As a devout fan, not just of sports, but of sports architecture as well, I long to see the day when we have a proper system for reusing old sports venues when they are replaced by new sports venues. I've been labeled a "stadium hugger" by many, and my dream is to one day be a lobbyist for both old and new sports facilities.
These past 3 years, I've had the privilege of getting to travel all across the U.S and Canada. From Boston to Orlando to San Antonio and to Seattle, I have been to many sites where ballparks, arenas, and stadiums once stood and to locations where they might be in the future.
The list of demolished sports venues is way too long for me to list in this thread and the sad part about it is that most of them had many viable reuse options presented for them. I certainly hope Roberts Stadium isn't added to this list.
The great thing about the scenario we have been placed in with Roberts Stadium is that we the people of Evansville have a golden opportunity to send a message to the rest of the globe that demolition of a historic sports venue isn't necessary until any and all reuse options are considered.
The past month we have saved one facility ( Maple Leaf Gardens- Toronto, ON), lost one facility ( The Spectrum- Philadelphia, PA), and put one on life support ( Mellon Arena- Pittsburgh, PA). Ironically enough, SMG, who runs Roberts Stadium, managed most of these facilities as well, like Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh:
http://www.mellonarena.com/site.php.
I am attaching the following three articles to give you a perspective on what is going on around the U.S (and Canada) with activits who want to see old sports facilities reused and not demolished....
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/jan/20/no-headline---20a0xcomment2/COMMUNITY COMMENT: Roberts Stadium could be useful.Old arenas can find new usesNEAL THOMAS SPECIAL TO THE COURIER & PRESS
Evansville Courier & Press
Posted January 20, 2011
As a farmer, I have attended and occasionally exhibited at the North American International Livestock Exhibiton since it moved to Louisville's Freedom Hall complex in the 1970s.
While watching the Shorthorns in November, I saw Charlie Tyra's jersey still among those Louisville Cardinal uniforms preserved in the rafters, even though the team moved to a new downtown arena this year.
When I mentioned this to my fellow University of Evansville Mac's Boys at the Maryland-Eastern Shore game this season, it brought back vivid memories for all of us who played there in 1955 in the month Freedom Hall was opened.
Hugh Ahlering led us freshmen on what seemed like a quarter-mile trip from our dressing room to courtside, just as he would lead those of us still playing as seniors to UE's first national championship.
As walk-ons, Hugh and I never played in a gym bigger than the Armory and here we were on our first college road trip in the finest new facility in the nation. All of us remember being awed, but Jerry Clayton. Tyra was national player of the yer during his career, but Jerry dominted him just as easily as he did us freshmen every day in practice.
I don't think any of us realized at the time that Roberts Stadium would open the next year as just as impressive a place to play basketball.
Today, Freedom Hall is the centerpiece of the Kentucky Fair Exposition Center. People come there from all over for its year-round schedule of events.
Roberts Stadium is ducking the wrecking ball. The major problem seems to be the water table hit when the floor was sunk a few feet in the last renovation. On the farm, we would solve that problem quickly.
Take out the lower row of seats, put in something like a French drain, backfill the seep area until it is solid and re-establish the useful surface near its original level. Surely, then, creative minds could find a multitude of uses for Roberts, just as people of Louisville have for Freedom Hall.
Neal Thomas in resident of Richland, Ind.
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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703478704574612111114848276.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_lifestyleLast-Minute Gift Ideas: Old Stadiums Some of These Facilities That Sit Mostly Idle Could Possibly Be Had for a Reasonable Sum.By HANNAH KARP
Associated Press
The Pontiac Silverdome is shown last month.
Most sports fans assume that once a stadium or arena is replaced by a newer model, the old house is immediately blown to smithereens in a pyrotechnics show that would make James Cameron proud. But many more than you think are still around. Some have historical value, while others are still bringing in funds to cash-strapped municipalities. Who knows, some may even be available to well-heeled holiday shoppers looking for a last-minute gift. Here are a few:
Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Mich.
Thirty-five years after taxpayers spent $56 million to build it, this domed stadium, once home to the NFL's Detroit Lions and NBA's Pistons, was auctioned off last month for $583,000 to the highest bidder—a developer from Toronto. After several lawsuits, the deal is expected to go through this month because the city can no longer afford to maintain it. The developer, Andreas Apostolopoulos, spent last week in Pontiac and says he is in discussions with Major League Soccer to bring a team to the Detroit area. He says the stadium might not be quite the bargain it appears, given the amount he'll have to invest to bring the facility up to speed. "There's a lot of work to do first," he says.
Reliant Astrodome, Houston
The world's first domed sports stadium, the Astrodome was nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World" when it opened in 1965 to house baseball's Astros and football's Oilers. But since the Astros moved into Minute Maid Park (née Enron Field) for the 2000 season, after the Oilers had already decamped for Tennessee for the 1997 season, the city has spent millions over the years on basic upkeep even though the dome has no major tenants. After plans fell through to convert the facility into a hotel and convention center, there are groups lobbying to turn it into everything from a movie studio to a planetarium.
Pyramid Arena, Memphis, Tenn.
Associated Press
The Pyramid in Memphis shown in early 2008.
Opened in 1991, this 20,000-seat arena on the banks of the Mississippi—one of the world's 10 largest pyramids—housed the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies and the University of Memphis men's basketball team until both moved to the FedEx Forum in 2004. Shelby County, which sold its half share in the arena to the City of Memphis this year, has considered refashioning the pyramid as a casino or an aquarium. A local congressman suggested opening a new branch of the Smithsonian Institution. Sporting-goods outfitter Bass Pro Shops is renting the pyramid for $35,000 a month with plans to convert it into a megastore, but a spokesman says the company won't purchase the building.
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington
Former home of both the Redskins and baseball's second Senators franchise, which moved to Texas to become the Rangers after the 1971 season, the 48-year-old RFK hasn't been able to hook a new team for long despite $18.5 million in renovations for baseball's Nationals, which played there from 2005 through 2007. Critics pronounced it one of baseball's worst stadiums on account of its cramped quarters and awkward layout. The resident DC United soccer team hopes to have a new home by 2012.
Balboa Stadium, San Diego
Built in 1914, this facility housed the Chargers during some of their winningest years from 1961 to 1966 and hosted three American Football League championship games during that period. Now owned by the city of San Diego and leased to the local school district, the stadium has fallen into such disrepair that many soccer players and runners fear injury on the worn-down track and torn-up turf. The city and district have said they can't afford renovation.
Olympic Stadium, Montreal
Associated Press
Montreal's Olympic Stadium in 2001.
Designed for the 1976 Olympic Games by ambitious French architect Roger Taillibert, this structure—which was part of a $1.5 billion project that was just paid off a few years ago—has been plagued by problems since its inception, thanks to labor strikes, fires and a host of structural snafus. The inclined tower—now the highest in the world—wasn't finished in time for the Olympics, nor was the retractable roof, which proved unstable in high winds even when it was completed a decade later. Part of the roof collapsed before the Montreal auto show in 1999. Once home to baseball's Expos, a soccer team and the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes, the stadium was used this month for a swine-flu-vaccination clinic.
Beijing National Stadium, Beijing
This stadium, built for about a half billion dollars before the 2008 Olympic Games and better known as the "Bird's Nest," was transformed into a snow park this month, much to the chagrin of environmentalists who say creating the artificial snow is a waste of water, especially given the continuing drought in the area. The snow festival is one of only a handful of events the stadium has hosted since the Olympics. With annual operating costs of roughly $10 million, the facility was placed under government management in August to curb financial losses.
Alamodome, San Antonio
Opened in 1993, the nearly $200 million arena was forsaken seven years ago by the NBA's Spurs, fans of which complained of poor views from many seats in the designed-for-football stadium. (The Spurs now play in the AT&T Center). In 2005 the San Antonio City Council voted to spend close to $6.5 million to renovate the arena to lure a Major League Soccer franchise to the city, but it soon abandoned that plan, and the city hopes to someday draw an NFL team. One of Texas' least-utilized stadiums, it hosted the New Orleans Saints for a few games in 2005 when they were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The stadium's bread and butter is playing host each year to college football's Alamo Bowl, which this season will feature Texas Tech against Michigan State.
The Forum, Inglewood, Calif.
Home of the Los Angeles Lakers and NHL's Kings until both moved to the Staples Center in 1999, this circular, $16 million arena was purchased by the Faithful Central Bible Church in 2000, though the church stopped holding regular services in the arena earlier this year. The church's Web site states "WE ARE AVAILABLE" for film shoots and rehearsal space; earlier this year the Lakers played a preseason game in the Forum to celebrate the team's 50th season in Los Angeles. The arena also has hosted big health clinics for low-income families.
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http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/10/the_maple_leaf_gardens_makeover/The Maple Leaf Gardens makeoverPosted by Derek Flack / October 19, 2010
Renovations on Maple Leaf Gardens steadily continue as construction crews try to meet a projected spring 2011 completion date of the joint Loblaws and Ryerson facility. As part of a deal that provided the project with a sum of $20-million from Canada's Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, the makeover of the original six arena must be finished by March 31, 2011.
As Greg Alexander, one of the principal architects on the renovation, told the Star in March, that's "a very challenging time frame." So work has been ongoing since funding was secured without a whole lot of time to spare. As of mid-May, the north and south stands had been removed, the structure of the building had been reinforced, much of the east and west seating had been removed, and the rink bed had been removed to allow for work on underground parking. At this time, Ryerson and BBB Architects / Stadium Consultants International also released plans that reveals what the finished product might look like, including a cross-section of the new facility.
As of the most recent photo below, a considerable amount of the parking level has been built and it would appear that no stands remain in place (though admittedly not all sides of the building are visible). There's obviously still a lot of work left to be done, but here's a photographic timeline of what's happened up to the beginning of the month.
Nuit Blanche 2008 (for reference)
Photo by Salsavaders.
December 2009
Photo by Big Blue Toe Productions.
January 2010
Photos from Ryerson and Loblaw Companies Limited.
March 2010
Photo by ThePerkyCarrot.
August 2010
Photo by Loozrboy.
Photo by tanjatiziana.
October 2010
Photo by Chris Schafer.
Architectural renderings from Ryerson University / BBB Architects / Stadium Consultants International
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