The world's smallest retractable roof stadium

[rider]

http://www.wkyc.com/assetpool/images/061130122146_soccer02.jpg
http://www.wkyc.com/assetpool/images/06113012216_soccer01.jpg

This recently proposed stadium could be built near Cleveland and seats only 20,000, but has a retractable roof. It's supposed to cost about $160 million and if built, would house an expansion Major League Soccer side.

[Prydelax29]

woah looks pretty cool

[BwineLAX42]

One question....Why? :nofear: Why put 135 million dollars into a MLS stadium that can only seat 20,000, it's not even good for big time concerts.

[sidewinder19]

One question....Why? :nofear: Why put 135 million dollars into a MLS stadium that can only seat 20,000, it's not even good for big time concerts.

160 million....

[d-pole01]

looks pretty cool, be cooler if they could play some MLL in there

[pantherLax]

Thats alot of soccer field in the first pic..

[CSlax06]

Whoah is there really a place with that many fields?

[rider]

Three MLS stadiums are surrounded by 20 or so fields, and all three of them are out in the suburbs (LA Galaxy in Carson, FC Dallas in Frisco, and Colorado Rapids in Commerce City). To make up for not being in a better location, they use all the extra land to build a giant soccer complex to make it more of a landmark, but more importantly, to generate revenue from all the usage those fields will get.

And I too don't know why they would spend all that money adding a retractable roof onto that stadium. Really though, it doesn't seem like the retractable part of the roof is very big, it seems to barely cover the playing field.

[BwineLAX42]

looks pretty cool, be cooler if they could play some MLL in there

They could play MLL and NLL.

[egrlax10]

One question....Why? :nofear: Why put 135 million dollars into a MLS stadium that can only seat 20,000, it's not even good for big time concerts.

that would be just fine for big concerts. there is a place in my are called the van andel arena that holds about 15,000 people and there are tons of big time concerts there, such as the red hot chili peppers, the who, james taylor, and tons more. also, the palace of auburn hills in detroit holds about 20,000 people and there are plenty of big concerts there too.

[rider]

There are VERY few acts that play in NFL stadiums. I'm talking like the biggest ones: such as Rolling Stones and U2. For everyone else, an arena is more than enough.

[RockStar]

Dumping $160 million into a 20,000 seat soccer stadium is a bit of an odd decision to say the least.

[RottingMind13]

One question....Why? :nofear: Why put 135 million dollars into a MLS stadium that can only seat 20,000, it's not even good for big time concerts.

Theoretically, it would be EVEN BETTER for big time concerts. Not necessarily for the concert goers, but Ticketmaster and the bands would benefit greatly. The result is you paying a lot more to sit in a 20,000 person arena than a 50,000 person one because of the simple fact that less availablility of tickets means it becomes almost a bidding war to get into the venue.

[rider]

Theoretically, it would be EVEN BETTER for big time concerts. Not necessarily for the concert goers, but Ticketmaster and the bands would benefit greatly. The result is you paying a lot more to sit in a 20,000 person arena than a 50,000 person one because of the simple fact that less availablility of tickets means it becomes almost a bidding war to get into the venue.
Exactly, which is why you see newer stadiums built with fewer seats. The new Yankee and Mets stadiums will have thousands of fewer seats than their predecessors, and the new Cardinals stadium has over 10,000 fewer seats than Sun Devil Stadium.

[laxiceman]

Why would they not use it for NLL and MLL?

Because soccer is more popular than lacrosse, that is why. Lacrosse is extremely insignificant on a scale where it is compared to soccer, as is american football.

No one is going to build a 160 million dollar stadium and say "Oh, why don't we have the MLL and NLL play here".

There's also the fact that since soccer is more popular, more people are going to go to the games. If it was up to me, I would completely host soccer over lacrosse, since there is much more money there.

[sammyduelist]

But they arent goign to be hurt by renting it out to the MLL and NLL, itll only add to theur money

[BwineLAX42]

I don't think they are putting a lacrosse team in Clevland anytime soon.

[HRodLAX]

$160 million for the stadium, but think of all the money they will make hosting tournaments there. "Play six games and the championship is in the new $160 million stadium" Its an awsome idea and they can make a boat load of money. There never seems to be enough fields around where I live, but maybe that is just me.

[rider]

I don't think they are putting a lacrosse team in Clevland anytime soon.
Well, maybe, maybe not. One must think, if you're gonna spend $160 million on a stadium, then $30 million more for an MLS expansion fee, what's another $1 million for an MLL team? It'll just generate additional revenue for the guy paying for this thing.