Potential Soccer Stadium | Portland peninsula

nomc said:
@Redfern any updates on stadium and/or track relocation?? I just spied "USL Soccer Lease terms" tentatively on the schedule for an executive session of the Housing & Economic Development Committee in Oct and Nov and presentations tentatively scheduled two weeks after each. 😬
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I would focus all football and track to Deering's field, then completely re-do Portland Stadium for a soccer facility--perhaps to at least 20,000 seats. Give it a roof too, one that is translucent with the ends being massive windows. Soccer is becoming more popular and easier to play or do than football or track. Neighboring USM is on its way to becoming a much larger university. My prediction is an eventual footprint to rival UMO, as one key reason is that Portland has a mass trans option to Boston, as does Bowdoin, UNH, and even UNE. I think a beefed-up men's and women's teams could play here, in addition to the pros. And, an area with a lined option to continue for high school and junior high soccer programs (tournies). The usage would be fairer now. It would be a true full community experience that would include the city's immigrant population. Football is losing participant popularity in Maine, and so why make it a still prominent part of a city facility? Change is good. Change is often necessary to prosper and survive. Of course, naturally the usual Mainer naysayers will scream out "It's too much money!" Figure out a way. In Texas, high school football stadiums can cost millions. They do it. Others too. Ask local Shamrock Sports Marketing to help. They are currently working on a giant celebrity charity road race (Maine Biz article) for the area next summer. I'm guessing Patrick Dempsey will be the host as he is a Mainer and likes to own and race Porsches. He donates his time for a car show charity event at Bug Light Park in the summer. Think bigger by using existing assets.
 
nomc said:
@Redfern any updates on stadium and/or track relocation?? I just spied "USL Soccer Lease terms" tentatively on the schedule for an executive session of the Housing & Economic Development Committee in Oct and Nov and presentations tentatively scheduled two weeks after each. 😬
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Getting anything done that requires leadership right now in Portland is really challenging. Luckily the USL is willing to work with us for a little bit on playing here even though the field doesn't meet the technical requirements. Hoping to get stuff going and then figure out the stadium.....~C
 
Red Fern, try to get the Revolution to relocate to Portland. Propose to build a 20k seat stadium on the midtown property or fuse Fitzpatrick with Hadlock Field. This Portland team can be "The Forest City Football Club" a nice little jab at the Portland Timbers. While we are at let's build a new 12k arena on the peninsula, by the time it gets approved the Cross Insurance Arena will be ready to be demolished. I would love to see Portland host the NCAA basketball tournament first and second-round games.
 
Seanflynn78 said:
Red Fern, try to get the Revolution to relocate to Portland. Propose to build a 20k seat stadium on the midtown property or fuse Fitzpatrick with Hadlock Field. This Portland team can be "The Forest City Football Club" a nice little jab at the Portland Timbers. While we are at let's build a new 12k arena on the peninsula, by the time it gets approved the Cross Insurance Arena will be ready to be demolished. I would love to see Portland host the NCAA basketball tournament first and second-round games.
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Even though you’re joking about the Revs, it’s crazy they haven’t moved them to Boston yet. It’s an urban sport with teams building new dedicated stadiums. The Nashville one is sick
 
Seanflynn78 said:
Red Fern, try to get the Revolution to relocate to Portland. Propose to build a 20k seat stadium on the midtown property or fuse Fitzpatrick with Hadlock Field. This Portland team can be "The Forest City Football Club" a nice little jab at the Portland Timbers. While we are at let's build a new 12k arena on the peninsula, by the time it gets approved the Cross Insurance Arena will be ready to be demolished. I would love to see Portland host the NCAA basketball tournament first and second-round games.
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Sean - I'd love to see the Civic Center, Spring Street Parking Garage, Maine Health building, and the Holiday Inn (and their garage) be demolished.

Then use this area for a convention center and a couple beautiful high-rise hotel buildings covered in glass. Include the lot where Margaritas was (across from Aura) for another hotel or tall residential building.

Perhaps "steal" a little land from where the YWCA was on Spring (since the Art Museum doesn't seem to have use for it in their growth plan) for more development. This whole area could really change up the Spring Street and Free Street area into something far more functional. I was sad years ago when the convention center never came to fruition at the Top of the East, though I didn't love the architectural designs.
 
We have renderings of how we would work with Fitzy as it stands now. We have to redo the press box and the lighting to meet televised standards of FIFA. Also the turf is coming to the end of its lifespan here soon so the City of Portland will need to figure out how to replace it......~C
 
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Some renderings of Rhode Island FC's proposed 7500-10,000 seat soccer stadium in Pawtucket which is expected to be ready for the 2024 season. The team broke a USL record for 2500 season tickets sold in the first week. I'm guessing this is the same level of competition and expected capacity for an expanded and renovated Fitzpatrick Stadium when all is said and done? Should be an exciting addition to Greater Portland's sports and entertainment opportunities if the soccer ownership group which now includes Tom Caron can pull off a venue similar to this!
 
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Most recent rendering of a renovated Fitzpatrick Stadium which looks great and appears to have a seating capacity similar to Rhode Island's venue. As TC always mentions, its about food, drink and entertainment options that helps sell tickets! :)
 
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How did the US vs England viewing party in Monument Square go today? It was a pretty rainy day for it. (I'm surprised US didn't get their asses kicked.)
 
Question:
If Fitzpatrick Stadium is the desired location for the new Soccer Field, this begs the question of additional development like nearby hotels, restaurants, etc. Yes? But where is there land available nearby for any of that?
 
Great question. The average USL attendance is around 5,000 which is less than what the Sea Dogs average at Hadlock Field during the warmer portion of summer so the impact will be similar. The La Quinta and a Clarion Hotel are close by for lodging needs and there are ample food options on St John and lower Congress Street prior to or after the matches. Not sure if the soccer home schedule would overlap with baseball (7300) or possibly the Celtics at the Expo (3200) but that could be an issue to explore.
 
I guess these are the only places that have any development potential.

I doubt Iris Network would move, plus I like their buildings. The Hamilton Service Station could go. The 2 story building at 190 Park Ave could be replaced with something taller. 183 Park would likely be bought and redeveloped. Some other "meh" buildings and empty lots. After that, we're looking at St. John Street. Hopefully with the Me Med expansion, St. John Street will continue to be updated & redeveloped. I'd love to see the strip mall where Union Station was completely replaced.

Is there any specific reason the Ice Arena and the Expo haven't been considered for replacement with better & bigger facilities? Sure, the Expo is "historic" (on top of an old pauper's cemetery at that).
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Just thinking out loud - if the track at Fitzpatrick is a hindrance towards getting the field to meet USL standards in the long-term (assuming any waiver to the requirements would likely be temporary), there really are only two viable options:

(1) Work out agreements with Cheverus, South Portland and Westbrook for the Portland and Deering track teams to share those respective tracks.
(2) Build a new track on City-owned land in front of or behind Casco Bay High School/Portland Arts & Technology High School.

I don't think there's enough room to build a track around Deering's Memorial Stadium. Building a new track at Dougherty Field or Payson Park means you lose other recreational uses (i.e. baseball and softball fields), and I think that's a non-starter.
 
I wonder if a new track could be built on the Back Cove site where the construction is going on now. If the objection to siting the soccer stadium there was not wanting substantial construction over the tanks, well, I don't think you'd need all that much for a track and the practice soccer field could survive in the infield; they certainly don't fill Fitzpatrick even for the Southwesterns or the States (I may be dating myself with that reference to the Southwesterns :) ).
 
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