Sports in Austin

[H2O]

Originally Posted by the Genral

With a current value of around $9 million, why would anyone want to pay over $22 million? Something doesn't smell right. It just feels like a ploy to remove Precourt from the equation by stalling long enough to cause Precourt to pull out due to time constraints he put on the CoA to make a commitment. Then there's no pressure on the developer making such a grossly over the value offer to follow through without major negotiations to lower the bid, then take years to follow through with any development. That is if they don't just clean up the property, and put it up for sale. Then what happens if there is a downturn in the economy and construction loans take even longer. This parcel could remain undeveloped for years. Then on the other hand, there is a sure bet on the table by Precourt who I would say is willing to sweeten the deal to make this happen, if the Council is willing to see the benefits and compromise. He has put considerable energy into this, and I would say even if he has to stay in Columbus for the time being, he won't be that welcomed, another incentive to cave in on some infrastructure arrangements with the city. But it all comes back to this...why would anyone with any business savvy pay more than twice the value for a piece of land? Could that be a decoy bid? I doubt its binding.

The TCAD assessed value is $9 million. That is based on current uses and conditions. The appraised value is $29.5 million. It is based on the Fair Market Value of the development potential.

[loonytoony]

Originally Posted by abigdeal

I'm feeling pretty decent about those seven, but I'd be surprised if Troxy votes yes, unless she just decides to hop on board with the winning team.

I'll be there 6/28. Will buy you fools a beer if the side of goodness and light wins.

Ditto on all counts. Ora Houston might surprise some too - she's on record as being a big soccer fan and has been watching World Cup apparently.

Leslie Pool is quite simply an obstructionist. For all her opposition to developments, The Grove for ex, here she is trying to open things up for RFP. Listen to your district Council Member, the vast majority wants soccer.

[Austin1971]

Just emailed all the CC about supporting the stadium at McKalla Place. I attached this link for them as well.

https://www.statesman.com/sports/soc...EBjazdtHpFlgJ/

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by loonytoony

Ditto on all counts. Ora Houston might surprise some too - she's on record as being a big soccer fan and has been watching World Cup apparently.

Leslie Pool is quite simply an obstructionist. For all her opposition to developments, The Grove for ex, here she is trying to open things up for RFP. Listen to your district Council Member, the vast majority wants soccer.

Except what Ora Houston and several Travis County Commissioners really want is AS&E's megacomplex at Travis County Expo Center. She is unlikely to be aware of the low likelihood of MLS approval of such a site for an expansion team. She may like soccer but I would be very surprised if she was aware of the league's expansion preferences or the differences between MLS (Division I) vs USL (Division II).

PSV via relocation is Austin's best shot at MLS. Anything involving USL at COTA or unknown investors at the Expo Center would basically be a prayer.

Even if we get another chance (very big if), MLS will never approve of a stadium at either location, so ultimately we'd be back in the same position of arguing about a piece of central Austin property several years down the road, when there is likely to be less land available.

[abigdeal]

Originally Posted by loonytoony

Ditto on all counts. Ora Houston might surprise some too - she's on record as being a big soccer fan and has been watching World Cup apparently.

Leslie Pool is quite simply an obstructionist. For all her opposition to developments, The Grove for ex, here she is trying to open things up for RFP. Listen to your district Council Member, the vast majority wants soccer.

One could write a novel about the hypocrisy of Pool and Alter when it comes to this property and this issue.

[morning19]

Make sure to get your behinds down to City Hall on Thursday to vote #NOto60 and #YESto64. If this is something we want as a community we gotta show up. Tell as many people as you can to do the same.

[the Genral]

This to me is difficult to watch. The lady in the hat acts like she has a vested interest in that piece of land and the future of Austin. She mentions that Austin is in the habit of giving away the store to people with false promises yet doesn't give any examples and I can't think of any. The other lady is also completely clueless. At least there was one voice of reason there.
Fortunately, no one will align themselves to that motley looking group. Their feeble attempts to derail this will prove to be futile, but they still piss me off, except the half of them that don't look like they know where they are or how they got there.
https://youtu.be/0f_qZnz6fAc

[morning19]

Originally Posted by the Genral

This to me is difficult to watch. The lady in the hat acts like she has a vested interest in that piece of land and the future of Austin. She mentions that Austin is in the habit of giving away the store to people with false promises yet doesn't give any examples and I can't think of any. The other lady is also completely clueless. At least there was one voice of reason there.
Fortunately, no one will align themselves to that motley looking group. Their feeble attempts to derail this will prove to be futile, but they still piss me off, except the half of them that don't look like they know where they are or how they got there.
https://youtu.be/0f_qZnz6fAc

What's wild to me, is that the loudest voice has been the "Gracywoods Neighborhood Assocation". Luckily, I live in that area, so I get to see all the nextdoor.com activity. The president a 2 other people have pretty much made up there minds for the rest of the community. If you look on nextdoor, people who are pro stadium will get 3x-4x the amount of "thanks". But they have now brought the PODER group into the fold to continue to raise havoc. I can't believe we are even going to be cutting it this close. This should have been done and dusted already. (With further negotations of course, I don't think we are there yet with PSV, but I think it's good enough to start negotiations.)

[KevinFromTexas]

It's funny how people suddenly care about a previously unknown vacant lot that no one actually cared about or ever complained about the condition it was in.

Everyone's got a bottom line to watch even while scorning others for doing the same.

[loonytoony]

Updated action item on Mckalla as of today. Item 64 now seems to be Item 130.

http://www.austintexas.gov/departmen...28-reg.htm#130

"Approve a resolution directing the City Manager to analyze the proposal from Precourt Sports Ventures, begin negotiations for a Major League Soccer stadium to be located at 10414 McKalla Place, and to solicit plans for the development of affordable housing on another City-owned tract.

Sponsors: Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo, Mayor Steve Adler, Council Member Sabino 'Pio' Renteria, Council Member Delia Garza."

I think this will get a lot of the undecided's off the fence, and help swing the affordable housing folks. Now all we have left are the "if we don't build it they won't come" folks, who we'll have no matter what. This gives me the warm and fuzzies all over. Well done Adler, Tovo, Pio, and Garza!

[the Genral]

I met a lady who just moved from Columbus who told me she has attended almost every one of the Crew home games when she lived there. She was wearing a Crew tee which is how the conversation started. They won't have any problems filling the seats.

[StoOgE]

I got an anti-McKalla place flyer on my door today.

[abigdeal]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

I got an anti-McKalla place flyer on my door today.

Where do you live? I can’t believe there are real people with money to spend on this given the size of the rally. Stuff must be coming from an outside source.

[morning19]

Originally Posted by abigdeal

Where do you live? I can’t believe there are real people with money to spend on this given the size of the rally. Stuff must be coming from an outside source.

Bobby.............................Espstein

This has 100% to do with his music venue. He couldn't give two rips about soccer. But take away is 20k person concerts, and he has no supplemental income.

[Nickelplate]

Other than UT football does any sporting event sell out? This is a city of out of towners who dont have the passion to fill the seats. Just tossing that out there. Maybe MLS will draw a crowd that UT sports AHL hockey and AAA baseball doesnt...

[Nickelplate]

I will be at the Express game friday see you there!💥

[morning19]

Originally Posted by Nickelplate

Other than UT football does any sporting event sell out? This is a city of out of towners who dont have the passion to fill the seats. Just tossing that out there. Maybe MLS will draw a crowd that UT sports AHL hockey and AAA baseball doesnt...

UT Football doesn't even sell out. But I digress. This city is quite removed from what it was 15 years ago. There are a lot of people that don't have any ties to that university, but are rabid sports fans from all over the united states. I think it's just our standards are high and there is a lot of competition for entertainment, so if it's not top level, you won't see a lot of buy-in from the younger transplants when there is 10 other things they could be doing.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by morning19

UT Football doesn't even sell out. But I digress. This city is quite removed from what it was 15 years ago. There are a lot of people that don't have any ties to that university, but are rabid sports fans from all over the united states. I think it's just our standards are high and there is a lot of competition for entertainment, so if it's not top level, you won't see a lot of buy-in from the younger transplants when there is 10 other things they could be doing.

UT football sells out when the team is good. Been that way my whole life. I think in the 2000s we all got to pretend we were die-hard fans because we were good for 12-13 straight years.

Basketball is the same way.

But it's not really fair to say that UT selling out has to do with Austin sports fans. It is UT fans from out of town that largely stop going to games when the team is bad. We rely on lots of people from Houston and Dallas coming into Austin for games.

[morning19]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

UT football sells out when the team is good. Been that way my whole life. I think in the 2000s we all got to pretend we were die-hard fans because we were good for 12-13 straight years.

Basketball is the same way.

But it's not really fair to say that UT selling out has to do with Austin sports fans. It is UT fans from out of town that largely stop going to games when the team is bad. We rely on lots of people from Houston and Dallas coming into Austin for games.

I concede to your point. My larger point is that I don't think there is a as much crossover between RRE/Stars/Spurs with the demographic MLS is targeting.

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

UT football sells out when the team is good. Been that way my whole life. I think in the 2000s we all got to pretend we were die-hard fans because we were good for 12-13 straight years.

Basketball is the same way.

But it's not really fair to say that UT selling out has to do with Austin sports fans. It is UT fans from out of town that largely stop going to games when the team is bad. We rely on lots of people from Houston and Dallas coming into Austin for games.

True, we do tend to be fair weather fans, but i bet it would sell out every game no matter the teams record......IF....the ticket prices were not out of control.

I would take my family if it wouldn't cost damn near $400 just for tix, the entire day winds up running well over $600 from the time i leave to the time I get back home.

UT made its deal with the devil, they can have it....I'll watch it from home. Hook 'em!