DISCUSSION: TD Ameritrade Park Omaha

[thenewguy]

WOWT just did a story about putting the new Ballpark in Playland Park

CB said that its an option to keeping it in the Metro if Omaha can't get it done.

TERRIBLE IDEA FOR THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES.  Good for the city of CB, i guess, but not for the CWS.  The road to Omaha...not the metro.  And it could be a bluff, i highly doubt we have the resources to get it done, and it may just be the kick in the |expletive| that Omaha needs to vote it into downtown.  As it goes with some of the friends and family i have in Omaha, they hate to see us succeed where Omaha would not.  Not starting any |expletive| by saying that, just stating that i'm sure it would bother many Omahans if that many dollars left Omaha for here (like the casinos, though they were never there).  Plus, we don't have that many hotels right near by (unlike downtown), not near as many restaurants, etc.  Just put the |expletive| downtown.

[Harpoon]

Not going to happen at the Playland Park site with plans firmly in place for a new neighborhood.

[Brad]

Not going to happen at the Playland Park site with plans firmly in place for a new neighborhood.

That why the Mayor of CB was on the news supporting the Idea...

I don't think its going to happen either, but it can, they have something Omaha does not have, Plenty of Money from Iowa West to put in to a project like this.

[Brad]

Council Bluffs Eyes New Stadium

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/13689892.html

Hanafan doesn't want to step on toes while Omaha figures out its plan, but knows there's land available along the Iowa side of the Missouri River for a ballpark, specifically on the other end of the pedestrian bridge now under construction. "If it got bogged down, it would make sense for us to look at it."

[thenewguy]

Just watchin channel 6 news this morning and they had their sound off.  2 responses.  I'll give you the gist of it: 1) "B" from Omaha--"let them build it there, we can rake in the sales tax revenue from restaurants and hotels without investing a dime" (no joke), and 2) "Jeff" [anyone from here?] said, "More big events and more big dollars leaving Omaha and going for Council Bluffs/Iowa [can't remember which]; it's time for Omaha to wake up!"

Basically, they represented the ones who don't give a damn, and the ones who do, and are mad because their neighbor doesn't ;)

[agibson95]

Council Bluffs Eyes New Stadium

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/13689892.html

Hanafan doesn't want to step on toes while Omaha figures out its plan, but knows there's land available along the Iowa side of the Missouri River for a ballpark, specifically on the other end of the pedestrian bridge now under construction. "If it got bogged down, it would make sense for us to look at it."

So it would be called Google Park and have 50,000 seats. Eventually a major league team will come to CB and the royals will be just a memory.

[joeglow]

"B" from Omaha--"let them build it there, we can rake in the sales tax revenue from restaurants and hotels without investing a dime" (no joke),

-While this is NOT something I want, there is some truth to it.  Omaha could spend NOTHING and get 75% of the money they were getting.

[Brad]

let them build it there, we can rake in the sales tax revenue from restaurants and hotels without investing a dime

And next time you go to taco bell bring your own drink cup too....

[Brad]

Stadium panel's talks focus on parking lot

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... d=10229381

The baseball stadium review committee is focusing its discussions on the parking lot northwest of the Qwest Center Omaha as the downtown option for the College World Series.

The site, known as Lot C, is currently getting the most attention from the committee, according to three people who are knowledgeable about the committee's discussions.

The committee's work with its consultants remains on schedule for a February recommendation, said Doug Parrott, a spokesman for Ken Stinson, chairman of the panel.

The current contract with the College World Series expires after the 2010 championship game. The NCAA has given the city until April 30 to make a new proposal for a long-term contract that would keep the CWS in Omaha.

[OmahaJaysCU]

Good, lot C is the best choice.    Then i say build a parking garage on lot B surrounded by retail and restaurants.

[DTO Luv]

I still prefer Lot D but C is a good runner up.

[Bobcat]

I'm with ya, DTO Luv.  While both nice locations for a new stadium, I prefer Lot D.

[Brad]

I prefer Lot D because  I do not want them to close 12th Street.  Like they would do with Lot C.

[NDizona]

Lets move it to West O

204th Street

[omahahawk]

I prefer Lot D because  I do not want them to close 12th Street.  Like they would do with Lot C.

I'm OK with lot C as long as they can get most or all of the amenities they want in an area that size.  However, I was looking at some overhead renderings of the lots on the QC site and I'm not quite sure what I'm missing about why it would be closing 12th Street.  Apologies if this was covered 20 pages ago.

[the1wags]

Strictly size. Here's a pic of Rosenhole rotated and placed over lot C. Just not enough room without closing 12th. I save a pic of Rosenblatt area and downtown at the same elevation, then cut and paste to maintain the proper size relationship.


I also prefer the lot D site but it's not gonna happen sounds like. Even though I've show in a previous post (using the method above) that there is room for the ballpark and a 50% convention center expansion.

[thenewguy]

Strictly size. Here's a pic of Rosenhole rotated and placed over lot C. Just not enough room without closing 12th. I save a pic of Rosenblatt area and downtown at the same elevation, then cut and paste to maintain the proper size relationship.


I also prefer the lot D site but it's not gonna happen sounds like. Even though I've show in a previous post (using the method above) that there is room for the ballpark and a 50% convention center expansion.

After looking at that, all i can say is 1 thing out of all this: i hope they add some green down there man!  There is a |expletive|-load of gray and tan.  Some grassy areas down there would look nice.  I'll say that even though lot D would be more spacious and all that, if they use lot C, they almost could use the whole lot for just the park, and the adjacent space across 12th for amenities and have a skywalk over the street without closing 12th.  They could come up with a more space effective park than Rosenblatt, using open concourses.  Maybe a double-decker?  I'm not sure if it is quite possible, i'm just throwing out ideas.  For the park to be downtown, and stay in Omaha, i'd take lot C and shut down 12th ;)

[thenewguy]

Oh and one more thing before i forget (this probably has been covered in another thread), but why is the green-space and restaurant for Rick's the size of the footprint of the Qwest Center?  is part of that city owned?  I guess i've never really done research on it...

[DTO Luv]

I just realized that if we go with lot C instead of D we'll have sweeping views of...NOTHING in the outfield. Genius.

[thenewguy]

what if they just rotated it 90*?

[the1wags]

It won't have quite the look at the ped bridge as lot D. The Qwest will be more visible in right field. Views should still be stellar from the 3rd base line and left field.

You can' face a ballpark to the SW newguy, the batters would look right into the sun after noon.

[Harpoon]

Interesting MLB rule that is being ignored:
Major League Baseball clearly states in rule 1.04 "THE PLAYING FIELD: It is desirable that the line from home base through the pitchers plate to second base shall run East Northeast." The location of the owner's boxes, prevailing wind directions, and a multitude of other reasons have caused rule 1.04 to be ignored by Major League baseball teams.

The links below show how the MLB stadiums are oriented.

National League Ballparks
American League Ballparks

[the1wags]

Interesting. Thanks for posting that. I'm hoping for the Comerica Park alignment.


Maybe even a bit more rotation so the batters (and the grandstand) are looking south.

[thenewguy]

It won't have quite the look at the ped bridge as lot D. The Qwest will be more visible in right field. Views should still be stellar from the 3rd base line and left field.

You can' face a ballpark to the SW newguy, the batters would look right into the sun after noon.

Ah, yes, i forgot that.  And i'm a baseball fan  I guess my over-exuberance for getting it going overshadowed me being able to think.  



Do you think anyone from the city of Omaha reads this forum?

[DTO Luv]

Yes. Some are bound too.

[OmahaJaysCU]

If they build it on Lot C, which would close 12th, the stadium, would sit on 13th street.  oh the irony.

[mchine73]

While I appreciate the irony, I would hope they wouldn't close 12th street.  The powers at be would looking at another Double Tree type situation completely closing off Cuming St. from the rest of NDT.

[midtown charlie]

I would think they could always lower 12th street and have it run under the stadium.  I think a street runs under the convention center in Phoenix.  They probably wouldn't do it in this day and age since we are sooooo paranoid of terrorists.  Could be an option.

[CapitalGuy]

Probably has more to do with the fact that building a tunnel would be ridiculously unfeasible rather than any concern about terrorism.

[mchine73]

TO me it has less to do with the concern for traffic but rather pedestrian traffic and specifically the continuation of the public space.

[Brad]

BREAKING NEWS: Sokol quits baseball stadium review committee

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... d=10232947

David Sokol, chairman of the board that runs the Qwest Center Omaha, quit Mayor Mike Fahey's baseball stadium review committee today in a dispute over a possible downtown location for a new ballpark.

Ken Stinson, chairman of Peter Kiewit Sons Inc., heads the baseball committee. He said in a statement: "David indicated the MECA board has concerns regarding parking and traffic flow issues if Lot C at Qwest Center Omaha is recommended as the future site for a new baseball stadium. David said he would feel conflicted participating in stadium oversight committee discussions given the current feelings of the MECA board."

"The committee continues its work to evaluate options both at Rosenblatt and downtown and no final recommendation has been determined," Stinson said.

[thenewguy]

i wonder if that is a good thing or a bad thing...

[Brad]

i wonder if that is a good thing or a bad thing...

I take it as even the committee can not decide on a good site.  Keep your fingers crossed that this gets resolved soon so we don't have to drive to another city to see the CWS....

[cdub]

As usual their suck |expletive| website wont let me on.  I wish the WH would quit pretending to provide news online and just shut it down.  Then I wouldn't even try to go there.  


Sokols bluff about lots C and E is backfiring and he knows he is in a corner - what better to protect his massive ego than to just quit and try to wash his hands of the selection process?

[DTO Luv]

MECA YOU IGNORANT F*CKS IT'S CALLED A PARKING GARAGE!!!!!!!!!!

[almighty_tuna]

It's not that farking difficult.  Build a parking garage and MECA will not only retain lost parking, but likely increase spots.  Ring it with retail as shown in the NDT master plan and you've got something worthwhile.  They're not worried about the parking convenience of their attendees but the $6/car the surface lots bring in.  If MECA was smart about it, they would work WITH the new stadium construction and offer Lot C contingent upon construction of a new garage nearby.  

If MECA wants Lot C so bad I'd sure like to see their idea for a better use than surface parking.

[DTO Luv]

Now watch, that f*cking Save Rosenblatt group will try to get one of their own on the commitee again.

[Big E]

I think eOmaha should have a rep on the board.

I nominate DTO and his giant red fonts.

-Big E

[almighty_tuna]

maybe ... but would you do any different if you were in their position?

[DTO Luv]

What do you mean?