From the Daily News:
The controversy over a plan to bring professional soccer to Queens just got more intense with sports magnates and politicians alike mixing it up.
The Mets are “very interested and fully capable” of bringing Major League Soccer to Citi Field, City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria) announced Thursday.
The move would boost the baseball team’s coffers and eliminate potential competition from a $300 million MLS soccer stadium proposed for Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
Vallone, who is running for Queens Borough President, said this would be a win-win for soccer fans and open space advocates opposed to another stadium going up in the park.
“We have a state-of-the-art stadium sitting there waiting to be used a few yards away,” Vallone said. “This way we get to keep the parkland and we get Major League Soccer in Queens.”
Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz confirmed the idea is on the table.
“The Mets would be open to discussing the use of Citi Field for a potential MLS team,” Horwitz said in a statement.
But MLS spokeswoman Risa Heller dismissed the proposal.
The league is in talks with the city to build a 25,000-seat stadium on up to 13 acres in Flushing Meadows.
Assemblyman Francisco Moya (D-Jackson Heights), who has championed the push to bring MLS to Queens, said using Citi Field wouldn’t work.
“The long-term economic impact would be significantly different,” he said.
A new soccer stadium is expected to create 2,100 to 2,300 construction jobs, 160 full-time and 750 part-time positions, MLS officials previously said.
13 comments:
Use Citifield for a few years and see if building a soccer stadium is warranted. This would be a great idea.
"“This way we get to keep the parkland.....""
Why should the public have to go hat-in-hand to some shit businessmen and plead to keep public land, public?
Praise The Lord!
What a "champion" of the people--"preservationist" Pete Jr. has suddenly become--so now he's promoting this "win-win" situation.
How "sweet" it is. How "nice" it all sounds.
Is everybody happy, now? DON'T BE FOOLED!
Pete's REAL concern is to WIN-WIN the upcoming election--that's all.
He can always break all of the promises he's made after--IF--he becomes our borough president.
Then YOU VOTERS could find yourselves bogged down in a LOSE-LOSE situation.
VOTE WISELY!
The Vallones are LOBBYISTS for developers!
Meanwhile back at the Vallone (district) ranch--the Steinway Mansion's fate is in limbo.
Can Pete Jr. come up with a "win-win" situation to save it?
Good!
Now tear down the USTA facility and hold the US Open in Citi Field. Reclaim that parkland.
Put ALL sports events in Citi Field.
Uh...how come the planners didn't plan putting an all weather dome on Citi Field?
Let's hold RUGBY matches.
They're nice and violent and would REALLY draw a modern bloodthirsty crowd.
Hockey is a "pussy" game compared to Rugby.
Why no dome? They decided to build Citi Field, along with the new Yankee Stadium during the Bubble, with all the material, labor, and financing cost inflation. Sometimes its better to wait.
It might be possible to host some of the smaller early round tennis matches, or a medium size ticket at Citi Field. Array a few hard court panels along the infield. You still need Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadiums to host the big tickets.
if the state really wants an estimated 25000 full time jobs ,the democrats/environmentalists should stop delaying the Hydro-Fracking industry from the shale and gas in NYS.
MLS is a BUST....an available park for the taxpayers is a MUST....
if the state really wants an estimated 25000 full time jobs ,the democrats/environmentalists should stop delaying the Hydro-Fracking industry from the shale and gas in NYS.
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Up yours!!!
We never tried to get the Jets and now we are going to get soccer.
It looks like Matt has decided to post anonymously.
NO, NO NO...
WE DON'T NEED LOUIS ARMSTRONG (1964 "Singer Bowl") OR ARTHUR ASHE STADIUMS!
TEAR THEM BOTH DOWN!
Hand jobs versus real jobs!
Uh...Hydro-Fracking is one of those hand jobs being pushed by government.
Your children and grandchildren ...if not YOU, yourself...will be drinking poisoned groundwater.
Enjoy your methane cocktail, you doofus!!
Let's bing back the Roman circus!
That's what everybody secretly desires these days.
Think of what a tourist attraction that would be.
Why be content with the mere 2 dimensional brutality of computer games? We want real live performances...in the flesh!
Can you imagine Toby Stavisky and Claire Shulman poking at each other with tridents...clad in full gladiator's armor?
Forget about the Big Apple Circus.
We want to see battling politicians spill their blood in a great chariot race around Citi Field!
Throw Wellington Chen and those lazy asses at CB#7 into the arena to face the lions.
Now that's real sport for you!
They didn't fight with tridents, they fought with SWORDS.
Tokyo Dome had two Japanese League all-star matches in 1990 and 1991 before they decided wrestling would be more suitable. Wrestling does not need an uneven pitch/field surface; soccer does.
Go to Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Puerto Rico, which was built to MLB specifications, and see how you can see the Puerto Rico Islanders play soccer in front of their crowd. It's lopsided.
man that will entice even more hispancis to the area.. not that there is aproblem with it just saying.
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