congrats Atlanta for moving back in time to the 50's.